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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  Nice Van - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Brian - July 10 - 10:28 pm

  Bought used w/ 116K miles, now at 143K. Intake manifold started leaking repair mostly covered under extended warranty. One power sliding door doesnt work left wiper runs off the windshield Rear end fluid had to be replaced (common problem with Versatrak AWD) occasional wheel sensor problem which disables ABS and AWD already rusting Despite these problems the van has never left me stranded.

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  Good Buy - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By James - July 10 - 9:24 pm

  Good overall car. When I purchased this car it had all original parts except the radio (this was a good sign). The bad news was once I bought it some of the 10 year old parts broke. I had the computer system fail ($300), then the drive pulley ($200) then the slave cylinder broke (the clutch was also replaced since the it is so hard to get to it was worth doing it at the time, $700). Overall the car drives great. With regular oil changes and tune ups I think Ill get another 100k miles out of this car.

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  "xtremely" awesome x dime - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By XDIME01 - July 10 - 3:13 pm

  What can I say about this truck, its simply the best vehicle Ive ever bought! The 4.3 v6 is a pretty potent motor, with lots of power, and wicked tourqe. The styling cues of the Xtreme are just amazing. Ive had my X for almost 5 years, and sure Ive had some minor problems, but what vehicle doesnt. Ive replaced the battery, the third door handle (twice), and have had the brakes done. And out of those 5 years Ive drove every winter, at least 30 miles a day (highway) with no more than just a set of winter tires, and I hardly ever got stuck. Plus the best part of all: all the aftermarket parts available for it, so you can take it from a stocker to a shocker!

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  Fun drive - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Beau2006 - July 10 - 2:54 pm

  Car is a blast to drive although if it had a little more power, it would be even better. I am sure it would be worth the extra money to buy the new 2009 turbo with 260hp. The 2006 Super Charged is fun with 205hp. It gets great gas mileage and seems to pull well on the top end. The interior is roomy for the front but if you have the seats all the way back, the back seat would be a little cramped. What can I say, its a coupe. I have a blue Cobalt and the paint seems to be of good quality.

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  Year Round Sports Vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By PhilemupWNY - July 10 - 1:48 pm

  I previously leased a 2006 Trailblazer and while I liked the room, the fuel economy was bad and it handled slow. Being 28, I wanted a sports car, I wanted an SUV, I needed something smaller and I wanted AWD for the winter. The result was the Equinox Sport AWD and I couldnt be happier. Very fast, very comfortable, tons of room and a comfortable back seat, sporty, cool looking and a great premium stereo system (unlike the Bose from the TrailBlazer). Overall, Im very happy and I couldnt of made a better choice that fit me year round in an environment that has extreme weather of the summer and winter.

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  Buy a Scion or Civic - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By marspiter - July 10 - 9:53 am

  This is my wifes car and she puts less then your average yearly mileage on the car. When she first bought the car it was a wonderful. In fact I actually found myself sneaking it time to time for little trips to the store. In terms of reliability. Well thats the sour point of this car. This is a list of the items that have been fixed since the car was new. Throttle body malfunctioned, Sunroof has broke and come off track twice, Every button in the interior has broke at least once. Have replaced the sunroof bezel 4 times. Electrical short in trunk that killed the electrical system. Final thoughts: Fun to drive, good gas mileage, horrible reliability. Will trade for a Honda Civic.

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  So far, so good - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By vicky11 - July 10 - 8:42 am

  Overall we have enjoyed this vehicle so far! Previously we had a pick up truck, but it was time to get something more family friendly. My only negative comments are that the seatbelts are not comfortable at all, and very noisy on the highway. It seems like the windows are not shut tight, even when they are.

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  This truck is roomy in the inside - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By KEIA BOST - July 10 - 7:52 am

  May 2008 has just been a year from the purchase of my truck. It is great! Very roomy in the inside and a lot of lerg room in the back seat. Lots of cargo space. It doesnt seem that big from the outside but when you get in, its big. It was enough room for a third row in the back. I love my truck and thank God he blessed me with it and it was brand new with 0 miles when I purchased it. Its just a gas guzzler to me.

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  Under Rated Performance - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By InfinityzeN - July 10 - 5:13 am

  Here comes the underdog. It has a supercharger, it makes boost whenever you press the gas. The engine puts more horsepower to the ground then its rated at and has dominated every form of racing it has been used in. Brake performance is exceptional, especially when you consider the cars price class and weight. Ove all the best bang-for-buck performance car in the last few years.

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  Great Car! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Don - July 10 - 4:17 am

  My previous car was a 2003 Dodge Neon which i must say after the 1st yr needed a front end job..yuk! Ive had the Cobalt for 15 months now and not a problem. Good power. Ride is good. Electric steering needs a little improvement. Great gas mileage. I get 30 around town. On long trips at first I was getting around 40mpg (automatic tranny) now around 38-39mpg. Dealer installed cruise for free. I love it!