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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  Tickedoffowner - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tickedoff - October 23 - 2:00 am

  In the last 4 years/32k miles Ive been thru 3 sets of brake pads and rotors. Ive had a hole in the wind shield wiper fluid reservoir. The temp gauge is bad. The intake maifold gasket died in Feb 03. And most recently/today I had a new resistor installed becuase the low speeds on the heater/ac were not working. Oh yeah I also have put on 4 new tires. Needless to say I will not be buying another Malibu!!!

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  2003 express van comments - 2003 Chevrolet Express
  By PCMS - October 21 - 2:00 am

  THE MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE IS THAT THERE ARE NO AFTERMARKET PRODUCTS AVAILABLE, NO BUG SHIELD, NO HOOD BRAS ETC. BODY IS CONSTRUCTED OF THINNER METAL THAN WHAT I WOULD CONSIDER NORMAL. I COMPARED IT TO MY DODGE VAN. THE WAY THE PLASTIC INTERIOR WALLS INTERLOCK IS A DISGRACE, ESPECIALLY AT THE PRICE I PAID. SOME PLASTIC JUST LAYS IN PLACE, NO INTERLOCKING MECHANISM. THE TOUTED OIL CHANGE LIGHT IS USELESS TO ME, IT GOES OFF AT 7000 MILES, I CHANGE MY OIL EVERY 3000. THE STEP UP, IF YOU ARE A SHORT PERSON, IS IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT HOLDING ON TO THE SEAT AND PULLING YOURSELF IN.

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  Fun to drive but some disappointments - 2016 Chevrolet Spark
  By coopdedoo - October 20 - 7:51 am

  Car has an agile feel and is fun to drive. Notable hesitation on acceleration however so no darting across an intersection. The size is perfect for me. Am not getting even close to the MPG on the sticker despite light foot. More like 27 city, 30 highway which is my biggest disappointment. Apple Carplay is not consistent--disconnects on a whim. Dealer has suggested putting in a new USB port--just have to be able to leave the car there for a day. The gas pump nozzle at Costco will not stay in the gas tank so I have to stand and pump, breathing in the fumes. My lower back hurt the first time I spent more than 10 minutes driving (granted Im not a youngster). Bought a back support which has helped. One last tiny complaint--the windshield wipers leave a spot "un-wiped" near the bottom where they dont overlap completely. That I can live with... :-) Burnt marshmallow color hides dust very well.

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  I was fooled by his car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By cerveros24 - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I buy this car because my Toyota Tercel was stolen, but in comparison with this car, the Cavalier is an incredible gass drinking machine. $20.00 dollars a per week in comparison with $12.00 of the tercel. Also I went with this car to service 3 times, because the rear lights suddenly burns out, and the dealer only tells me that they will keep changing the bulbs since this is a normal behaivor. Not to mention the cheezy, cheapy interiors. I am very dissapointed

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  96 Z24 - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kingcarz1 - October 18 - 2:00 am

  Great car when it runs, The Quad 4 was a down fall for GM, as with fuel pumps

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  Nothing but problems - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Chris W. - October 17 - 6:10 pm

  I have had my Cobalt for a month now, and it has had nothing but problems. Its been in the shop three times. First it was the AC, then it was a wiring problem causing dash and tail lights not to work, now the radio wont work. Think twice.

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  2nd and Last Suburban - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By mustang43 - October 17 - 2:00 am

  Its amazing that such a huge vehicle has such little interior room for second and third row passengers. Our 1993 model is much more comfortable, even though the new one is fully loaded. It handles like a lumbering moose. We decided to put a new engine in the old car and trade in the newer one on a better quality car that also has higher gas mileage. Yeah, pretty much we should have waited for the 2000 model, but a roadtrip to Yellowstone was calling for a new car. The 2000 model might be better, but were getting sick and tired of the cheap materials, shoddy build quality and unreliability of GM cars. Lexus here we come.

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  For 9 Grand, What the Heck? (Plus 33 MPG - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Sausalitodougie - October 14 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car when it first came out in March. I thought I wanted a hatchback but I bought a black sedan (with trunk) and everyone thinks its a Toyota Echo. I went to Pep Boys and bought some gunmetal gray eight spoke alloy wheels that nearly match the black metallic exterior color for $50 each. I bought a slightly wider premium set of tires from Costco to improve the ride and handling for about $400. (Michelin MXV4 Energy Green) It has good headroom for people up to about 66" and a decent back seat. Build quality not bad so far with few complaints to date. If it had power windows and cruise control I would be very happy.

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  2005 Chevrolet Silverado - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bill - October 14 - 7:50 am

  75,000 miles on Vehicle: Replaced brakes at 15,000 miles, 40,000 miles, and 70,000 miles (I have not historically been hard on breaks); Replaced Torque Converter and rebuilt transmission at 40,000 miles; Replaced Intermediate steering shaft at 40,000 miles, 60,000 miles, and 75,000 miles (grease repacked at 30,000 and 70,000). This is apparently a known issue with many models of GM vehicles. Replaced front wheel hub assemblies at 65,000 miles; Transmission clunk while turning at low speeds and accelerating from stop since truck was new. Told by two dealerships that this was a known issue that cannot be resolved. Cannot recommend this vehicle.

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  Trade it in b4 50,000 miles - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By not a Malibu fan - October 12 - 2:00 am

  We bought our 98 brand new. It seemed great. At 50,000 miles, a gasket leaked oil coolant into the engine and destroyed the entire engine with no warning($5,000.00). Jiffy Lube told us "Everyone knows Malibu gaskets do this after 50,000 miles." Internet sites confirmed the statement. The dealer and Chevy were very concerned and paid to replace the engine. Conscientous car builder or one who knows their product has a defect? ABS light comes on whenever it wants to, AC only works on #3. Not soured on Chevy, though. We have a 2002 Avalanche and love it to death!