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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  BAD VAN! - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By evehowell - February 5 - 11:52 am

  LS my butt!!! I bought mine used 4 or 5 yrs ago, for $3,600. I have sunk more money into it then it is worth!! The automatic sliding door wont work right, the heat sucks real bad, the a/c stopped working a month after I bought it, I have had issues with the struts, brakes, ball barrings, anti-freeze leaks, anti-lock brakes, hard time starting this year after it has been driving, window not working now, my serpentine beat just fell off and a Head Gasket is leaking!!!!! Not putting any more money into it!!! only had 145,000miles!!! I drove two Plymouth Voyagers well past 200,000mi before losing them! Never again will I buy Chevy.

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  Love my Volt - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By pvb2 - February 4 - 8:04 pm

  Ive had the car for about a month and the more I drive the more I love the car. Fantastic work by Chevy engineers!!!

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  Awesome little car! - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By sooogud - February 4 - 12:44 pm

  Its an awesome small car that doesnt drive like a small car. Ive had it for over 7 months and 10,000 miles and its been a great experience. The 6-speed manual turbo is a must for this car, though. I test drove the 5-speed auto 1.8L and it doesnt cut it for highway driving. The turbo engine is pretty responsive makes on-ramps and passing a blast. MPG is pretty decent at about 36–40mpg on average, and thats not taking it easy on the accelerator. In cold weather (i.e., 32F or lower), however, mpg drops to about 30–34mpg. Great little car, definite recommendation from my experience.

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  RS Manual - fun drive, great value! Built in U.S.A! - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By jlearn - February 3 - 2:17 pm

  As a college student and an avid auto industry enthusiast, It was time for me to sell my old beast of an SUV and purchase my first NEW car. I was sorting through competitors such as the Mini Cooper S, Volkswagen GTI, Volkswagen Beetle, Fiat 500C, Hyundai Veloster Turbo. After adding up all the features I wanted in my next car purchase, and compared the competition, the answer was clear! For what I would be spending on a GTI or Mini I got a whole lot cheaper with the Sonic RS. Granted those vehicles are better performing, yes, but Im a college guy on a limited budget, that wanted character, performance, and value! I love my Sonic RS. The 6-speed is a blast and sharp corners are my favorite!

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  Getting my moneys worth. - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By brad1992 - February 2 - 11:59 am

  I purchased my 2008 impala LT 3.5 VVT in the cold Michigan winter of 2011 with 47000 Miles. The day after I bought it we had a 12 inch snow fall , thus making it near impossible to drive. However, at the time I was a Corrections Officer so it was imperitive that I make it to work. So I bundled up and braved the cold and, icy roads. This car was excellent on my commute. It never gave me any issues other than the traction control limiting the ammount of power I could supply to the wheels. I am proud to say I now have 80000 miles on this automobile and other than replacing the gas cap, battery and, two tires I have not had to do anything to it. I would def. purchase this car all over again.

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  Volt is the answer for a 24K mi/yr commuter - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By allroad5volt13 - February 2 - 9:17 am

  The Volt is an incredibly comfortable, fun and responsive vehicle. Pound-for-pound - $-for-$ - the Volt is the future of drivetrains. I commute 78 mi/day in S.W. Ohio. Hills, weather and road speed affect battery/gas consumption. I avg 39mi/charge. Own a V8 05 Audi -- the Volt corners and accelerates (in Sport mode) the same, if not better. The ride is extremely quiet. The "connectivity" options are industry leading. The Volt has overcome GMs countless decades of lethargic design, boring ingenuity and laskluster performance. Due to weather, I have 118 miles per/gal after 2016 miles. I love this car. No regrets. In the least, this car is a worth your time to test drive.

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  Cold blood car - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By mgibby - February 1 - 8:11 pm

  In August 2011 I purchased my Equinox with only 145 miles. Fine until Jan 2012 (A nice Wisconsin morning at 15+ below zero). Driving on the interstate and the SUV started to chug and actually shut down while I was driving. My SUV would not go any faster than 5 mph. A few hrs later, I drove to the local gas station to do a test drive (Less than two miles). SUV seemed to be fine however, on the way back.. it started to chug again. At 4pm, I tried driving the SUV home... made it 7 miles and it did it again. Called the dealership and they found nothing. However, it is cold again (Jan 2013) here in WI and my car is doing a repeat performance. My SUV has been in/out of the shop the four times.

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  2 weeks of enjoyment - 2012 Chevrolet Traverse
  By jamieandbri - February 1 - 2:24 am

  Purchased This vehicle 2 weeks ago. Purchased the base model for about 25,500 not including taxes. Overall our family enjoys it, quite comfortable ride. We had 2 snow storms and it performed very well. Inside is very roomy. I would give this vehicle all 5s if it lasts. The only low point is the gas mileage at this point averaging 17mpg with mostly city driving. Only one complaint is that the vehicle did not come with a spare tire. Dealer wanted 850 dollars extra for it. Save yourself money and call some salvage yards. I picked up all the parts for under 250.

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  Phonics - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By musicmitch - February 1 - 2:01 am

  The suspension is poor. It does not soak up bumps well, or handle potholes well, producing a very uncomfortable ride. Unless you are living in an area with beautifully paved streets and you drive on them all the time - this probably wont matter. And also suspension is designed poorly - unstable. The car jolts left and right when hitting rough pavement, making me wonder what happens if youre on the expressway going fast and you run into this. I think the car is accident prone. The 1.8 engine is noisy, lacks passing power, and wind/road noise is excessive. The 1.4Turbo option quiets the engine noise somewhat and increases torque, but does nothing about the excessive road noise caused by poor insulation. This car is built a little but like the old suvs. Thin and high, rather than long and wide. The center of gravity is too high and too narrow instead of being low and wide. Test drive one yourself and see if im right. On the plus, its much better than the car it replaces - The Aveo. So if you liked that car, youll love this one. Me, ill skip it. Now also think about this: this same 1.8 engine is being used in the much heavier chevy cruz LS also. So do you think you should avoid that trim line? If you decide on the cruz, opt for a higher model with the 1.4 turbo, but its also much more expensive.

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  Honest and to the Point - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By iamvindell - January 31 - 12:01 pm

  Bought brand new. Have it for over two months so far. Great little car. Would highly recommend it to others. Small car, yes, but, if you want more room, buy a Malibu. I bought the Eco model and it has not dissapointed in any way.