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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  Love it! - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By suzanne - June 12 - 2:51 pm

  My first two cars were a Cavalier and Sunfire. The Cobalt by far is of much higher quality and is made far better. I originally was considering the Aveo when I went shopping for my 3rd car, but the quietness and smoothness of the ride got my hooked to the Cobalt. Its wonderful to drive in the snow. I feel very safe in it. After a 9 hour road trip its still comfortable.

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  Nice Midsize SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Keith - June 12 - 2:30 pm

  Overall, very glad to have traded-in a low-mile Acura for this new SUV. Performance is nice because torque peaks early; keeps the engive from having to work hard. Smooth, quiet, and the electronic assisted steering is very easy. My wife really enjoys the entertainment system and I feel comforted from the safety options, crash ratings, and OnStar satellite support system. Wife gets 16MPG city and almost 25 highway, not me.

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  Good Car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By April - June 12 - 12:48 pm

  I bought this car a few years ago and overall I have been pleased. I had to replace my fuel pump about a year ago. Also one of the window motors went out (still havent fixed it!) the sir conditioning does buzz, but Ive gotten used to that by now. My dashboard has cracked in 2 places, and Im not too thrilled with that. The gas mileage is great though and my favorite part about the car! The cup holders are in a terrible spot. I dont know whose bright idea that was, but they need to be slapped. Overall, I have no regrets. It gets me to where Im going effectively and efficiently.

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  No problems so far - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Terry - June 12 - 11:26 am

  We hesitated buying a first-year NOX, but we have had zero problems. Just regular maintenance. Not thrilled with gas mileage, but is average for SUV of that size, so cant complain too much. I have the LT, all-wheel-drive. It does well in snow. My wife loves the color (laser blue metallic). Lots of folks say it look like some model of Lexus. Interior is nice - love the sliding back seat. Leather looks great but is thin. We are careful with it. Worst complaint is turning radius is atrocious, and the paint looks great but is also very thin, scratches very easily. Overall, very satisfied.

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  Dissapointment - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By lorraine - June 12 - 8:29 am

  Traded in a 2004 Impala for my 2007. Loved my 2004 so I figured how could I go wrong? Well, I was wrong. Very disappointed in my 2007. Seats (leather) are terribly uncomfortable, radio reception stinks, gas mileage not what I expected. My 04 with a 3.8 V6 got better gas mileage than this 3.5 V6 does. Terrible. Down to 22 mpg. If I need to pick up speed quickly it hesitates before it decides to go anywhere. Not enough storage space for CDs, etc. Wish Id kept my 04.

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  Let Down - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Let Down - June 11 - 10:05 pm

  This was a demo vehicle when I purchased it, but I was the first owner. Its styling, spacious interior, and solid feel sold me on it. I loved this minivan. It started every time I turned the key. It was good on fuel and on long trips. It was just a very reliable minivan aside from having to replcd the brake pads annually. However, when the odometer turned to 50K then its radio died & I had to rplace the driver-side window regulator. After the odometer turned 60K the oil pump went, then the main bearing thus, the motor is kaput. I am really disappointed in the piece of junk GM put under the hood. It is dead in the driveway. I currently have a 06 Uplander it will be sold! Never again Chevy

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  5 speed Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ct1274 - June 11 - 9:57 pm

  Fun to drive with 5 speed. Gas mileage hurts but dont drive far. Blind spots, seat handle broken. Nice looks and growl of the engine.

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  Just OK - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By TXEng - June 11 - 7:31 pm

  Bought the Venture new, fortunately with extended warranty, which paid for itself. Under warranty the AC compressor failed (defective from factory). I had the same intake gasket problem others have mentioned. The dash climate control failed and had to be replaced. There are indeed too many plastic parts and not solidly attached. Passenger side electric window is not working now. But have about 120,000 miles on it, and it is comfortable and roomy and otherwise served our family well.

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  Contemporary and Efficient - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzer4 - June 11 - 1:40 pm

  Ice Blue LTZ looks better in person than in photos. Beautifully styled. Outstanding seat travel and adjustability for a tall driver. Getting 30 to 35 mpg so far. Impressive lack of shift busyness on hilly interstates. Tap Up/Down shifter is very useful. Coastdown shifts very poor. Good DIC and Bluetooth integration. Big trunk. Very nice steering feel with Michelin Pilot tires. Smooth ride if tires are at 30 psi recommended cold pressure.

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  Much better than Dodge - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By boxergirl - June 11 - 11:58 am

  The ride in the Equinox is very smooth - the suspension is great and it drives like a car. I was also surprised coming from a much larger engine that the smaller V6 still has a lot of get up and go. In addition, Im getting 25mpg highway and 21-22 city. To me this is the best feature especially since the gas tank holds 20 gallons - which I think it kinda big for this size SUV. Anyway, its nice to be able to go over 400 miles on one tank. I just started a carpool at work, and the Equinox easily fits 4-5 adults - especially with the rear seat set back.