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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  Equinox rides smooth - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mikes11 - October 2 - 8:50 am

  I have 2000 miles on my 2013 Equinox 2LT, and have to say the car is great. Very quiet, the handling and ride are great. I am getting overall mpg of 28 and on the highway over 30mpg. I wish I had gotten the LTZ but I am very happy with this car and cannot find any faults with the exception of my phone book linking up with the my link feature. I called the toll free number and got a really helpful guy to set it up and worked fine but again is not linking up so have to call again. But overall a great vehicle.

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  Where do I go from here? - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By meshellyvette - September 30 - 3:14 pm

  I am reading the many reviews about the 2011 Chevy Equinox and surprised on how many people are experiencing what I am. I do not feel safe in this vehicle and cannot get the problems fixed. I have brought it in four times for the same problems and each time the story is the same-they cant replicate the problems. It idles rough, runs rough has poor acceleration and hiccups when driving. The gas mileage is not good and every time I go to get the oil changed it is on the low side. I havent experienced an actual full-on stalling but it sure feels like it is going to and some people have experienced that. I have felt nervous pulling out into traffic as of late worried it will stall. I am stuck

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  Nice car - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By bubblegum1 - September 28 - 4:09 am

  I have had the 2013 Cruze LT for month now, have driven over 2,000 mi. Some things that I have to nitpic are. The seats are hard and uncomfortable. I get lower back pain. I have tried all kinds of adjustments to no avail. I had to add a cushion to help in comfort. I have a problem that service can not find cause. The dash lights and 7" screen will go out for about 30 to 40 seconds and then come back on. It does this once in awhile. The door locks are on the console and not door which is weird. No inside trunk release, cup holders seem to low and very hard to find in the dark due to no lighting in that area. Armrest is to short. Back seating is a joke. Other than that car runs well.

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  So far so good! - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By simplyme - September 27 - 9:54 am

  Purchased a few months ago. Already put on 4,000 miles. Its a very comfortable car Me being 66" I fit quite well. Although anyone who sits behind me had better be quite short! Monique as she is rightfully named is a snappy accelerator, corners fantastically, and I love the clad wheels. Trunk is huge. I had taken a trip to Frankfot KY. and I averaged 37.7mpg!! with a full trunk At times the remote start is finicky, but no complaints. She was a lease car before I bought her. The driver seat is kind of like crumpled near the door, which is causing a tear. Which is very disappointing. Considering my 02 Impala had over 230,000 on it and no rips or tears.

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  Buyer Beware! - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By ronmaf - September 26 - 3:08 pm

  My Wife and I bought 2 of these Volts in 2012. Within 7 months my Volt had a major Regen bearing failure. The dealer tried to replace it twice. They ended up giving me a new car (A buyback). Within 1000 miles of owning the new 2013 Volt, I had no heat, that took 2 trips to the dealer to fix, and then the same Regen bearing failure that took weeks to get repaired! Now just in the past 3 weeks my Wifes Volt Died. It had to be towed in 2 times. The dealer said it was a 12 Battery issue. They replaced it and it failed again! These cars have too many issues that the dealer or GM have knowledge enough to fix properly. Buyer Beware...buy at your own risk!

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  Equinox Love and Hates - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By equinox2013 - September 25 - 3:47 pm

  I do love driving my Equinox for the most part except when it comes time to refuel. They have changed the nozzel connection to the actual pump and I find myself stressing about the connection from the pump to the nozzel, they do not catch therefore the pump continues to shut down. I actually hate refueling! I asked the dealer what was with that and its just a new change. The first time I needed gasoline I had to push the nozzel in tight for the duration for it kept popping out and shutting off!! I also dont necessarily like the new park break option, you push down on the park break and it sets, you push down again and it releases. I miss my release the park break lever.

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  The Chevrolet Sonic is the best in class subcompact family hauler - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By jwfink - September 24 - 8:08 pm

  Like compact cars, subcompact cars seem to have grown in size over the last 30 years. Luckily, driving one is no longer like driving a penalty box. Also, there’s plenty of choice: WRT the Honda Fit/Chevrolet Sonic it is similar to comparing an Accord and Camry. Both vehicles are winners. The Sonic is slightly smoother, roomier, more comfortable. The Fit is slightly more efficient, sprightly, and versatile.

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  Love this Equinox - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By trombone1 - September 19 - 10:23 pm

  Special thanks to Jerry Massa at AutoNation Northpoint Alpharetta, GA. He worked with us and got us a great deal on our 2013 Equinox, and he treated us like royalty every step of the way. This is a very well done suv, our second Equinox. Even quieter and smoother than the other one. We tested two other suvs, and this one beats them all.

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  i have waited so long for this car - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By chevyfan1982 - September 19 - 9:46 pm

  This is my first brand new car and wanted it from the beginning. I have owned it a week and the gas gauge just got to half a tank with 200 miles on it. I graduated from a pt cruiser and wanted to keep the hatchback look, this car has all the storage one would want and for those that say the a/c is crap need help, I keep the ac on the lowest setting and I freeze in FLORIDA. Everyone I meet wants to see it and is amazed at how much room is in it, but if I hear cute one more time...lol. At first I looked at a fiesta but hated how many buttons were in it. I love the interior and the functional layout (LS trim ) and it has all the tech I need although disappointed in no CD player.

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  2002 Chevy Venture Mini-Van - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By banjowyatt - September 19 - 2:11 pm

  Yes, this van has some "minor issues" like no interior light when the door opens, windshield wipers sticking in the upright position and some rear tail-turn signal-brake light problems, but this is a damned good reliable vehicle. It has almost 190,000 miles on it and she is still running smooth.