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:

• 

  Been a Good Car so far but not Perfect - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By DCSFORUM - October 24 - 11:46 am

  Bought the Equinox new 3 years ago and have not had any troubles in 24,000 miles. I knew the 2.4L wouldnt routinely achieve the EPA fuel mileage numbers at typical highway speeds (and Im frustrated at both Chevy and the EPA for unrealistic numbers) but a quick glance at the data on Fuelly.com shows its nearly impossible to achieve the highway number (only 3 fill-ups out of 418 got 32 MPG) which is just wrong from a consumer standpoint. I have measured 29.5 MPG on a 500-mile highway run in ECO mode running 65-70 MPH. I dont know how the 4-cylinder will hold up either so I might opt for the 6-cylinder if I had it to do over again. I thought the 2.4L had reasonable power during my test drive but after 3 years of driving, it feels somewhat underpowered. On the plus side, its quiet and we have not had any squeaks or rattles. It has run flawlessly with no returns to the dealer for any reason other than oil changes. I think the Equinox looks pretty decent and handles well. Brakes and HID headlights are great. Good amount of room in the back seat. Side airbags are good to have. Here are my observations on the negative side: 1. The center stack is angled away from the driver so reaching the main knob on the upper right of the radio requires the driver to lean forward away from the seat and Im 6 ft tall with relatively long arms. This is terrible ergonomic design and is very frustrating over time. That control isnt accessible on the steering wheel so they force you to lean way forward to use it. Extremely bad. 2. I find the seats too firm. The firm seats bother my sciatic nerve and I start having numbness. I had to go buy a seat cushion to alleviate this problem. 3. The Equinox cargo room is much smaller than it should be for a vehicle of this length. The Equinox is the same length as our Buick Rendezvous but the Rendezvous has 3 rows of seating and offers two or three times more cargo space. According to Edmunds specs, the two vehicles only differ in width by 1 inch so Im just puzzled how the Equinox is so much smaller in the back. It just strikes me that the Equinox is trying to be a small fuel-efficient SUV but it doesnt excel at either end of the spectrum. It doesnt achieve the EPA numbers but also isnt big enough to handle big family trips because of the small cargo area. The cargo area is also narrow enough that you cant put golf clubs back there. 4. As noted above, Im not sold on the 2.4L engine. It doesnt achieve the sticker ratings and Im uncertain how well it will hold up over time. Im not sure were saving enough fuel to be worth feeling this underpowered. Some people have reported 5. The 6-speed transmission is good at keeping the engine revs low for better fuel economy and I like the manual shift control but it is the worst-shifting new-car transmission I have ever owned. I dont consider it a severe problem but more of a constant annoyance. Its just not nearly as smooth as it should be. The car hesitates momentarily at every shift with first-to-second and second-to-third being the worst. So, the bottom line for me is that it is a mixed bag. The car has been completely reliable which is ultimately what matters the most to me but I do have a few concerns as noted above.

• 

  Great used vehicle !! - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Chvylvr - October 24 - 8:18 am

  I have owned almost every chevy truck they make. From a 93 and 02 suburban to an 03 and 09 silverado. They were all great trucks but I have to say the 01 tahoe is the most functional for my needs in the group. Not overly large fairly nimble good cargo space and room for 6 people (no 3rd row). The 5.3 liter moves this truck well. It is so smooth and you can hardly hear it idle. Got it with 93k with original Trans, rear etc. It has a good amount of rust underneath but nothing unusual for the northeast salted roads. No body rot at all and paint still shines like new. Not bad for a 14 year old truck. A new tahoe would be around $50k. I paid $5k for this one. Ill be due for another tahoe sometime around 2029 and Im sure Ill get a good deal on a 2015 then.

• 

  Great commuter car -spare car - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By j - October 21 - 9:48 am

  Pros: Great mileage. Plug in at 8pm, usually full charge by am. Warm days bring better electric miles (~48) cold days (~30). I only commute a few miles to work, so this is perfect for my situation. Quiet (no rattles). My German shepherds preferred vehicle -lol (vs. LexisRX350). Nice to have range extender engine that gets decent mileage. entertainment system easy to understand. Car settings easy to change and understand. Nice to have on-star for free (3years). Low Mainteneance (so far). Driver layout, cup holders, front Instrument Panel Storage with outlet (great for gps unit or phone connection). Remote App (to locate car, Open Locks, Warm car up etc. Cons: No spare tire, Large front pillars (visibility), rear leg-room (expected), Window flutter noise (when one/two windows open - all windows have to be open), Black Paint (to hot when sun is out) - then you need to use Air Conditioning which depletes electricity. Low front clearance (rubber scrapes over little driveway inclines. Seat warmers s/b std. equipment. hard to judge front end when parking. Weekends (when everybody wants to use car) running totally on Electric becomes an issue (do not have quick charging unit).

