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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  Best Used Car you can buy - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By ThatGuy - August 26 - 2:56 pm

  While i would never buy one new, because lets face it i purchased mine with 12k miles for 16,995 and it was new at 41k bucks.. i dont recommend a new one.. But i will say.. WOW.. I am really generally amazed by this car.. Not only is it a blast to drive, it is incredibly cheap to run, and the fit and finish, and quality of the interior,.. build quality, it is frankly amazing.. After owning nothing but Toyotas until having a major issue with one, and writing that company off, i never thought another car could meet the quality.. While only time will tell if it holds up to a 200k mile life of driving without falling apart, i am completely satisfied by the car currently, which is more than i have been by Toyota of recent.. There are however a few things that i dont like.. But that is much like any car.. 1. I hate where the cup holders are located, they are in a bad place, and should be up close to the center console. 2. The car is entirely too low to the ground, i have had slammed civics when i was a kid, this is lower. 3. the headlights are horrible.. At night, you would be better off guessing where things are.. Aside from these things though, the car is really amazing.. quiet, no rattles anywhere, good stereo, very comfortable, efficient, it costs me about 12.00 a month on .06 cents per kilowatt hour. This in English is a savings of over 300.00 a month on gas compared to my Toyota Sienna. While no where near as big,.. I can deal with its size for what i save. Anyone looking at a Prius, or a Civic Hybrid should honestly look at this first.. While not as big as the Prius, it makes up for it in the driving dynamics and position.. It is also a much more solid feeling car than anything Honda makes.

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  A typical 4 cylinder Automatic. - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By David T. - August 23 - 10:55 am

  I drive a 2012 equinox LT2 FWD daily and have had no issues with it and it august 2015. It a SUV with a 4 cylinder engine so if you consider the weight to engine size of course it going to be a little slow a typical 4 without turbo. MPG is great I get 32 on long trips and 23city mix driving. I do notice the transmission jerk once in awhile when going 15-40 when I let off gas and step on again when approaching a light. I believe it is just the flywheel catching up again nothing to worry about. All automatics shift different. If you dont like automatic consider a CVT. I also own a 2015 Subaru Forester 2.5 Touring.

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  Lemonade Spark sparks - 2015 Chevrolet Spark
  By Rich - August 19 - 7:39 am

  Live in the city work in the city, great car for parking in TIGHT spots. Handles great around town and once up to highway speeds holds its own pretty well. Once you get behind the wheel you feel like the car is larger than it actually is which is great for interstate highway driving. Good car for a couple, small family, but without folding the seats not much luggage space. Plenty of room behind the seats for groceries though. A couple of cons though. 1 - Wish it had more power, but it will keep up with traffic in most situations. 2 - Doesnt have a telescopic wheel, that would be nice. 3 - Rear seats arent hard to fold, just complicated at first but you get used to it quickly. So far so good.

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  Surprisingly Roomy for a 61", 400 pounder - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tall Girl - August 18 - 3:40 pm

  I bought mine brand new in 2000. It is bright red with tan cloth interior. It is the base car with no power anything except brakes & steering. Exactly what I wanted! 3 speed automatic transmission and a 2.2L 4 cyl engine. Plenty of pep when it was new, a cold a/c, a hot heater, and no blind spots to speak of. I was in love with my car. For the first 10 years the only thing I did to it besides oil changes was a few recalls under warranty, and new brake pads/shoes. At 11 years I bought new tires, a battery, and had a tune up done. At 12 years the a/c compressor had to be replaced and it cost $600 at a mechanics shop, then little things here and there. The rear defrost went out at 127,000 miles - but I live in Alabama, so I never replaced it. At 140,000 miles I had my original serpentine belt and hoses replaced and an inline fuel filter put on. It has never run hot, and I have never let it get below 1/4 of a tank. It doesnt use or leak oil, it shifts like it has a shift kit in it and has since brand new. 15 years later, it still runs like a top.

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  Far reach for interior lock - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Kathy - August 17 - 11:46 pm

  My truck is equipped with manual door locks, which is what I wanted. Also I have crank window handles.... The problem with the window handles is they are very stiff to roll up and down. But they still work. The interior door locks work okay also, but its a stretch to reach across the front seat to unlock it for a passenger. Also, it does not have an outside key lock on the passenger side, which is a real problem in nasty weather. The passenger has to stand there and wait till the driver gets in and reaches across to unlock it. I think it may even be a safety hazard as far as getting in and out in a hurry.

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  Id buy another one right now. - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chuck Hays - August 12 - 9:00 pm

  I needed a cheap car to get to work in, found this one for sale nearby. Paid 1800 for it with 228k on it. It was fairly clean and drove well. I have had to do a few things to it to keep everything operational, but I am a mechanic, so no biggie. I drive like I stole it, change the oil regularly and it just turned 309 k. Good value for the money.

