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:

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  Junk Lemon - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By William Wamhoff - June 11 - 10:00 am

  111 miles took to dealer.Vehicle shakes in seat,no power,hard to stop,hard to get in 1st gear,hard to get out of 5th gear,truck whines when accelerating in 1st gear,rough idle,clicking noise from engine atidle,shift light comes on all the time,if you shifted by light you would be going 35mph in 5th gear,driveline clunks when shifting from 1st to 2nd gear.Dealer states nothing wrong with truck.DRIVES LIKE NEW.

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  Disappointment - 1996 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By benz2btm - May 17 - 10:00 am

  Starts rough, engine dies when warm and must be re-started, moonroof stuck open with no manual close and/or listing as to motor location.

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  Diesel issues not covered under warranty - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Joe - May 14 - 1:52 pm

  Ive had my Diesel 14 Cruze for about 10K miles. It has never come up with any messages about regen. Suddenly the turbo stopped working and a message came on that said reduced power. Its still under the bumper to bumper warranty. I took it into a dealer and they said the particulate filter is clogged and it needed to go into regen. They are telling me they couldt find anything wrong so, they are charging me $320 to put it through regen. If there wasnt a problem, why didnt it go through regen? Whats the point of a factory warranty? I averaged 40 mpg. Based on diesel fuel being 10-20% more than gas, a gas car is almost the same efficiency, with a less complicated engine. Should have bought a Civic. Better resale, similar cost to drive, and probably wouldnt have been in the shop under warranty costing me $320.

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  Wouldnt buy again - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By michigan - May 13 - 2:40 pm

  I have driven a lot of SUVs and this is the worst by far. Rides like a truck, the trim/seal on the doors is already falling off. Too small inside, horrid cup holders. Doesnt feel like it holds the ground well. Drinks gasoline like plants drink water. HATE IT. Would love to get rid of it.

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  poor performance - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By very dissapointed - May 12 - 9:39 pm

  I bought my Colorado in April looking for fuel economy the salesman were very good. But this truck is full of probiems. Just to start the fuel economy, it gives only 19 miles per gallon on the expway. This traveling 200 miles north with the wind going the same direction. The brakes do not work fine after the truck being parked for more than 4 hours. It does not have any power at all. I feel this is not I reliable for family, truck. The worst part for me is the poor shop service the place I bought my truck has. The personnel checked the truck in less than 5 minutes and told me that the computer did not registered anything wrong and in regard to the brakes the manager said " it is brakes dust.

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  The most lackluster car ever made - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By W.G.Ahlers - April 28 - 1:05 pm

  I bought it used in 2005, (Only a few months old) and I think I know why it depreciated $10,000 in only a matter of months. The A/C smells musty, the bottom scrapes everytime I turn into a driveway, my brakes make a strange chirping noise, (Dealer says normal) tranny makes strange grinding noise, (again, normal) the dash pieces are separating, (normal) the carpet pulls away from the lower trim because it was cut too short (normal) GM refuses to fix anything wrong with it. Interior noise is ridiculously loud, I fear that I am making my 20 month old son slowly deaf. No ABS, so when it snows it likes to hit other cars. Heater fries my right foot, yet leaves my left foot frozen solid.

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  Last time I go car shopping alone. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jc - April 28 - 12:04 pm

  I bought my LS on a whim. Just went to look at cars and test drive some and well, it just kinda happened. Within 2 weeks, I had to take the car to the dealer, there was some major squeaking going on. Found out it was just the hubcaps, apparently theyre horrible. They lubed them, but nothing else can be done. Im now at month 13 of ownership and sitting at home with no car. It has 12,000 miles on it. Went to start it and it just wouldnt do anything. Called GMAC Roadside assistance and they sent "Big Dawgs" towing. We almost needed a tow truck for the tow truck. The car has been at the dealer all day. No courtesy car like my selling dealership promised, No response yet.

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  Cheap! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Gbarclay - April 26 - 7:14 pm

  We bought car brand new and within a few months, the check engine light came on. It has been going on and off for the past 3 1/2 years. Car has been to dealer 6 times for problems with gas cap, problems with fuel sensors, and various other fuel- related issues. ABS light came on and went off for no apparent reason. Used to get 34 MPG, but since dealer has "fixed" my car 6 times, it now only gets 24 MPG. Interior fabric is cheap and stains extremely easily. CDs get stuck in the CD player. My last new car was a Lumina in 1994 and I loved it. Hate this Malibu. Trading it in.

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  Poor quality - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By consultant3 - April 23 - 2:54 pm

  Purchased car from family/original owner at 40k. 6 cycl. 40k replaced alternator, brake pads and adjustment, battery and tires by 30k, by 70k serp belt, headliner-visor worn, a/c - Freon, now at 78k, oil pan gasket leaks, est. -up to $300. Suspension is bad, you feel every minor bump. This is the fifth and last gm for me. Imports are not perfect, but, this is terrible! I might try a Mazda?

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  Very disappointing - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Steve-o - April 22 - 8:40 am

  Ive never had more problems with a car than this one. My Cavalier has had one thing go wrong after the other. Its never been abused, the oil has been changed every 3,000 miles and its not even driven that much. I only have one more year of payments, but Ive decided to trade it in for something other than a GM. Maybe I just got a lemon. For those who are about to buy one, beware. The Cavalier is a cheap car and its one of those things where you get what you pay for. I guess its back to imports for me.