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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  Kens New Chevy Impala - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kensakad2 - June 23 - 2:00 am

  Since buying this car, I have driven in the snow and wet pavments and I am very impressed with the cars proformance and stopping ability. On a long trip of over 100 miles, I got about 29 mpg and thats quite acceptable to me. The one draw back to me is driver visibility, the post and rearview mirror are in the way.

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  The 2005 Eqinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Sharon Ward - June 22 - 10:33 pm

  The Equinox has a very smooth ride, and a lot of get up and go when needed. I like the looks of the vehicle. The interior is really nice. So far I havent had anything to complain about.

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  6 speed auto trans - 2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By twinman - June 19 - 11:57 pm

  2012 Silverado - the 6 speed auto trans is a no-go ! Shift points are in the middle of right hand turn speed. Its a poor transmission, and jerky. You wont like the 6 speed auto...

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  2001 chevy silverado 4x4 z71 - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mattbynum317 - June 18 - 2:42 am

  I love my 01 chevy silverado 1500, its getting up there in miles has 233950 still runs better than any ford i have owned. only problem is that the oil pan and rear main seal leak i dont have extra money to fix but we havent had any major problems. we replaced the starter wen out once at 205xxx miles but that wasnt a big deal. no tranny problems what so ever. it is a tough truck pretty comfortable. back seat is cramped, other than that its a good truck. the bed is a good size and doesnt fall apart like a ford would. i trust this truck and would drive it across the country without a worry in my mind. very relaible pretty powerfull. 4x4 works better than any ford 4x4 i have drivven.

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  Retro is in - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Harry - June 17 - 7:40 am

  It took a month of looking to find the car. In late 2005 they were hard to get. Great styling, its boxy shape and fenders remind one of the old gangster cars. Very roomy inside considering the external dimensions of the vehicle. It fits in narrow parking spaces and has a lot of cargo room with the rear seat folded down.

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  1000 miles and radio problems - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By NewGMowner - June 17 - 6:30 am

  My XM radio is not receiving a signal, the malibu is in the shop for three days to fix - I have 1200 miles on the car, not happy. The lastest is they may have to replace radio - more time in the shop. The four cylinder, six speed automatic transmission is great. I like the car - even with the radio issue. Hard to believe but I would strongly recommend this Chevy to all. I test drove many cars - this car is as good, I believe better than: Honda, Nissan, Toyota, Mazda and etc. I wanted to buy American and thought I might have to accept less - the Malibu is a great car - really. The gas mileage is excellent for the cars size and weight. All will like the mpg - very quiet. GM lives!

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  Too many problems - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Mike - June 16 - 5:00 pm

  My 2007 Tahoe was one of the 1st to be released and I have had multiple problems with DVD, rear view mirror, door molding, power locks, and folding seats. But main issue is with the poor reception of the FM & XM radio. I have had the Tahoe serviced 3 times for the radio and they cannot fix the problem, it may be the poor placement and engineering of the FM & XM antenna in the rear back glass. Radio fades in and out when passing by power lines, trees, building, drive-thru windows. Very irritating, especially when I paid more for the premium Bose system.

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  Poor Gas performer - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rick Vann - June 16 - 4:06 pm

  The whole deal of me getting this thing was fuel mileage and the dealership knew it. I traded a loaded 2004 Z-71 pick up 1/2 ton. I said I need more then 18mpg and they showed me this and I had really read a lot on this Equinox and everything is as said but no one had said anything about fuel mileage I went by what the dealer told me and the fuel sticker since I bought mine in july Chevy has since changed the sticker from 19 city to 17 city and from 25 hwy to 23 hwy. I get 17 and when I tow a little four wheeler on a 255 pound trailer I get 12 mpg. Had I known this in advance I would still be in a Z-71. The dealership doesnt try to do anything and I called Chevy and they give me the run around.

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  Excellent SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Jake - June 14 - 5:03 pm

  I really did some reserach on this class of SUVs and decided on the Nox. I couldnt be happier. Great ride, smooth shifting, great styling. Also, very safe.. with excellent crash ratings on all four sides as well as side curtain airbags. Great for kids, lots of legroom and space for them!

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  Equinox- good looking but certain deficits - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Westchester SUV - June 13 - 2:06 pm

  Love the outside look. Inside also pretty but the seats are a little hard. Problem is that I got the top of the line, LT, AWD with leather and heated seats and I feel that I got shafted with some non-amenities. Such are no light in the glove compartment. Terrible smell in car when new; they had to change anti-freeze twice. I heard others have had same problem. Heater dial impossible to reach or know whether it is on. Turn on map light in back and it automatically goes on front and blinds driver. Temperature gauge for outside air goes up 30 degrees when I am in terrible traffic. Too many problems for a nice looking, nice driving perfect size car with a sticker of almost $29,000