• 

  Happy with the purchase of my first new car - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By T. Jacklin - October 20 - 6:37 pm

  I bought this car new off the lot. Within a few months I noticed a screeching noise out on the open highway in a cross wind. Come to find out it was something to do with the design of the vehicle (not safety) and after a quick fix at the shop, the noise was gone. I wanted a bare bones car. Lets features, less to go wrong, less expense. This car is perfect for me. It can be parked anywhere, not overly spunky but can whip it on the highway. The fuel mileage is great, only a few minor repairs (mostly from lack of use, not over use) like creaky doors, a rear hatch release that sticks, heater only works on blast (at least it works). If you are looking for something to get you from point A to B without a lot of bells and whistles, this is your ride. It now has 78,000kms on her, just had the control arm replaced today, new water pump a couple weeks ago. These are things that are going to need replacing regardless, and I think after 6 years that is fair. Still has original brakes, clutch, wipers, numerous other things. I am more than happy with The Intimidator. I would buy another one in a minute. Its GREAT in the snow! (Granted you know how to drive in it. I am Canadian. I have this skill)

• 

  Cool mommie van! - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Nancy - October 18 - 12:33 am

  I bought this 2005 van used when it was about 3 yrs old with less than 50,000 miles. It is now 5 yrs later and I absolutely love this van! It doesnt look like a mommie van, something like a van/suburban look. Ive only had to have regular maintenance repairs done-shocks, brakes, tires, etc. I only recently had to have the oil pan replaced which is expensive because the whole engine has to be dropped. Handling is great, separate A/C controls for front and back, jacks for electronics and built in car seat for little ones. The acceleration is awesome, I didnt have to turn off the A/C to pass someone on highway. The gas mileage is also good. We have taken it on several longs trips-Black Hills, California, Idaho and Kansas. Kids loved the DVD player to pass the time [So nice not hearing "are we there yet?" the whole trip]. Never gave us a bit of trouble! My only complaints - other than the engine being squeezed in - are the seats are cheap and cracking.

• 

  Chevy all the way - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Juana la Cubana - October 17 - 9:55 pm

  I bought my chevy at a used dealership. I saw the car and knew that car was going to be mine. I purchased the car at 91k miles. Now at 140K miles I havent had a real issue. The car was and is well kept with the oil change,breaks. Only thing is that the accelerator is kinda slow to pick up to a high speed. Changing the car light is a pain in the butt. Chevy was charging me 150.00 to change one light bulb because they had to remove the whole bumper. Lucky we know a guy who knows a guy that had a shop. We ended up paying 50.00 to change 2 light bulbs which isnt bad at all. Love Chevy. We have a Malibu and want a Silverado !!!

• 

  Love my 2007 impala - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By impala - October 14 - 12:50 am

  Bought my 07 impala last year in 2014 with 99,000 now im at 150,000 gotta say its great still shifting smooth engine runs great the LT model in which I have will not last long with aggressive driving. Drives nicely change your fluids frequently and this car will run for a long time!

• 

  08 Tahoe LT - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Bryce Holloway - October 8 - 7:18 pm

  Starting with the cons, the front end clearance is similar to a car, I recommend a leveling kit, the locks are garbage. However it is a very smooth ride even with the 20" wheels. The fuel economy has not gotten worse or improved, still sitting at 15mpg city/hey combined. Towing is acceptable, strong power while towing and transmission stays cool during long hill pulls. I recently camped in the back of it for a weekend for a race event and was impressed with the cargo room (me being 6 tall) I slept comfortably. My only recommendation is to life the front end and beef up the brakes if youll be towing quite a bit. Also, expect to replace faulty locks. Overall, Im impressed with this purchase.

• 

  Long term rental - 2015 Chevrolet Impala
  By David Norris - October 6 - 3:49 am

  I was on an assignment so I got an impala for a long term rental. I drove it to and from work, to and from my home, and around town. I generally like it. However, my biggest peeve is the noise. I was convinced that the rear window was open because of all the road noise I could hear in my left ear. But, no, that is just its lack of sound deadening material. In every other aspect this is a nice car. But, it is just too noisy. Trunk is quite large. It is a large car.

• 

  convertible in paradise - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By gary - October 4 - 3:58 pm

  Rented a convertible in hawaii that had 16 miles on it. V6 had good power at speed but really i mean really struggled to do a burnout in 1st with traction off. Back seat mostly was for gymnasts only. Looked very cool everywhere. Navigation was the worst ive ever dealt with. Incredibly the controls for it and stereo, heat made it very frustrating. Used phone instead and tried to stay away from the buttons. How hard is it to have useable technology. My 10 yeard old tom tom is better. That is embarassing just being from the country that designed it. Ugh chevy