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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  Disappointed - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bigdaddy1959 - January 12 - 2:33 pm

  Like most people researching this car, I was shocked to see how many bad things were being said. I trusted Chevy and was happy to go with an American made vehicle. I bought my 2011 Equinox in 2010 and had no idea the torubles to come. Within two years, I had trouble with the censor, needed a new timing belt, high-tech water pump, spark plugs, engine needed to be cleaned, and trouble with traction. I could not believe the issues i encountered. It was a waist of time and money. In the end, I decided to go with a different car and lost out on $5,000.00. I wrote a letter to Chevy, hoping my voice would be heard. Lets see if Chevy is able to instill trust once more. Very disappointed.

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  LOVE my Sonic! - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By lagrinceri - January 10 - 5:22 pm

  I bought my Sonic LT Hatch in April and Ive loved every minute of it. From its exterior design that stands out daily, to the comfortable interior with neat features (came with the bluetooth and conv package) I wouldnt change my mind for anything. I spent a year+ researching cars and I finally found a match with the Sonic. Coming from a 2005 Ford Focus manual, it was different getting used to the automatic transmission. Once you get past that hump, its a win-win for everyone.

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  TOO MANY ISSUES TO LIST - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By cmg2211 - January 10 - 11:41 am

  I bought this car new when it first came out and in the past five years have had numerous issues! My windshield wiper motor has seized twice (one in the middle of a torrential downpour while I was on the highway and most recently in a snowstorm). Both times the entire wiper motor and assembly has had to be replaced ($400 each time). The air condition system needed to be replaced after only one year. The locks dont work anymore so neither does the remote starter. You have to manually push down the lock on each door- the power door locks dont work from the key fob or from the drivers side door. When in park doors lock you in- have to roll down windows and open from outside.

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  Multiple Leakages - 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By sjeans - January 9 - 7:54 pm

  I purchased a 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe LT in August of 2009. Between December 2009 January 2013 besides having the left dash panel replaced, broken & peeling door handles replaced, a trans filler tube replaced that had broke, Iv had multiple leakages in this vehicle. The molding around the sunroof was rippled letting water in. The over head console has flooded twice, it leaked in the cargo area once, and as of Jan 2013 the front passenger side floorboard is saturated with water as I write this review. Beautiful vehicle, but poor quality for the money. I will never buy another Chevrolet again, disgusted with the quality of the vehicle and disgusted with Southern Chevrolet and their svc dept.

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  Amazing Little Car - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By dragonxks - January 9 - 7:11 pm

  I bought this after my 66 mustang got wrecked I wanted something that was cheap on gas so I got this lil Metro hatchback. I got it for $1,900 with 197+ miles. Put new tires on it for 150$ and replaced the EGR valve that was throwing a code and did a basic tune up on it, plugs,wires,filters and sea-foamed it. Runs perfect. I took it on a vacation trip from Reno to Crescent City ca. I was doing 75 the whole way with my boyfriend and 110 German shepherd and 2 duffel bags of stuff. I was getting 50 mpg when I ran Lucas injector cleaner in the gas tank. Comfy seats surprisingly

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  Run Far Away! - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By zwiama90 - January 7 - 7:37 am

  I can without a doubt say this is the worst car Ive ever owned. Im trading it in after a year of having it and couldnt be happier. It has been on a hoist more times than I can count. My boyfriend is a mechanic and is just disgusted working on it once a month. Before I met him I spent $1000+ just in 2 months of having it. The quality is so bad and the car shifts rough. Endless transmission problems that chevy wont fix. Front suspension falling apart at 60,000 miles, bad multi function switch, steering column issues, engine randomly revs in cruise control, and too many more to list. I got stuck trading a grand prix in for this HUGE mistake. Stay away from these "throw away" cars.

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  best car Ive ever owned. - 1990 Chevrolet Camaro
  By porksoda1 - January 7 - 12:43 am

  I bought my 1990 Rs for $700, it had 190,000 miles on it and ran super strong. It was a 5.0 tbi automatic. I abused that engine and trans for 2 years straight ( racing, burnouts,horrendous over- revving) and it took it like a champ. The engine started to knock at 240,000 and it was replaced with a mildly built 350, and a T5 trans. This car now screams. I would recommend these cars to anyone that is looking for a cheap, fast, well handling car.

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  Great Value for the Money - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By reviewer22 - January 6 - 10:32 pm

  We actually are leasing a 2012 Cruze 1LT. The ride and quietness of the car are comparable to something much more expensive. The interior is equally impressive for a car that come to @ 20K with tax. You are not getting a Lexus ES350 for 20K, so lets be realistic too. This is a commuter car for us, but the back seat is just fine two kids fit just fine in their car seats. I dont know that I would want to be an adult in the back of any car in this size for any period of time. The disk/drum combo is more than adequate for everyday driving. The steering is crisp and the handling is quite good. If there is a weak spot, I would say its the OEM Firestone tires.

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  2012 Eqinox Just OK - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By grngob - January 6 - 5:55 pm

  I have owned my 2012 Equinox - 4 cylinder/FWD - since may of 2012. I have never gotten more than 29.5 MPG highway, not close the 32 Chevy quotes. (In fact, I got 22 MPG on one tank - some city miles spoem highway). Very disappointing. The FM radio has reception issues and fades in and out on occaision. It is a nuisance more than anything.

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  HPE700 LS9 - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By hpe700 - January 6 - 1:37 pm

  This has been the most fun I think I have ever had and it is a thrill ride every time I go for milk or bread