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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  Didnt expect to like this SUV as much as I do - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By abmwfan - January 11 - 11:37 am

  This review is for a V6 AWD 2LT with leather (apparently Edmunds doesnt give us the option to rate a V6 model). After 16,000 miles, this has been an excellent vehicle. Youll likely be happy with it as long as you have the right expectations. The Equinox is not designed to be a sporty SUV. Its a solid, comfortable, roomy, un-pretentious, completely reliable SUV with excellent highway manners, good technology, and good value. Remember, the Equinox is built on the same platform with the same V-6 as the Cadillac SRX, only de-contented and de-tuned (and much cheaper). A new Equinox will be released in a year or so, but I wouldnt hesitate to buy this model again.

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  Beyond Disappointed with vehicle and GM service! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By georgiagirls - January 9 - 9:42 pm

  Im glad I came across this website! It feels good to know that Im not the only one who was obviously sold a lemon!!! For a minute, I thought maybe I was losing my mind in terms of the various things my car was going. "Did my lights really just flicker on and off?" "Did my car really just start popping out CDs, even though I didnt press eject?" I got my Tahoe in 2006 and began having issues with it around 2008. My lights would flash on/off, the doors would lock/unlock, it would sporadically shut down in the middle of the road, and now Im having issues with it starting. Now that I finally have the car paid for, the traction issue has started....go figure. This car is CRAP!!!

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  2007 LTZ Avalanche - Read the complaints before spending the money - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By aq67 - January 8 - 4:30 pm

  50/50 chance once the problems start. I read so many good things about this vehicle that I wish I would have known the key words to research the bad. Like "Low Oil - Shut Off Engine" and then the "Traction control off", "Stabilitrak off", "Reduced Engine Power", "High Oil Consumption", threads & threads of people having problems with the same issues and GM is aware of it. Do your research a little deeper and look up what I mentioned here, then after reading about engine replacements - decide and I wish you the best - I truly do!

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  BUYER BEWARE. GM going bankrupt again, one customer at a time. - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By fordee7 - January 7 - 5:04 pm

  I have a 2007 Chevy Tahoe that I purchased new for $49,000. The dash is cracked in 2 spots. Looking online, this is a rampant issue with nearly every Tahoe, Yukon, Avalanche, etc since 2007… GM will not issue a recall even though they know it is a widespread problem. The Service Manager and Service Advisor at AutoNation Superstition Springs both told me this is a common and rampant issue with all vehicles with this dash design (Tahoe, Yukon, Avalanche, etc) Their offer to me is that I pay a $400 deductible to replace this junk dash. Brian, the Team Lead in the Central Texas office of GM Customer Assistance refutes responsibility but acknowledges this is a common problem. Dont buy GM!

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  Stiff and Uncomfortable Ride - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By brianl19 - January 6 - 10:41 am

  Pros: - Great exterior design - Great interior design - Got all the little things right Cons: - Got the most important thing wrong: the ride is terribly uncomfortable. Extremely stiff ride. Feel every bump and road imperfection in the car. Enough to make me hate getting in the car to drive anywhere. Also feel much more engine vibration through steering wheel, frame, and seat than I would expect from this level of car. There is enough vibration to give me headaches on my commute to and from work. Dealership says it is normal for the car and thinks it rides smoothly. If thats GMs definition of a smooth ride, then it is time to look elsewhere.

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  From bad to worse - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By 2011nomore - January 6 - 8:04 am

  I had 3 Malibus 2006, totaled by a drunk driver. 2006, totaled by a bus. Car accelerated into traffic. I reversed as my choice was a gasoline tanker and a bus. 2011 : This car from day one has been a lemon. It is getting worse. I have 18 k on the car. I get 21 miles on open highway and 17 in city. I have been told by GM to put 20 more thousand miles to loosen it up. Door on drivers side leaks and has "been" fixed only to leak worse. At 40 mph there is a dinging in the right rear. At 60 mhp under load the steering column shakes and rattles the whole car. If you let off the gas it quits. Dealer told me this is "normal". Transmission fluid is dark brow..."normal" too. JUNK

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  Malibu over others in segment - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
  By l454s - January 4 - 1:28 am

  I had an Accord, son had an Altima, son in law had a Camry. Wife and I know the segment well. After lots of comparing, ended up going with the Malibu as the most car for the money without any compromises. First tank of gas (highway) yielded 36mpg, as have subsequent fill ups. Stop/Start has engaged a few times, almost didnt notice. Ride and cabin noise are on a par or slightly better than others in segment. Chevy My Link system works well with voice commands, bluetooth, and USB thumb drive music. Homelink mated up easily with garage door at home. So far everything works as advertised and we are very satisfied with our purchase.

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  Not what I expected after all the good reviews, its a LEMON - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By 1honeybadger - January 3 - 11:04 am

  I wish someone would have warned me about this car! I have completely babied this car never really drove it that hard, accelerate slowly, decelerate slowly. First you have to know the MPG is completely false! DO NOT believe anything you hear. When I do the real MPG test and dont go by the computer, the computer tells me i get 30-40 MPG but when I gas up, record my mileage, and then gas up again and divide the gallons into the mileage gone I ONLY get 24-25MPG and that is highway miles!! There is not really a clear coat on the car so the paint chips VERY easily. Expect the body to be chipped and badly worn down by 50-100k miles...

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  The best lil 4x4 on the market \O/ - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By tokie - January 2 - 7:25 pm

  We found our 2004 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD 4dr SUV (2.5L 6cyl 4 speed O/D auto.) in a little car lot in Ocala Florida on : 12-30-13. I test drove it and was amazed with the overall performance for a small SUV with the 2.5 ltr. V6. It had a 1/4 tank of gas in it previous to the test drive, and I used an 1/16th in my "test session(s) which included a sand hill and 2-High, 4-High and 4-Low. I"tested it"for an hour,mashing the go-peddle every chance I could,windows down,ears-perked for any hint of stress of strain,and ...well...I took it back and never bothered to try and talk the dealer down a dollar. 59K miles and runs like its brand new. $9,100 later and Im completely happy.

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  Snow - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By jeff272 - January 2 - 12:54 pm

  I liked this car until winter came. This is by far the worst vehicle I have ever driven in snow, worse even than my Cruze, Cobalt and Grand Am. I can be on level ground on 2 inches of snow and just sit and spin. I took it to the dealer to see if they would check the tires and see whats going on, but they brushed me off and said they couldnt look at it.