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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  Thorn in my flesh! - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By Laura - October 6 - 12:14 pm

  Not many people are in the market these days specifically for an 01 Impala, but for the poor soul that might be considering this car a viable option, stop. I loved this car when I bought it and it ran perfectly for the first couple years. Then, at 50K miles, I had to rebuild the transmission. Downhill from there. The security system wiring is a mess, had to replace catalytic converter, oxygen sensors, head gaskets, fuel intake manifold, exhaust filter...on and on! Last Sunday, the drivers side window fell unprovoked down into the door and the power window motor will have to be replaced. But, I will not spend one more dime on this piece and not on any other GM, for that matter. Awful.

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  Buyers Beware! - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Proud Momma - October 5 - 7:37 pm

  Buyers beware! I brought this fairly new, only 37000 miles on it. The gas gauge never works, the car only starts when it wants to, the rear passenger door tries to open when you are driving and wont close when you want it to, the radio controls are hit or miss, oh yeah and my transmission went at 45,000 miles! I am stuck with this heap and the Subaru dealer that sold it to me told me I should have bought a Subaru. I am a Nissan girl and will get rid of this as soon as I can! Dont buy this unless you like being stranded!

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  Trailblazer could use improvement - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Skinyard - October 3 - 2:00 am

  I have three kids and it is a tight fit with all of them in the 2nd row. It is difficult getting the kids in and out of the 3rd row seat. The rear seat DVD entertainment system is not the best. We constantly get a "Disc format error" or "Disc play error" and have found the DVD system is quite touchy. The sound for the DVD only comes through the wireless headphones. It would have been nice if the sound came through the speakers as well. It also would be nice to be able to control the DVD from the front seat. Gas mileage is okay (14 mpg). The third row seat is also a bit cumbersome.

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  Extemely rough ride - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Larry - September 30 - 2:00 pm

  If the highway is smooth as glass, my Equinox rode as smooth as any quality automobile. However, when it came to rough surface such as cracks, shallow dips or holes, the car practically beat me to death with hard jolts. I ended up with a headache. GM is proud of the new "stiff suspension" they built into the car and it sucks. I drove the car 175 miles and could take no more. I did a buy-back. After three months and low price, the dealer cant sell the car.

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  Dont get an Aveo - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Blue Moon Aveo - September 27 - 3:09 pm

  The Aveo is attractive and the sound system is decent but it lacks in performance. Mine is only averaging 23 miles a gallon. Wind noise and slow exceration make it a poor choice compared to other cars, but it is cheaper. Mine had a defunct OnStar system (though purchased new with only 15 miles on it) and it took GM six weeks to get the OnStar fixed and reprogrammed.

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  $15,000 Nightmare - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Harry - September 23 - 5:13 pm

  Well, to sum it up in one word, the word "nightmare" comes to mind. The car is actually very nice to drive, handles better than my Mustang ever did, and it has just enough pep to get me into trouble. However, let me tell you the bad about it. There is this rather loud, annoying rattle, which can not be figured out by two different dealerships. Had it in five times, parts replaced every time, and still nothing. Also, it has this little issue that makes it not start at the most of inconvenient of times. No one can figure that one out either. I will tell you that to me, this car is the biggest waste of money, and "GM integrity" that I have ever encountered. GM: Build a better Cobalt!

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  GMs Electrical Nighmare - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By buffalolaw - September 23 - 12:08 pm

  I drove past the vehicle on the lot for a couple of weeks. I couldnt wait to own it. Unfortunately, it has not been kind to me. Reduced engine light comes on frequently. It has been to the dealership 6 xs to get repaired for that. They replaced numerous electrical components only to tell me they are not sure what the problem is. The driver door module works when it wants to, so sometimes the door doesnt lock. The memory seat works when it wants to. Other than that, replaced suspension parts, and fuel sending unit. All of this happened from 50,000 to 90,000. Cant wait to get rid of it!

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  Can you say battleship Yamoto - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By cifey - September 23 - 1:38 am

  I bought it new in 2000 with cash from my first real job, tired of driving economy cars in school. I liked the smooth ride on the highway, decent turning radius and fuel economy for a truck. Large rims, nice interior, very modern design for the time. I drove a girlfriend around in it for a couple of years, that was pretty sweet. Currently has 95k, girls are afraid of it. Ive broken down on the road only twice so far. Things that went wrong... passenger seat handle -- warranty battery (almost drowned me in tropical storm allison) -- warranty dirty fuel injectors -- warranty battery again -- paid fuel pump -- $800 for the part busted radiator -- $300

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  Do not purchase one - 2005 Chevrolet Classic
  By Kelly - September 19 - 2:40 pm

  I purchased my car thinking I would save on gas being I had previously driven a truck. The car had to get the struts replaced, the pads have been replaced twice and Im not even over 60,000 miles. Additionally, I keep having little things go wrong that add up and get frustrating. The check engine light goes on almost monthly now and I a to replace fuses on a regular basis. Also, the interior carpeting stinks. There is a gap on the passenger side that looks tacky. Another problem with the car is the ventilation speeds arent consistent. When I turn the vent on high it blows hard, however if I have it on speed 1-3 I can feel nothing and it is frustrating.

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  Save the cash - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Celica Enthusiest - September 18 - 4:58 pm

  I havent enjoyed driving this car very much at all. The steering wheel is very large and hard to turn sharply. The acceleration is poor and when going up even the slightest hill it loses at least 10 miles per hour. The interior is well made and comfortable except for the material that covers the seats. I havent had any mechanical problems but there is a constant rattle after you hit 45mph and it wont stop. The outside is very plain and doesnt appeal to the eye. It just isnt that great of a car.