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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  My unpleasent experience - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By simon - March 9 - 12:24 pm

  I bought this with the hopes for a nice comfertable car that was suposed to be an upgrade from the standerd Venture. What a disapointment.

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  I got robbed - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Tom - March 8 - 1:02 pm

  I purchased my Blazer at about 40000 miles. And what a let down it has been since. Ive actually considered seeing if it was a lemon but by the other reviews on here Im guessing I should have done the research and expected it. Every thing everyone has mentioned having problems with I have do the same and some more. Im a college student and constantly breaking the bank on repairs for this. I will never buy a Chevy again. I have spent close to $5000 on repair in 3 years of having it. Gas gauge, ball joints, rotors, bearings, rear axle, pittman arm, seat handle, wiring, lights on the dash, heater core. The repairs take all the fun out of this automobile unless you have deep pockets.

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  Problems plus - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By chevyowner - March 4 - 10:08 am

  I have owned this truck for a little over two months and it has been in the shop for 25% of the time. Three times to fix a rear seal leak. The last time I was bringing it in the leakage for the transmission fell off. All this started with 1800 miles on the truck.

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  Malibu Surprise! - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By shulse - March 2 - 10:00 am

  Malibu Surprise! Thats what we humorously refer to our Malibu LS as, if you think it will be there, ha, gotcha and surprise.... Seriously though, I did expect more from a $18,500 car purchase. This is unfortunate, unreliable, and costly to keep going. I have had 6 warranty calls, a brake job, and now the electrical is out. Take my advice, buy a different car.

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  Not Pleased - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kentwa - March 2 - 12:26 am

  I have had problem after problem with this vehicle. I noticed on the Edmunds message board other owners have had similar problems. The dealer appears to be clueless when some of these issues are mentioned even though they appear to be consistan issues with others across the board. At the first opportunity, I plan to trade her in for possibly a whole new make. This has not been a pleasant experience with a new car purchase.

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  Turn and run! - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Shanzman - February 17 - 7:00 am

  Where do I start? First off, if you live anywhere north of Illinois, do not get this car. Horrible heating! Within 3 weeks two spark plugs blew out of the head. I had to re-thread both of them. They did this on a cold start! It had a leak in the car,(Water) Which I could never pinpoint. I would have four inches of standing water in the rear floor wells. I have had two coil packs go bad. This is a joke to even think you can replace them. They are on the front of the engine and its takes a mechanic two hours. Replacing the heater core is supposed to be easy, Wrong! It is plastic, yes plastic from the top of it to the lines that hook up. The suspension, is rough.

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  Harmonic Vibrations - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Frank - February 16 - 7:26 am

  After owning four Chevrolet trucks, the fifth one was a horrible experience. The treatment from GM was nothing but criminal and stupid. I took the truck back within the first 500 miles because of a vibration similar to an unballanced tire . They never could correct this problem. Their way of avoiding warrenty terms was to state the vibration problem, rear end whine, and stuttering brakes, were a normal characteristic and therefore they refused repairing or rebuying the vehicle. After buying 14 GM vehicles in the past 16 years, I will never buy another. No wonder GM has lost 6% of its market in the last 5 years. Why would anyone believe their new 100000 mile warranty is anything but a farce?

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  Do not recommend a GM V6! - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Bob - February 9 - 12:32 am

  The car has no mechanical problems (thank god), but the comfort on the car is real bad. I can feel every small bump on the road and really hard to get off most of the times. The stereo system is nothing to talk about. The car is not a good driver on rain, the brakes lock up all the time. The interior is really not very good quality. The clutch pedal is far to reach, and I am 5foot7. I do not recommend this car to anybody, an automatic would be much better.

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  Problems with owning an 06 Z06 Corvette - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By alenatasevich1 - February 7 - 10:33 pm

  I have had nothing but problems with this car. Starter needs replacing. I had on road assistance called twice because the car didnt start. 2 & 1/2 months of owning this car and Im informed that the "engine is cracked". I speak with mechanics & the dealership and Im informed that this happened on installation at the factory as there was overtorquing that cracked the lower engine block. I was shown the problem visually. Its as clear as day which is another testimony to GMs & Chevrolets quality control which is anything but. Nevertheless, they refuse to replace the car although its obvious that the car was delivered defective. GM is willing to replace the engine.

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  Not what I expected - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Nicole - January 28 - 11:01 pm

  When I bought my Malibu I thought I was buying a reliable American car. That is not what I got. Ever since I got the car there has been problem after problem. I am tired of repairing this vehicle and will never buy a Chevrolet again because of this.