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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  My midlife crisis car that became my nightmare - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Richard Prell - August 4 - 6:46 am

  After returning from a deployment to Afganistan I decided I wanted something with a little get up and go. I had always had Buicks which I have nothing bad to say about any of them. I have always serviced my cars regularly and my Impala SS was no exception. I was trouble free for the first year of ownership and then it all unraveled. First the transmission let loose. While doing the transmission I asked them to replace the leaking oil pan gasket and rear main seal. When they took off the gasket they found pieces that are part of the timing chain area in the pan. The car did not jump time but the motor had to be removed and a new chain installed because the other one was loose. 5000 dollars later I have my car back. It is not that I dislike Chevy it is the fact that i was told by numerous mechanics that the pieces around the timing chain were a mistake from the factory. Americans work very hard for there money and I find it inexcuseable that someone in the factory assembled this wrong and it got by how many quaility control people?

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  Love my Cruze - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
  By BJB - August 2 - 7:58 pm

  Great car for a great price. I have a lot of bang for the buck. Consider this car.

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  First American car Ive bought in 23 years. - 2015 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Tom - July 30 - 11:10 am

  Unless you really need to be the fastest guy on the block, the 323 bhp V-6 is all you really need. I owned a 1982 Mustang GT that I bought new. I loved that car. This Camaro is faster, Granted technology has changed a lot in 33 years. Ive owned several imports since 1988 when I traded my Mustang on an Integra. Its good to be back in American Metal. I am not brand loyal. I have owned every Japanese, German and American brand sold in the U.S. in the 36 years since I bought my first car. I compared the Camaro to the Mustang and the Challenger without any pre-conceived bias. I was looking at the base models. The Challenger was eliminated based on looks. It just isnt for me. It was close between the Camaro and Mustang. I really like the Mustang but since Ive already owned one and Ive liked the new Camaro since they came back, I went with the Camaro. The first Chevy I have purchased since 1979 when I bought my first car , a Chevy Monza. I now have about 800 miles on the Camaro. It has been great and I have adjusted to the rearward visability issues. The trunk is a little small but you dont buy a car like this for the trunk. If you are looking for a very reasonably priced American sports car, you can not go wrong with the Camaro

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  Best car experience ever - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By K. Bristol - July 23 - 5:18 pm

  To be fair, I drove my Cobalt 323,624 miles, no extra maintenance, 37 lifetime combined mpg, 40 mpg in final two years, beautiful blue paint in great shape after 10 years in the Colorado sun, interior decent given its use, engine in perfect condition. Transmission finally gave after 2-3 car-lives. I get paid for driving, and this car not only paid for itself, but then 4 more times! There is nothing wrong with these cars. Miles were approximately 50/50 miles city/highway. And no, Im not slow, I drive assertively, but not aggressively. Two occasions I scored 44 mpg round trip Denver to Gr. Junction.

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  Great Truck - better than I expected - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Justin Tate - July 20 - 5:49 pm

  Lest start with this - Mine is a Z71 with 275 70 R17 Cooper AT3 tires, a 2 & 1 lift/level kit. I test drove 2 of these set up that way (The way a truck should sit with real rubber). Other than that the typical stuff on a loaded Z71. Very clean and refined buggy, A few little tweaks would be great in the future. It rides and handles like a truck should - after the mods. Much better than the Silverado and it looks good. Comfort is great, Mileage is real world and very good - Absolutely love it. LIKES: Mileage, Power, Comfort DISLIKES: Tranny seems to search at times, No Heated Mirrors, No Electric Sliding Rear Window

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  Blind Spots - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By Joyce Bronk - July 20 - 8:30 am

  This car has blind spots. If you are shorter and need to move the seat forward for driving the headrest on the both the passenger and driver make it difficult for lane changes. The mirrors out need to be redesigned because you cant see when a car is in the lane next you when it is between the rear of your car and the back door. I have purchased addition mirrors to help with these problems because I nearly caused two accidents because of poor visibility. Other than that I love the car.

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  Good Cars With a Few Issues - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jerry in Missouri - July 10 - 4:26 pm

  Overall, I think Chevy Cobalts are good cars. The issues they have are similar to ones the Cavalier had, which are a cheap front suspension which will most likely require a few repairs, and a few safety issues, namely side crash test scores (poor without side curtain airbags). I would recommend getting a 2008-2010 Cobalt if you are concerned about the side crash test scores because they automatically came with side curtain airbags as a standard feature. Its possible that an 05-07 could have gotten them as an option, but most likely not. The Cobalt is a solid, attractive car that gets good gas mileage. Reliability is pretty good. If you do buy any year Chevy Cobalt, make sure you check that it has had the recalls taken care of, as all Cobalts were subject to a few recalls pertaining to the ignition/steering column. These cars have a smooth enjoyable ride but if you go over a raised bump you will definitely feel it, and do your best to avoid bumps as the front suspension is somewhat fragile in my opinion. I have noticed that the Cobalts have really good body integrity--usually even the 10 year old Cobalts still look good with no rust or bumpers falling off, etc. UNLIKE the Cavalier, which tend to fall apart piece by piece unless they are babied. A few random cons for the Cobalt are: Trunk is hard to open, and lid is heavy mouth of trunk is too small to take in larger items that might otherwise fit backseat is very cramped with little legroom so plan on anyone other than a child or dwarf hating it. All in all, I might consider buying another of these cars if it had the features and appearance I wanted on one.

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  A good car - worth the value - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ehicks87 - June 26 - 10:26 am

  All around good car. I do about 80% highway driving and get an avg 31 mpg. People have to realize that this car is not a powerhouse if you drive it like a high school-er you will be disappointed in your gas mileage. Treating your car nice goes a long way- tires-brakes-suspension-etc. Anyways, theres something about this car that makes me miss driving it when Im in another vehicle. Especially my wifes dodge dart turbo..... Man that thing is a piece of crap.

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  A Car You Can Trust! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By redshiftrider - June 24 - 9:49 pm

  I purchased my 2014 Cruze as a Certified Pre-Owned vehicle with 5,800 miles on the clock. Im happy to say Im nothing but satisfied with the car. It does exactly what it was meant to do. Its affordable, reliable, efficient, and is equipped with enough technology for the average person to be happy. Its not overly flashy, or trying too hard like some of the foreign mid-sizers. Its just an honest, handsome, well proportioned little car. I average 32-33 mix of city and highway. Havent had a single mechanical issue yet. But what about safety you ask? I sold these for over a year and heard horrendous accident stories. Not a single injury. It does what it says, and it does it well.

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  Good basic sedan, but not a top choice... - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jeffyb - June 23 - 8:36 am

  1600 miles on my 2015 Malibu LS company car so far. GM has made many improvements over the years. My 2009 Malibu was not a reliable car. For a good, basic family sedan, the 2015 Malibu is a decent choice. Its fairly comfortable. Acceleration is good. Gas mileage running about 28mpg avg so far. Exterior looks great and the new standard aluminum wheels are nice. Paint is nice as well. Much improved over older GM quality. Modest handling. FM reception terrible. Rear view is awful. Many blind spots. This is all great unless you just happen to test drive a Honda Accord, Mazda 6, or Nissan Altima (among others). I would recommend any of those over this car if it was my money on the line.