Overview & Reviews

Chevrolet sells an impressively wide range of vehicles, from subcompact hatchbacks to huge vans and SUVs. If you're looking for a reasonably priced vehicle, odds are that Chevy will have something to fit your needs.

Chevrolet got its start in 1911. After William C. Durant had been ousted from General Motors, he joined forces with Swiss-born racecar driver Louis Chevrolet to found the Chevrolet Motor Car Company. The company's first offering was the Classic Six. Introduced in 1912, this five-passenger touring sedan could top 65 mph, fast for the time. Chevrolet's storied bowtie logo -- reportedly inspired by the wallpaper of a Paris hotel room that Durant stayed at -- made its first appearance in 1914.

By 1918, Chevrolet's profitability allowed Durant to purchase enough shares in GM to regain control. Chevrolet became another division of GM, and was its largest volume division by the mid-1920s. By 1927, Chevrolet outsold rival Ford, with sales in excess of 1 million units.

In the mid-1930s Chevrolet introduced independent front suspension, which provided a smoother ride over the rough roads of the day. The 1940s saw continued success with affordable coupes, sedans and pickup trucks catering to American families, farmers and businessmen.

By the mid-1950s, Chevrolet, GM's entry-level division, had added a V8 engine, power steering and brakes, power windows and air-conditioning to its list of available features, allowing luxury for those on a tighter budget. Around this time the iconic Bel Air model -- available in coupe, sedan, convertible and wagon body styles -- proved very popular. The company introduced its alluring Corvette in 1953; the vehicle was the first mass-produced car with a fiberglass body.

The 1960s saw the unveiling of the popular, air-cooled Corvair compact, which held the distinction of being the first domestic production car with all-around independent suspension. That decade also witnessed the launch of the compact Nova, the midsize Chevelle and the sporty Camaro, the latter Chevrolet's answer to the wildly successful Ford Mustang. The Camaro proved an instant hit, comprising 10 percent of Chevrolet's total sales in 1967, its first year of production.

In the 1970s, Chevy responded to changing preferences by introducing small cars like the Vega and the Chevette, and by downsizing larger models such as the Caprice and Malibu. The company combated the market domination of foreign nameplates in the 1980s by rolling out the Cavalier. By the end of that decade, trucks and SUVs had started to become increasingly popular with the general consumer, and the brand's mid- and full-size models continue to this day to be some of the most popular on the road.

The '90s and the early 2000s saw the company raising the performance bar with its Corvette (notably the Z06 and, later, ZR1 variants) and reincarnated Impala SS. Chevrolet's Silverado pickup truck and Tahoe/Suburban SUVs continued to be hits as well. By 2010, the Camaro had returned to the lineup after a seven-year hiatus.

Modern times have seen Chevrolet make significant improvements in its small and midsize car models and introduce the Volt plug-in hybrid. The latter provides a nearly 40-mile range on electric power alone, and adds to the company's already well-rounded lineup of cars, trucks and SUVs. Though today's marketplace is very demanding, Chevrolet seems poised to remain a power player through its affordable and innovative vehicles.

User Reviews:

• 

  love it - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By stevec - January 14 - 10:00 am

  Bought TrailBlazer LT in Feb.2002. Love the vehicle. I get 18.3 mpg with air on. My wife bought a 2002 Lexus, she drives mine more, really likes the Onstar phone for hands free.

• 

  It Shakes - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By cobaltguy2 - January 14 - 1:44 am

  My 2014 High Country is 3 months old. It is an exceptional vehicle everywhere but in the highway ride. At 65-70 miles an hour there is a very noticeable shake in the vehicle. It has been to the dealers 3 times and they have changed everything but the tail lights. This is my 4th Chevy truck and I have never even had any issues until this truck. I would not buy this truck until they get it right

• 

  Love it but have had problems - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Tx_DreamWeaver - January 14 - 12:39 am

  I bought the car at 37000 miles and drove it thru several states and Canada (about 8000 miles total), and couldnt ask for a better ride or drive, but the brake pedal went too low before I got back. I took it to the dealer, and because it happened in the 3000 mi/30 day warranty on used cars, they supposedly fixed the brakes. They didnt feel any different after, and I know the brakes and rotors need replacement now. I had the same problem as others with the no start or shutting down while driving. Just paid $500 for new ignition switch. Only time will tell if it recurs, or if I get the engine leak problem too!

