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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  awsome - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rowena - August 25 - 1:09 pm

  We live in Clearlake, Ca where if you need to go to Doctors out of the area you have to drive curvy and crocked roads. Whether it is in Santa Rosa or Yuba City, Ca.. We bought the Chevy Malibu LS ECO 2015 from Thurston Auto in Ukiah, Ca NEW and on our way home in the mountains we go 38+ mpg. and in town we get about 25mpg my Chevy Tahoe only got 12mpg in town and around 17=+ on the open road. The Chevy Malibu has lots of power going up and down the mountains. I love my New car.

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  Chevys best kept secret - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Theodore_E - August 24 - 10:20 pm

  The only thing you should know about this car is that its amazing! The price of the my 2015 was unbelievably cheap?! You know why? because its a 6 speed manual transmission. Everyone wants an automatic which what car reviewers complain about. They say its to laggy or non responsive. Not mine! The manual transmission is the best way to drive this vehicle. Offering low end torque for the inner city stop and go. Again just perfect for what I need to be. The 1.4L turbo charged engine is superb for suburban dwelling. It provides a very torquey feeling when applying more gas. My favorite thing about this car is the gas mileage! Try 26 city and 38 highway. A hybrid or electric car absolutely cannot beat the price of this four door gas saver. The interior is played up and has a very classy feel. The dash contains loads of info like average mpg, mph, distance till empty, and total miles. All in a tap of a button. The buttons for CD, music and radio can seem intimidating and cluttered at first. When you just read the controls you find out theres a button for everything instead of cycling through settings or menus. Easy enough. I have the LT trim and I still feel like a sub par luxury car. My only gripe about this car is the Bluetooth setting. You cannot synch your phone to the car to play music. Only phone calls. To play any kind of music you can use the CD player or an auxiliary cord! Cmon Chevy. Get with the times. No one uses cords anymore. This is the only feature that makes the car feel outdated. Also there is a plug in for electronics that enables you to charge your device(s) conveniently located behind the shift knob next to the emergency brake. Lastly there is one USB connection along with..... An auxiliary port in the center console. One thing to note is the driver leg room and entry. Im 70" tall and when I try to get in, Ive smacked my shin on the edge panel below the steering wheel. OUCH. The leg room leaves much to be desired. On longer straights or highway, I like to put it cruise control and lift my foot/leg off the pedal causing my knee to rest against the temperature knob setting. A little bit uncomfortable but not much to deter me from this car. Some of the highlights of this car is trunk room. By gosh its huge. Best in class for a SEDAN. A hatchback will be better obviously. Aside from the 5 star safety ratings and ten airbags, this car is pretty safe. A telescoping steering wheel is standard which I enjoy. I know its a bit scattered but this car is just overall really good. If your looking for a sedan that gets great gas mileage for under 20k then this car is for you. It has many trims to choose from to suit your needs. Chevy has done an excellent job and keeping up with its Japanese competitors. This just might be the next best thing for Chevy cars.

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  great first car - 1999 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Kevin McKinnon - August 21 - 1:39 pm

  my car is a 4 door automatic chevy tracker. I had to replace to radiator and water pump but now it runs fine. for backing up easy as pie. My car was on empty and put 20 dollars and gas was 2.48 where I live and it filled half a tank.

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  Electric Car Adopter - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By VictoriaVolt - August 20 - 7:10 pm

  If your looking for savings, look no further. I leased my Volt a few months ago and have put just over 3,000 miles on it. So far I have filled my tank once. I purchased a level 2 charger and for my 36 mile commute. The volt is perfect. I charge in about 3 hours from empty to full. 90% of my driving has been on full electric. I decided to go with the volt after buying my first home to try and save money. I used to have a 2013 chrysler 200 with v6 power averaging 30 mpg which I thought was very good.... I was wrong. Im averaging 250+ mpg and have gone from spending a little over $200 on gas to $25 and an increase of about $40 on my electric bill charging everynight. On top of that because my gas engine has only run for about 300 miles Im not even close to needing an oil change. My Volt came loaded with features I didnt need or want but hey, why complain! Electric cars are not for everyone.... only those who want a reliable, loaded and money saving vehicle.

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  LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By LoveMyVenture - August 19 - 1:29 pm

  This car is FANTASTIC! Bought in 06 with 45000 miles on it. Its now 2015, and we have 152,000. She runs smooth, and cruises effortlessly. Nothing major has gone wrong with the car. Just a few sensors. The 15 inch alloy rims look great too. We easily pull 22-25 mpg. Treat her right, and youll be rewarded.

