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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  SPORTY, QUICK, FUN AND RELIABLE... - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By phoongdan - June 28 - 11:54 pm

  I have owned my LS sedan for going on 5 years now and its been a pleasure to own and very fun to drive! I replaced the stock air filter with a K&N system, upgraded the stock exhaust to a racing exhaust, and use synthetic oil and the 140hp engine (about 150hp+ with the mods) and I have the 4-speed automatic with overdrive and the car literally can outrun most 4-cylinders and even some V-6s Not only is it quick, but I like the exterior and interior styling and the car has been exceptionally reliable. Ive got over 135,000 miles on it and have only needed basic repairs like a water pump, radiator hoses, thermostat, and rear tail light socket replaced.

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  Loving my Equinox!! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By 4hotrod - June 28 - 5:27 pm

  I bought my 2011 Equinox on May 31st. This is after 2 yrs of test drives & reading reviews. We had it narrowed down to the Hyundai Tucson and the Equinox, we even drove them both to the same place for side by side comparison. I just turned over 3000 miles and average 27-28 mpg combined city and hwy. I anticipate that it will keep improving as it breaks in more. I drive 140 miles a day round trip to work and the comfort is unbelievable, rear leg room is amazing and I like being able to increase the storage in the back my simply moving the seat forward a little bit. Minor body adjust was needed in rear quarter panel after 200 mile, due to squeaking noise but all else is perfect.

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  MPG+other - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ownone - June 27 - 10:54 pm

  How to get best MPG. My test runs: 55mph 2 people in vehicle ECO mode ~36mpg 65mph 2 people in vehicle ECO mode + cruise control ~33.9mpg. In town average with ECO mode on ~26-28mpg with. Listed high way mpg was 38 for this vehicle when I bought it. This I already new was not possible. Look people you have to ease on the gas and I will guarentee it will get the above mpg unless there is a defect. Even the service shop people were amazed I get this kind of mpg as most customers complain they dont. Its all in how you drive it. Also expect to get different MPG if you live in the hills. I live in the valley in CA where the high ways are flat and straight for the most part.

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  Very pleased with Equinox - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By johndg - June 26 - 11:19 pm

  We purchased a 2011 Equinox LT2 in January 2011. My wife wanted leather heated seats so we were required to buy the LT2 model. The vehicle our dealer found for us had the optional sunroof and power rear hatch, and is painted black with a black interior. We now have more than 10,000 miles on the Equinox and have had only one problem - it failed to start (jump starting worked and we took it to a dealer where the problem was fixed.) This has since been a recall item which requires that the dealer reprogram one of the onboard computers - it has been fixed on current production vehicles.

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  My Chevy Lumina Euro - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By jamespa48 - June 26 - 8:19 pm

  I have a 1991 chevy lumina euro with 136,000 and I am repairing anything it needs. I think this will be my last car I bought it new in 1991 when I was 42 years old and now I am retired and 62. I am never going to get another car I will keep this till I die.

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  Great Chevy Car/SUV & Gas Saver! - 2011 Chevrolet HHR
  By chevyhhr2011 - June 23 - 5:31 pm

  This car has truly exceeded our expectations. We have owned it for almost 3,000 miles now in just under 2 months and this car has been great on gas and has a very smooth ride with good handling. We use the HHR as our business car for hauling items and shipments. Our website business, Wonder Buy Shop, has had other work cars available but we mainly use the HHR because it has the smoothness of a car with the functions of an SUV. Personally Ive had BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, Honda and other cars but the HHR has been great on gas and the features are perfect for what we need with Bluetooth, OnStar, Automatic and more. Thanks to Chevy for making a real economic and fun car/SUV to drive!

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  I LOVE my malibu!!!!! - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By peachesxox3162 - June 23 - 12:05 pm

  I am 2nd owner after purchasing the car in 04 w/17218miles. I have driven it daily ever since with minor problems(to me at least). The car has 198,673miles and is still going strong. I havent been as faithful as I should have with tune-ups or oil changes. Truth be told- just had my neighbor replace the wires and plugs and he informed me that they were original. I have replaced tires (full set) twice. I love my car but know I need to look for a newer one. While I need a car good on gas, I REALLY love my malibu and am looking to get another. I just hope that I get lucky a second time!!!!

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  3,500 miles into my ECO stick shift.... - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By howdee - June 23 - 9:30 am

  ...and we finally hit the 42 mark on a trip. We really needed to mind the details to get those #s though. No more 80, try 72 or less. Windows closed, flat terrain etc. Most of our combined average is 36, pretty darn good! We bought the car for a routine 500 round trip and very pleased with the comfort/ride. My one complaint is? ( how many others experience this) Occasional, severe acceleration lag from a dead stop. Dangerous to pull out into traffic. The dealer thinks Im imagining it since there are no codes and it always fails to occur in his presence.

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  What you see, it what you get! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By myequinox08731 - June 21 - 9:41 pm

  Love, Love , Love this car! Every inch is perfection! Buy it, drive it, love it!

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  2009 Malibu LTZ at 30K - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By rbsj - June 19 - 4:26 pm

  I bought a new LTZ with the 6-cylinder in June 2009. It now has 30,000 miles on it and I would rate it excellent in almost every way. I have had zero problems with it. It has had no squeeks, rattles or operational problems of any nature. It averages over 31 mpg on the highway going 75 mph, and is very zippy (252 hp in a car the weighs 3,400 lbs). I would highly recommend the car.