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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  Putrid backup camera - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By fairportion - April 8 - 7:35 am

  Wow, big screen display for camera.Finally, my wife has a car w/a camera. Hah! The camera is too dark to see when backing from a garage and then, apparently, it adjusts to the light and is better. Hmmmm? By then I guess you could run over 3 tricycles and a shovel. Likewise, at night, the camera is virtually useless. There is insufficient light from backup lights to illuminate the area you need to see. This thing should be recalled and fixed. NOW! Conversely, my Kia Soul camera works very well in all the same situations. So much for Yankee ingenuity and the $Billion bailout (oh yeah, my 2013 Equinox was made in Canada).Secondly, the luggage space is laughable compared to our RAV4s.

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  Very Surprised.. And Happy with my Colorado - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By colorred - April 7 - 11:31 am

  I bought my Colorado used with only 48K miles on the OD. Ive doubled that and it still runs like a top. Ill admit I was a bit of a skeptic but saw some positive reviews and Im glad I took the chance. The inline 5 is a great engine, though not overly powerful it suits my needs perfectly. The crew cab has lots of comfortable space. So far (knock on wood) Ive only performed regular maintenance and it hasnt required any repair needs. I keep the brake pads changed perhaps a little more often than normal as I was told new rotor replacements will be big bucks. They werent designed to be changed easily.

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  Amazing Performance for the Money - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By zr77 - April 5 - 2:30 pm

  Ive had my 1999 corvette for approx 1 year. I purchased it from the original owner who used it mainly as a show car and it had 90K miles. Almost completely stock with the exception of an exhaust. I LOVE driving this car. Great exhaust note, handles very well, acceleration is smooth. You can drive it easy or like a mad man. Ive started to track my C5 and grow more and more amazed with it every day. I can drive it to client meetings, getting 32-33mpg on the highway to flogging it at a race track (road racing) for a 3 day weekend and it keeps asking for more. Parts are cheap and plentiful. Only complaint overall interior design. GM cheaped out with the interior but the LS1 makes up for that.

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  Awesome family vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By ehibma - April 5 - 5:58 am

  This has been a superb vehicle for my family. This has taken us across the country in comfort. The kids have loved the DVD player! Fitted with Michelin snow tires, this has handled like a dream even through the deep Michigan snow. I trust that my family is as safe as possible in the Suburban. We have had the LT model with the Air Ride Suspension which has been incredibly smooth. The gas mileage is respectable for a vehicle of this size, even doing better than my smaller Lincoln Aviator.

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  2013 chevy cruze transmission problems - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By buzz45 - April 4 - 9:40 pm

  My cruze is less than 2 months old..when at a stop with the brakes depressed, the car surges and lurches forward..has happened 3 times and I noticed the same problem on multiple cruze web sites. This car still has transmission problems. Wonderful car, but I cant live with a car that wants to go forward with the brakes applied.

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  Some cheap parts but has the reliable drivetrain expected with Chevrolet - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By leland5 - April 4 - 3:33 pm

  I originally bought my tahoe used and noticed a few quality problems. The interior is mostly cheap plastic that often cracks, peels, and does not last for more than four years. This is surprising due to the high price for this vehicle. The bumpers are not metal and provide no protection for this vehicle. Nevertheless, the drivetrain and 4X4 system is nothing short of what is expected from a Chevrolet. I have had no problems with the engine transmission, transfer cases or any major electrical problems. This car is fun to drive, handles better than any other SUV on the market, can handle any terrain and has a huge interior.

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  Not Impressed - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By sepilyons - April 4 - 12:13 pm

  I thought I had spent pleanty of time researching vehicles before purchasing (1 year) apparently not. Bought the car in Aug 2012 with about 20K miles on it, there are now about 34K on it, and Im now beggining to notice strange noises. When the car is turned on and not moving the hood seems to vibrate very loud, and after about 10 min of running it sounds like its going to die. Also there is now a thump type noise under my feet similar to a ball rolling around when I break or accelerate. I know all cars have issues but I guess I didnt expect problems in under a year or ownership. Now Im stuck in a car for the next 6 years that Im not 100% happy with! Kinda sucks!

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  Things start going wrong at 35k miles - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jayleesummers - April 2 - 8:17 pm

  I am a home health nurse and I bought my car because it was supposed to have great gas mileage and so far I am happy with it. There is a weird noise coming from the drivers side front of the car that the service department has not been able to figure out. It idles rough at times. The service department replaced a valve cover that they said was faulty, but the car still has problems with idling. The transmission seems like it is slipping at times when I am trying to accelerate and lurches when downshifting My car has been in the shop for 5 days now for the noise and the idle. They also found a faulty water pump since its been in there. All in all, I still love my car, just wish theyd fix

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  Great car however - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By hollandia - April 2 - 4:01 pm

  Decided to purchase the Impala from my local Chevy and Buick dealer. The car had 15,000 miles when purchased. The car was first put into service in Hawaii as a rental . When I turned the radio off I could hear a whistel or buzz from 2100 to about 3000 RPM. Turns out there is a service bulliten on the 3.6 for buzzing, humming or whisteling from 2000 to 4000 RPM, bulletin PIP4956A. This covers the replacement of the intake manifold. Just picked the car and and no more noise. All work was performed under warranty. I really do like the car and who can complain about 300+ HP on tap.

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  After One-Year, Very Happy w/Purchase - 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
  By murdoughnut - April 1 - 11:36 am

  The Good: Space (lots of it). Have fit five adults, two infants in car seats, a dog and a stroller in the car before. Cargo area is plenty big, even with the third row up While heavy on acceleration, actually turns quite nimbly for its size Comfortable ride in every seat - third row can accommodate a small adult for normal trips, and a larger male for short trips. Bad: Gas mileage (~17), cargo door not very wide/tall Overall: Would definitely buy again this car fit my exact needs for something safe for my infant twin sons, large enough to carry their stuff, but stylish enough for a 32-year old man who refused to own/drive a minivan. Gas mileage sucks, but didnt buy for that.