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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  An outstanding vehicle - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dc678 - October 2 - 6:44 pm

  I purchased a 2013 Equinox LTZ with the 3.6L V-6 eingine. I am very impressed with the quality materials and refinement of the interior, the overall fit and finish, and the performance of the V-6. It is very comfortable, has lots of leg room, and is very quiet. If you are considerig a midsize SUV, you should test drive one. I bet you will be impressed with the quality, performance and comfort. I drove several other brands and they all felt cramped and inferior to the Equinox. This is by far the best quality mid-sized SUV I have found. I average 20MPG driving mostly around town and 23-24 MPG on the highway. I like everything about the equinox and highly recommend it.

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  Will last forever - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By driven_it_all - October 2 - 5:16 pm

  I bought mine used in 2000 with 34k miles. Sold her in 2011 with 240k miles. Pros -never replaced clutch -brakes last long time -never any major work done -decent on gas -took the abuse I gave to it. -motor and transmission are very good Cons -cosmetic & electrical issues -a/c issues ( I gave up after 3rd time) -leaks oil at 100k miles -cluster went out at 200k Would highly recommend if you are looking for a reliable cheap truck.

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  1997 Camaro Z28 30th anniversary (z4c) - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By racerbane09 - October 1 - 10:21 pm

  i was searching on craigslist for a t-top z28, 93-97 body style since imo looks the meanest of all the camaros. when i ran into a white with hugger orange stripes z28 coupe. i checked it out in person and i was stunned at how cool it looked! ....tho its an old car, i have had plenty of people old and young tell me how cool my car is. tho the best complement was indirect by a kid, "cool mom look i want a car like that". .. performance wise car deff puts me back in my seat the auto is very responsive and car is just a head turner even with the imperfect paint and stripes. bought for 5400 and has been an awsome purchase so far only problems besides cosmetics are a bad radiator cap, later radi

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  Not one regret - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By maxzillian - October 1 - 4:09 pm

  I bought this car three weeks ago, used with 17,500 miles. I have since logged over 500 miles of mixed driving and so far my experience has been extremely positive. With mixed driving of 70% highway and doing one autocross event, the car still managed 35 mpg. Color me impressed! Handling is crisp and firm, reminding me of cars Ive driven while in Europe. Even at 64", I find this compact car to be comfortable to drive, but rear seat space is lacking... it is a compact car after all. I find the 7-8 mpg gain over the typical midsize was worth sacrificing a little comfort for what few passengers I carry. Long story short, its an economical car without the economy feeling.

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  A true bargain if leased....$299/month - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By jfkirk - October 1 - 3:47 pm

  My Volt replaced a 20ishmpg Lexus. Over the 36,000 miles of the lease the Volt will save me $7200 with gas at $4.00 gallon. (My commute is within the Volts electric ranged...so no gas.) The actual cost to me over the old Lexus with gas savings is about $99.00 a month for a very nice $40,000 car. Obviously if something drives gas past $4.00 the savings go up even more.

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  Chevy Venture 2003 - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By angelam1 - October 1 - 1:42 pm

  I own the car and it now has 204,000 miles on it. I am so attached I am finding it hard to buy another. I love the van, lifetime repairs have cost about 500.00, which isnt bad. 2 cons to the car, heater isnt the best, doesnt get as hot as other brands I have road in and doesnt blow strong. Electrical system has always had a querk. If I change one light thats out (tail or blinker) another one will go out after. I have spoke to other owners with the same problem. But with all that, it still has been very reliable, great in the snow, reliable, love it!

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  A great engine surrounded by an average car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By happychihuahua - October 1 - 9:17 am

  The EcoTec 2.2 is a marvelous engine, its powerful, quiet and as reliable as an anvil, a testament to its foreign design. The rest of the car however is General Motors, what can you say. The steel on the car is paper thin, so even a slight bump will distort the quarter panels and your plastic bumper will never fit properly again. The interior is typical GM, with the bizarre toilet seat flusher door handles and the cheap plastic interior. The plastic covers by the mirrors tend to slap off and the manual mirror adjusters tend to break. The shift level gets loose and since its plastic will begin to fall apart, requiring replacement. The interior noise is higher than it should be.

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  Great little car - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By sonic4 - September 30 - 5:33 pm

  I read some of the neg. reviews and i had to post my experience. 2012 LT 1.4 Turbo 6-spd. manual , love the car gets 41.0 avg on highway good trunk space decent seats stereo is lacking a little power but thats just me. The only neg. i have is visibility to the sides and rear, headrests get in the way. currently have 4100 miles.Added fog lights to it and they fill in reg lights real well . Instrument cluster is good all info right in front where u need it , steering wheel controls very handy.would buy it again .Turbo & 6-spd. manual are key to this car.

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  Just got 2013 Sonic LTZ Hatchback Turbo Automatic - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By key1cc - September 30 - 10:19 am

  I only had it for one day but if yesterday is any indication, life just got waaaayyyy better. I went across state to by it to get the exact features I wanted so I had a nice 55 minute ride home to test her out. Driving at 67mph I hit the mpg reset key and it showed 40-42 mpg!! For me that is nice but the reason I purchased this car was not for the mpg or even for the looks because I like the look of the Kia Rio SX a little better. The reason I went with the sonic was that big fat grin that comes on my face when I get behind the wheel and press the gas pedal. This is the first turbo I have ever owned and boy is it fun to drive. I even woke up in the night just to take her out for a spin!

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  Great car at a great lease! Thanks Obama! - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By audi_b - September 30 - 1:37 am

  What a deal-low lease for this fantastic car and I no longer visit the gas station! Somebody needs to get us off the gas pipeline, why not the government. Thanks to lucrative incentives, I drive this car for less than my former gas bill.