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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  GM got me back - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By hitmanws6 - January 8 - 1:43 am

  I love this car. It handles way better then my Integra did and the low end power is there. It pulls through the rpm range very strong. Shifts are very quick with no drama. Seats have lots of long haul comfort. I take this car 600 miles in a weekend just about every month and its a blast to drive.

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  Not Sure Yet - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Not Sure - January 7 - 9:33 pm

  Looked for a long time before settling on the Nox. Thought I wanted a car after driving a 2 WD pickup for 10 years. Took the Nox for a spin on a whim one day and was surprised by the ride and how quiet it was. Found this one at a rental outlet with 20K on it and Ive put on 2K. So far its been reliable and very comfortable on my 25 mile commute. There have been a couple of snowy, icy days here in CO that I have been very glad to have the AWD, it handles great in the snow. Not happy with the mileage, averaging 20 or so in mixed highway/city.

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  Good Value - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Richard - January 7 - 10:32 am

  I have owned minivans, big suvs, and cars. The Equinox is "medium sized." MPG in normal driving is 24, highway 28. Ride is comfortable even for trips. Decent room for 5. Rear cargo area is adequate. Only complaint is a leaking rear shock which was replaced under warranty. After hearing about some internal engine oil passage ways being a little undersized subject to restricting oil flow causing early timing chain failure I started changing oil at 5000-6000 miles . Oil monitor reaches 20%. I always use synthetic oil. Prefer Mobil extended, Pennzoil, etc. Cleaned throttle body and new spark plugs at 50,000 miles. Still runs like new.

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  08 Suburban LT 4x4 - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By William - January 7 - 9:51 am

  I took posession of my factory ordered Suburban the weekend before the GM labor strike. The quality of my unit should be an example - no problems noted so far. I test drove the Suburban, Yukon/XL and Hummer H2 over a several month period before deciding to order. The new exterior is pleasing, the interior is well designed and comfortable. Leather in Titanium soiled easy - later added Factory seat covers. Radio sounds great - GPS unit has worked flawlessly, though needs upgrade for new road construction in last year. Engine accelerates smooth...in-city driving 11MPG...highway cruise control driving 23 MPH at 55MPH, 19MPH at 65MPH, 16-17MPH at 75MPH. 4WD/Auto provides good traction in snow.

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  My review on the car I own - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Charles terrell - January 7 - 3:19 am

  This car ,2002 Chevy trailblazer, is a great used suv. It has decent gas usage, its relatable ,but dont get it stuck .

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  2000 Chevrolet Impala. Best Car I ever owned!! - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jeanette Gerhart - January 7 - 1:27 am

  Purchased my 2000 Chevrolet Impala new on Fourth of July, 2000! I drive hard & fast & put miles on my cars. Drove out to Las Vegas a few years ago, fabulously comfortable ride!! So much space inside of car, and huge trunk for bringing back souveniers. Springtime - huge trunk will hold @12-15 bags of mulch!!

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  Thank God for OnStar - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Dr. Tim - January 6 - 6:02 pm

  Buy this vehicle if you are into wasting your time, riding in tow trucks with nice drivers, making calls to OnStar, and not sleeping much. I have been towed 3 times in 10 days for 2 different problems. 13k miles, 7 months old. Two times I was more than an hour and a half away from home. Used to love it, now looking at the 2008 Sequoia. I went with Tahoe vs. Land Rover for reliability. Non-stop electrical and mechanical issues. If you buy one, make sure you line up rides from friends and family before it strands you.

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  No more Chevys for me, thanks. - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Chris - January 6 - 5:43 pm

  Bought it with 18K miles. It was beautiful and a pleasure to drive. But then came the mechanical problems. Front suspension wears out prematurely (there was actually a NHTSA investigation into the ball joints). Coolant problems and engine seal/gasket failures. Lots of other problems. Were thankful for the extended warranty we bought. It cost us about $5k extra, but saved us an additional $10k in repairs later. In addition to regular maintenance, our repairs to date total just over $15k. Sad to admit this, but Im not planning on buying American again. Not until American car makers earn my trust back.

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  Piece of Junk! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By TerBear1968 - January 6 - 12:20 am

  I have owned my Cobalt for about 6 months. In that time I have had issues with the heating and cooling system and have had them repaired. I am now having issues with it again. There are loud griding noises coming from under the hood that the mechanics there say are "normal" from the air conditioning unit. Im sorry but there is nothing "normal" about the noise I am hearing. The gas mileage is currently running at about 13mpg in town and, if Im lucky, 27 on the freeway. A far cry from the touted mileage on this car. I do not feel this car is reliable and though I was assured I would not need a new car for many years to come, I am currently seeking another form of transportation.

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  1st and last Chevy Ill ever own - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Shadefly - January 5 - 6:36 pm

  This car has been a great dissapointment since we bought it. It had a window leak it took the dealer 4 times to fix, gas mileage is 25% lower than sticker (only to find out there was a brake cylinder stuck when we replace the brakes at 60k, dealer never discovered it or attempted to fix poor gas mileage), the alarm dings for no apparent reason and wont shut off, even with car running or key out (again dealers in Tx and TN could/would not fix), satellite radio goes to static in and around cities, even with clear view of sky. Just to name a few of the problems weve had with no resolution from the dealers or Chevy. What a piece of junk. Should have bought the Escape.