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:

• 

  DRIVERS BEWARE! - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By vlk - June 29 - 12:38 am

  Driving on I-10 on a clear morning, going at 70 mph, not sleepy, not distracted... the 2009 Chevy Cobalt I was driving started to swerve uncontrollably, then went off to the grassy embankment & rolled on its side at least twice. It finally landed on its passenger side against some small trees. The front wheel broke off along with its axle. The airbags did not deplore. Miraculously no one was seriously hurt! I was lucky, but no telling how the next accident of this sort will end up. GM is totally unresponsive & denies any responsibility. Something had to be wrong with the vehicle! There was just no other explanation. This is not about law suits. It is about consumer safety! BEWARE

• 

  Disappointed - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By tigerbill61 - June 28 - 8:45 pm

  Sad to say but this car is Very very underpowered. Yes I know it says 35mpg hwy but only in your doing 55 with a tailwind. God help you if your making a left turn at intersection and another vehicles coming at you quickly because this thing has a very concerning acceleration hesitation concern. Ive actually put it to the floor and it just does not respond without serious hesitation. Goodbye Cruz... Hello more responsive replacement.. Sonota with similar pricing and gas mileage has 30 more horsepower and NO lag time!!

• 

  143K and counting - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By brennick - June 28 - 7:12 pm

  I dont know what all the bad press is on this car. I bought mine new in June of 2004 and have been totally pleased with it. It handles well, is quite peppy when Im by myself, and has incredible room both inside (amazing head room) and in the trunk. I get 27-28 mpg in town and have gone over 40 on the highway 40 when Im solo. With the 5 speed tranny it is a blast to drive in the mountains of Oregon and Idaho. I put a hitch on mine and can comfortably pull a small boat and still get in the low 30s for gas mileage. The only thing Ive done is replace the timing belt as routine maintenance and the water pump as my mechanic noticed it was starting to leak just a bit. I love this little car!

• 

  EPA mileage a joke -- but I love the SUV - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By d2h2o - June 28 - 1:34 pm

  Picked up mine on December 1, 2011 -- and have enjoyed the ride ever since. Right now I almost have 7000 miles on it and no problems what so ever! I appreciate the room for the driver and passengers. Love the radio, automatic air setting. Drivers seat is very comfortable.

• 

  Bad milage - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sheila428 - June 27 - 3:59 pm

  I just purchased this car 2 weeks ago. I purchased it because i believed the gas was great. Well, its not! i am only getting about 16 or 17 mpg and the tank is not a 18.8 gal. I filled it up and it was only 14.8 gal, which means that the tank size is probably only about 15 or 16. What a hugh lie. I am so upset right now. This was one of my hugh reasons for purchasing it. Please Chevy stop with the lies. Its not a good look. I should have purchased the Crv or sorento. I will be traveling next week and the bill is going to kill me. What a mess of lies.

• 

  Gas King - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By winglimit - June 27 - 12:32 pm

  Ive had my Cobalt since 2007 and the only major problem Ive had was my fault (dinged the oil pan). Replaced the engine for less than $1,000 and was back on the road again. Gas mileage is unparalleled. I usually get 35mpg+, sometimes up to 40mpg on long trips. I drive the hell out of this car and it never skips a beat. My largest complaints are aesthetic: the model I have (2005 sedan, energy blue) looks cheapish. The interior seats arent the most comfortable, but its really only noticeable from the passenger side. >) As this car ages, a few benign electrical problems have popped up, but nothing serious. Great value if youre looking for a cheap investment and long-term savings.

• 

  Worst car ever (And I have had some real winners!) - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By snowwhite24 - June 26 - 11:28 pm

  I bought this 2006 Malibu LT in January of 2009 with about 60,000 miles on it. So far...front shocks replaced, crack in the intake manifold fixed, controller arms replaced, rear shocks replaced, new tires 3 times in 3 years, etc. Just last week, had head replaced and now they are saying it is actually a crack in the engine block. Car needs a whole new motor. The windshield buzzes because the cowel (sp?) piece is warped. It eats CDs and wont give them back. This car has been the bane of my existence for the last 3 years. I would never ever ever recommend anyone buy a Malibu. And GM just lost a repeat customer. I will never buy GM again. I have had enough.

• 

  Automatic doors lock me inside - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kirby16 - June 26 - 10:10 pm

  I bought my Malibu in March 2009. Started out great until winter. My doors started to bounce back open when shutting them. I took it to the garage and they said it just needed greased. I thought it was fixed (NOT). Shortly after the doors started to lock me inside. I pushed the OnStar button to unlock the doors and I could hear them unlock but the doors still would not open. My car has been in the garage multi times. 1) doors 2) transmission sensor (twice) 3) air bag sensor 4) tire pressure sensor Im ready to trade this Lemon in for a different vehicle.

• 

  Best Car I have ever Owned - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By luvmy2012cruze - June 26 - 11:45 am

  I love my 2012 Cruze LS 6 Speed Manual! This car is by far the best car I have ever owned, its trumps both the Honda Civic and Honda Accord that I have owned previously. Great gas mileage, handles like a dream, and has amazing get up and go.

• 

  Great car to drive - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By steve437 - June 26 - 7:01 am

  We recently bought a Volt and love driving it. We test drove a Prius at the same time, and the acceleration + handling of the Volt was much better. Its a really fun car to drive. With my commute (35 miles round trip) were getting over 160 miles per gallon.