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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  Very Reliable - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By easy48 - June 2 - 11:39 am

  I bought this car brand new in 2000, and it has been a good car. As with all cars theres maintenance and repairs that need to be done, especially after driving it over 100K miles. It is still running good after 111K and I am confident it will go to 200K. The biggest issue with this car was the anti-theft system. At about 75K it became so sensitive that when I turned the key to start it, the system would turn on, and I would have to wait 5 minutes before it would start. I had the ignition switch replaced and never had the issue again. Also, the cruise control does not stay locked in, but dont use anyway so its not a problem for me.

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  So far so its great. - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sixstringerman - May 31 - 1:39 pm

  I dont know why anybody would really knock this car. The car does what its supposed to do. I live in the SF Bay Area and lots of traffic and hills. Im getting 23+ mpg and Im still learning how to drive with mpg in mind. The car teaches you how to achieve it if you pay attention. After a while it will become second nature. I can see how this car can deliver the mpg that it claims when on the open road more. Got all the goodies except Nav. It drives very well, but you can tell you have a small engine. Im not a guy who thinks he needs to have speed and power. Just get me to where I want to go. Im good.

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  Just Cruzin - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By just_a_chemist - May 29 - 2:44 pm

  Great job in engineering. Have 6-speed auto and get 28 mpg commuting on side roads to work, got 38 mpg overall on 1400 mile treck from east coast to midwest, even 40 mpg on the flat interstates at 75 mph and the air conditioning blasting. Handles very well, turbo kicks hard at ~30-35 mph to 65 mph. Very good overall. Better mirrors than that of the Impala and better acceleration and fuel mileage than the Malibu.

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  Amped Up - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By volt47 - May 28 - 11:00 pm

  Bought a 2012 Volt after ordering a Prius plug in. When I heard my Prius was almost here I took a test drive in a Prius and a Volt no comparison! The Volt was more solid, better quality, more comfortable, higher tech, etc. Ive had it 3 months and love everything about it. Ive driven it 45 miles on a single charge and if I dont go on a trip I never put gas in it. When it runs on gas I get 40 mpg. Its a good looking car inside and out and the technology is amazing. Its training me to be a conscientious driver and doing it in style.

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  Not a bad little car. - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By joe_e - May 28 - 9:26 pm

  Bought my 07 in 09 as a certified GM used vehicle with 33k miles, upped the warranty to 75k. At first, I was somewhat disinterested. Styling could stand to be less Cavalier-ey, but I needed something to get 25+ on the highway. During my tenure of ownership (through 2012) it performed flawlessly. I put almost 43k miles on it in 3 years, and while it was never an awesome car, it far, far exceeded my expectations. Wife traded it for an Avenger, and the car sold before we even got the new car off the lot. Ill miss this one.

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  Needs a full time mechanic onboard. - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By billman2 - May 28 - 8:49 pm

  I must have got a lemon like most others. 9k in repairs to go 80k miles and its due for more junk parts to be replaced. So far trans, intake, alt, a/c 3 times, brakes allways need work, window motors and a few other goodies. Nice work GM... the heartbreak of america.Even with the price of fuel I may burn it just so I feel better.

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  CJ Cruze Eco Automatic - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cjcruze - May 28 - 12:00 pm

  I have driven the Cruze 5000 miles since purchase in late Jan., 12. I am very pleased with the car. No problems on delivery or since then. The car is comfortable, quiet, and economical. I have had several Chevys over 45 years of driving. The Cruze is by far the best Chevy I have owned. Measured gas mileage (not computer based) is 38.5 in a mixture of urban, exurban, and interstate driving. I do drive carefully to achieve high mileage and rarely engage the turbo or exceed 65 mph. I would not hesitate to purchase another Cruze.

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  So many kinks with first year of new/improved models - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By sounditout - May 27 - 8:49 pm

  Leaky transmission fluid. Broken Rear window defroster. Sticky emergency brake and parking brake combination. Tire Pressure Monitoring System replaced 4 times. Wears through tires too fast, same with brake pads. Car trembles upon reaching 65 mph. Car battery died this past thanksgiving, not even cold outside. Mufflers rotted out from top down? Doesnt make sense since they were stainless steel, plus the bottom would have been exposed to the elements, so theoretically should have rotted out from bottom up. Mufflers not covered under warranty since thats not supposed to happen, but GM payed for replacement (not labor though)

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  Get What You Pay For - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By mrsyam - May 26 - 4:11 pm

  We bought this car after our first child was born. We bought it used with 25K miles on it and save a bunch of money than buying it new. It was great at first, but then all sorts of issues started popping up. The rotors have needed replaced 3 different times due to grinding. The CD player stopped working for some reason, but the dealership replaced it for free. The drivers side lock always sticks and Ive gotten locked out of my car before with my children in the car because the key fobs also are cheaply made and dont work properly. The newest issue is that the Passlock feature is malfunctioning due to a microchip error in the ignition!!! Trading in for something else.

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  I would never buy this car again - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By badluck5 - May 25 - 5:23 pm

  When I purchased this car in 2007 I was happy because It looked prtty good. But after a few months past thats when the problems started. First it was the linement which Im still working on getting it corrected. Ive had this problem for years I dont know what it feels like driving a car that has good linement. I cant check my trans fulids I have to go to the dealership which I know will charge me a arm and a leg. Now my engine is shaking when I put the car in P or D. That started when I changed the air filter. the list goes on and on.. I hate this car..