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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  Fun to drive and comfortable - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By evowa - November 18 - 11:51 pm

  I agree with all the other reviews about how well built and technologically advanced this car is. The volt has been a pleasure to drive and I still cant believe how comfortable it is. I was commuting in a 2006 Lexus GS 430 which gives you a sense of how well the volt drives. This is my first American built car and I have to say Chevy did a great job!

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  Great car - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By chall1011 - November 18 - 10:16 pm

  The best part is I can fit my convertible car seat, a infant car seat and still fit an adult in the back seat (traveled 150 miles like that today) The fuel seems good but im not sure, i went on a 2 hour drive today an back, an used almost 7 gallons of gas, i was pretty upset with that. Backing out of my drive way, whenever my tires go down the front of the car hits into the drive way, it does that on alot of peoples out where I live... not much i can do about it, but they are really low to the ground. Its a great car , but we will see as the time goes on. Oh and the throttle is horrible!

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  Totally Impressed - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cadeleon - November 18 - 7:52 am

  Purchased over a year ago and all I can say is I have been impressed. We have over 16.0K miles. Have taken many road trips and it is quiet and comfortable. Mileage has been as advertised, though the more you go over 70MPH tends to lower MPG. Our average for the year has been 35 MPG. This calculation does not/has never matched car computer. Only issue was the recall of which the dealer took care of with no issue. I would recommend to anyone.

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  VERY SATISFIED,GET ONE - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jeepguyracing - November 17 - 7:10 pm

  We got this vehicle just before taking our annual trip from pennsylvania to michigan and got about 35mpg most of the trip.going just a little over the posted speed and it would fall to 32mpg still very good milage for a 4 cylinder with 4 adults and 1 child and the back packed to the roof with suitcases.We drove just about everything forein and american made .I dont know what half these people are thinking,They get a 4 cylinder with 185 horse power in a mid size SUV and expect to get the gas milage of a chevette.I just chalk it up to most of you dont know how to drive anyway.And if you let your car sit and idle while it warms up your wasting gas and killing your average miles per gallon.

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  Drivings fun again! - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By pruvit - November 16 - 9:41 pm

  Traded in ES Lexus, havent looked back. Car is a joy to drive, it WANTS to move. 3000 miles so far, visited gas station only once. Over 300 mpg. Love that the car is so fast and so quiet. Anyone who compares this car to a normal car to calculate payback on gas savings is missing the point. This is a premium car. Negatives: visibility is somewhat limited, holds only 4 passengers, Bluetooth issues with iPhone 5 (worked flawlessly with my iPhone 4). Im told this should be fixed in the the next couple of weeks. Theyll send out the update directly to the car wirelessly. This car is a marvelous piece of technology. If youre thinking about buying one, just do it.

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  Great Car! Very Reliable - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By johnnycars22 - November 16 - 6:35 pm

  I have had my car for 3 years and I have over 98,000 miles. I have had no problems with the car, its been extremely reliable. I really enjoy owning an American product!

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  Dont waiste your money on a Camaro! - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By cruize - November 16 - 5:14 pm

  3,000 miles = grinding noise while in motion. 3,500 miles = grinding noise fixed by dealer said it was parking brake engaging while in drive. 3,500 miles = Front Engine cover oil leaks 3,800 mile = Engine oil pan leaks I contacted Generl Motors and explain that this car is falling apart before 4,000 miles. Taylor at Technical Customer Service says thats why it comes with a warranty. All we can do is repair it when it occurs. After two weeks of phone tag GM offers to give me complimentary oil change. I need to return the headache to GM but according to them thats not possible so here it is less than 4,000 miles and car will be in shop for a week to try to fix 2 oil leaks. Acceptable?

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  My Malibu - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By drewsookz - November 15 - 8:47 pm

  I am now 17 years old and my dad has just given me the family 1998 Malibu. Bought brand new in 1998 with almost all of the features available. It now has 300 000km on it and is running just fine. Aside from my dad never taking care of the car (oil changes once a year) I am amazed that it still runs. It charges through Canadian winters like a champ with no snow tires unlike all of those crappy Camrys or Accords. It blows away every single foreign sedan I see on the road and I love it. I am sad to see it go next spring when we upgrade to a new Chevy, but yes, Chevy has won me over and I will definetly purchase a vehicle from them.

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  Me likey the Impala SS - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By impalasswally - November 15 - 4:13 pm

  I like my Impala SS! Not incredibly sexy from certain angles, and the interior style is hideous, but for the $$, an incredible buy. V-8 power, better gas milage than my wifes V-6 Traverse (thanks to 4-cyl shut-off ... which you never notice). 0 to 60 sub 5.7 sec ... the new $40K Impala with the same HP is going to be Plus 7 sec. It stickered for $31K loaded, got it for 25K between 3K off from dealer, and 3K from GM card earnings. I am out of warranty almost a year now - almost 6 years old. I will admit, mostly local driving (I live close to work) and only 31K miles, but bullet proof. Starts every day, just changed oil. Both front hubs have been changed recently - only repair in 6 years.

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  Problems with navigation and radio . . . - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dougstamm - November 15 - 1:56 pm

  My 2010 Equinox included a navigation system which was perfect since I use a nav everyday in my business. The best feature for me was that it allowed me to punch in and save several addresses at the beginning of my trip then just hit the new destination when I was ready. Well so much for that. It now: 1. takes several miles before it even recognizes where I am 2. no longer saves a new destination 3. the compass style select button works intermittently 4. The radio volume and the station save work intermittently! The local dealer says it cant be fixed and it will cost thousands to replace. VERY FRUSTRATING to say the least!