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  Stylish Ride - 2010 Chevrolet HHR
  By E Souffle - August 11 - 10:13 pm

  Early HHRs had many teething problems some of them serious. My 2010 model has been trouble free. The car went in for two recall items: ignition switch and power steering, even though I was not experiencing any problems. Neither visit cost me anything. My mileage isnt great - about 22mpg (80% street). I dont use ethanol. A drop of ethanol has about 85% the energy of a drop of gasoline. Not to mention some water content. The car is plenty peppy for me. The A pillars are very thick take a little getting used to, but the interior is very comfortable. Entry/exit is very easy unlike some cars with a low roofline. I also like the useful cargo area and A/C. There is a little compartment in the middle of the dashboard - very handy. I do my own oil changes and the HHR is the best car for this. The new type oil filter is so neat, no mess. Owners of earlier models have reported transmission problems at around 40K+ miles. I only have 33K miles no problems yet. So far Im very happy.

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  Almost an excellent vehicle - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chris S - August 9 - 2:10 pm

  I bought my 2011 Malibu LT2 back at the beginning of 2015 and have been using it for nearly 8 months. I opted for a V6 because it was such an excellent price that I figured "why not?". That engine has some pull to it (roughly 250hp) and sounds pretty smooth. The only problem is the advertised fuel efficiency numbers arent quite right. In the city of Seattle, I get around 15-17mpg and on the freeway, if I am on cruise control between 60-65, I get sneak up to 29-31mpg (with a level road surface). Any incline will drop the hwy mileage to around 24-25mpg. Stop and starts with the V6 are what really murder your fuel efficiency here. The seats are almost fine, but my back will hurt after long drives because the seats force your shoulders in a bit and my upper back is forced back - almost like a mild squeeze. Smaller bodies probably wont notice this as much (Im 62 and have a wider build that the average person), but its an annoyance. The quality of the Malibu LT2 is inconsistent. I have some kind of leather/suede-fabric hybrid that makes cleaning a bit tougher than it should be. The dashboard and door panels are composed of a cheap plastic material that scratches easily. The instrumentation and radio/temp controls are fine. Nothing fancy but nothing to complain about. The 6-speaker system is adequate for most people. You can get reasonable volumes without distortion in the audio but the system is built to cap everything off in that department before you hit those higher volumes that would degrade your listening experience. Ive heard a 2013 Malibus 2LT/LTZ stereo which uses a Bose system (I think) and its a step up (though still doesnt quite compete with some higher-grade car stereos out there). As for reliability: Ive had my car in a couple times this year - once for a piston replacement (fortunately under warranty, but just barely) and the other for simple coil and spark plug replacements, which are actually easy to replace, I just hadnt learned how to do it yet (a YouTube video can literally save you $500 in parts and labor for replacing one or multiple coils that sit atop your engine). All in all the Malibu for this year is decent. It has a solid look to it and offers decent options, depending on what trim you end up with. The LT2 or LTZ vehicles are the best available so if you do buy one, try and look for those trims. But from what Ive been hearing about the newer Malibus - youre better off buying used 2014 and beyond because the 4cyl is closer to the Nissan Altima fuel efficiency ratings and the quality of the cabin materials has drastically improved. The 2016 Malibu is the first really desirable Chevy sedan Ive laid eyes on and makes me think the company could give Ford a run for their money in the next few years.

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  Its been a great vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ben - August 7 - 9:43 pm

  Weve owned our 2008 equinox since 2009. Never had any issues until about a year ago. Minor maintenance issues, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, battery, etc... Major issues electrical problems, windows not rolling down or up, door locks work when they want to, hub assembly needs replacement. Over all weve enjoyed this vehicle, would purchase a newer model.

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  Puttin Along - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By LoriKM - August 5 - 6:30 am

  Bought new with about 400 miles on engine. Mine is the base, manual, get me where I want/need to go model. No, pick up isnt very good, and it does have that nasty blind spot, BUT it IS reliable (recalls were for MINOR items on mine) and I get an OVERALL 42 mpg (I drive highway, city AND mountain areas). It handles curves like a BOSS and the instrumentation is VERY convenient. My mechanic stated that itd be EASY to fix any engine problem as its laid out well, and the parts wont be expensive to replace should I have need to. This was another pro. The space inside for a 52" to 58" under 200lb person will be SPACIOUS. If youre over that height and weight, it may not be AS comfortable for you as a driver. I found it amusing that my model doesnt have power door locks, BUT has power windows, auxillary plug for mp3s and such (discovered by daughter) and lock for the trunk! The ONLY things Id get different on this car is add cruise control as I do a LOT of hwy driving and get the color Techno Pink as I have the Lemonade color and its fine, just prefer the other color more. Oh, and as for the a/c, no, it doesnt cool off THAT well in EXTREME heat, but for what I do and where I go, I can get by with it.