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  Chevy Suburban goes the extra mile - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Rodney Martin - August 18 - 8:58 pm

  I bought the Suburban brand new in 2003. It now has 240,000 miles. Ive reapolstered the front seats, installed a new stereo system with blue tooth, installed Flow Master Exhaust and put new rims on it. I love this vehicle. It is a great ride, has been very reliable. Ive never been left on the roadside with this vehicle. Weve followed the manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule and its still going strong. Ive heard of Suburbans going over 400,000 miles. Im shooting to break the record, then put a new engine in it and keep this thing forever. We love it so much, we bought the GMC version of this GMC Yukon Denali, and we love it even more.

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  LOVE IT! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Brittany - August 18 - 9:50 am

  Bought my Equinox used from my local dealer. I went from a 2013 Malibu, to the 2011 equinox and I couldnt be more pleased. This car is perfect for me especially since I have a child in a car seat. Easily fits 3 car seats on the back seat. NO problems at all. First owner took very great care of the care and kept maintenance up as well. It does get expected gas mileage 30+ hwy and roughly 23+ city. Not to mention the DVD system works flawlessly and my baby loves it! Ive seen the bad reviews on these cars so I guess every car is different bc so far I havent had a problem out of mine!

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  Love This Car - 2010 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bjdittberner1@madisoncollege.edu - August 14 - 11:04 am

  I bought this Car with 75,000 Miles on it. Car Has Never Had an warranty submissions on it. I am A certified mechanic so I know cars in and out. There is a few minor problems like water getting in threw the front windows seals causing the front speakers to go in and out at times. And The Seal On The Front Headlights Can Go out letting moisture fill up the lens. Only 50$ to replace and I did it myself. NOTHING MAJOR. THese cars are bullet proof. Nothing mechanically has ever went wrong with this car at 85,000 miles already.

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  233K Miles and Still Running Like a Champ! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By DJwazlo - August 14 - 7:42 am

  I purchased our 04 Chevy Tahoe new from the Chevy dealer in 2004 as our daily driver family car and let me tell you, it gets driven every day. It is the base model with cloth interior. Sticker price at the time was $38K. It is now 2015 and we have put over 233,000 miles on this same vehicle and it is still running like a champ with no mechanical issues what so ever. Praise GOD! The only issues we have had are the instrument cluster gauge went out at about 150K miles, which is typical with GM vehicles, and the A/C blower was replaced at around 180K miles. That is it. We have not had any engine or transmission problems of any kind. And to be quite honest we have never had the transmission service done ever on the vehicle like the dealer recommends, just routine oil changes about every 5K - 7K miles, sometimes we have even gone as far as 10K - 12K miles before the next oil change. Just check the fluid levels , (oil, Transmission fluid, coolant, brake fluid) from time to time and that is it. Needless to say I will be getting another Chevy Tahoe when the time comes, my goal is to get 500K miles out of this wonderful 04 Tahoe before that day comes. :)

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  Ive Ditched German Engineering for USA! - 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Williamsburg Dave - August 12 - 3:26 pm

  After owning 6 Mercedes (and 1 Volvo, 1 Toyota, and 1 BMW,) Ive turned to the good old USA. My last car was a 2009 MB ML 320 Bluetec, and was nothing but serious, expensive trouble. And the main reason I started looking at the American made vehicles was because I just got sick and tired of the constant insane maintenance costs. So my expectations werent super high when I walked into the Chevy dealer. But I was instantly surprised when I got into the new 2015 Tahoe. Now that I have 32K miles on the odometer (I drive a LOT!), I have to say that I love it even more. After all of the supposed "luxury" cars Ive owned over the years, this Tahoe seems to be the best built, most comfortable, and nicest riding car/truck. The ergonomics are excellent. Great stereo, GPS, Rear camera, etc. I do mostly highway driving, and Ive been getting 24-25mpg on the highway, with a high of 26.5mpg. Around town i get 21-22mpg. Handling is spot on, and always feel well controlled and safe. I have towed with it, and actually forgot that the loaded trailer was even back there! Plus, I think it really is a great looking SUV. I wish that the rear floor was lower. Thats my only complaint. The dealers have been great. I have yet to pay for any service, so out of curiosity I recently asked what my oil changes will cost after warranty. About $40! I never escaped from the Mercedes dealer for less than $250! My father has the Ford Expedition, and used to love it until he drove my Tahoe. Now he is Tahoe Shopping.