• 

  ABS Brakes / car fax reports - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By rutter - January 14 - 12:27 am

  Ive only had my used 05 Uplander for less then a month. And here are the problems Ive had. 1- ABS bad sensor? Light comes on when Im going in reverse and step on the braks. Plus, I swear it sounds like grinding metal when the ABS kicks in. 2-front rotors warped? Wow, Im going to get a copy of the CARFAX report. The car only had 32,000 miles on it when I got it. So Im hoping to make this car last. My last car a Saturn VUE died just like my friends did at 159000. cracked head gasket and blown piston. Ive read alot or reviews, and Im hoping for the better side of them all. The one thing I miss is getting over 25 MPG with my Saturn, with all the driving I do.

• 

  EQI-NOT - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Puzzled Owner - January 13 - 11:31 pm

  At 30,000 miles a rear wheel bearing had to be replaced. The front brake rotors showed serious warping at 30,000 miles. The standard tires were substandard. The vehicle overall has bad gas mileage. It is a very handy vehicle for shopping, hauling. I have always been a GM man even when they rusted out in 3 years. Thank God the Japanese introduced their line. Even though I accumulate GM dollars, I will go foreign the next time around.

• 

  Good, Bad and the Ugly - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By big dog - January 13 - 10:12 pm

  We got this car brand new! The handling was excellent. ABS worked great the one night I needed it. We had 230K miles when it gave up the ghost. The steering wheel had a great feel. The Bad: The cloth seats wore fast. The beverage cup holder broke so often the dealership sold them at cost to me. The back seat was horrible for any body over 8 years old. Alot of wind noise. The Ugly: The 4 wheel disc brakes had a recall / class action. Spent almost $1000 on replacing front brakes every 30K miles until I spent $1200 getting the entire brake system replaced. I got $43 in the class action. The tranny went south at 200K /$900 repair. Needed a engine rebuild at 230K. Got a brand 2005 Ford Focus.

• 

  Clear free of this lemon! - 1996 Chevrolet Astro
  By Heidi - January 13 - 9:57 pm

  This van has been nothing but a money pit from the day we bought it used. We have had to replace the water pump, full transmission, repair AC, CV joints on front end, muffler fell off, battery, alternator and starter (all in the last three years). The driver side door hinge is falling off and the windows does not work. Horribly noisy on the inside. Save your money for a Toyota!

• 

  Junk - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By getit - January 13 - 6:12 pm

  I bought this car for company use in 2006. It is now 2009 and this car has pretty much been replaced. The tire monitor system constantly breaks, the hot air only works at 1500+rpms both fenders have been replaced, the tires wore out at 30,000 miles the gas gauge reads wrong, the paint is bad, the fuel tank had to be replaced, two injecters went bad. My MAF went bad, the driver seat ripped, the wood trim inside fell off, the rear speakers dont work, the engine makes alot of noise at idle and shakes bad at idle, the RPM gauge is faulty, the car idles to high, the power seats dont work, my rack went bad followed by my power steering pump, had tranny problems, and a ton more

• 

  Worth the wait! - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bluuurr - January 13 - 3:59 pm

  I had never owned a Corvette before purchasing a new 2008 crystal red metalic coupe. I thought that I could not afford one yet, and then the Chevrolete employee pricing was offered. I had planned to wait another 5 years before taking the plung, but the price was right sooner. I had never even been in a Vette or even test driven a Vette until my purchase. I just knew I wanted one! I couldnt be any more pleased with color, speed and acceleration, interior. I love everything about this car. Everyone else loves it too. To all you who have put off purchasing the new C6 Corvette...go do it, youll not regret it.

• 

  A very good car - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Bill - January 13 - 12:50 pm

  I bought my car new. I have driven it 68000 miles. I have never had any problems with it, and I get very good gas mileage. It still looks new inside and out, and I hope to drive it another 5 or 6 years. For a Chevrolet, I think it is a very good product.