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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  Solid traveler but lacking acceleration oomph! - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
  By K Beyer - November 17 - 1:54 pm

  Recently had to have a rental while my 07 Camry V6 XLE was in for collision repairs. Let me say right away I never was fully satisfied with my Camrys ride. Its far too taught and the ride reminded me of a go-kart. The Camry is fast and nimble, but hard to endure on long road trips. As soon as I sat into the Malibus driver seat, I was instantly comfortable. Of course, its a 2015 and its not a sport edition, so it may be disingenuous to compare the ride comfort of the Camry vs the Malibu, but even the later 90s Camry had a better ride than the 2007 Camry. One thing my V6 Camry is good at however is acceleration. Its a loud V6 at idle, but it moves swiftly. The base engine Malibu on the other hand is too slow on acceleration, and when it does respond, it is anemic and I almost feel like I may be injuring the thing when I step on the gas. But the ride is awesome. Comfortable without feeling too plush, and not claustrophobic like some other newer model cars. Visibility is not great, but no worse than the Camrys. What ever happened to large side and rear mirrors of yesteryear? The materials are much better than my Camry or any Chevy I had been in recently. Overall, if it holds reliable, this would be a solid choice if the base engine was quicker. If you can afford a step-up in engine level (turbo or a v6), it may just be perfect.

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  My first car - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Noel - November 17 - 12:24 pm

  This car was my first car and I wasnt able to get a full years use of it. The first 6 months were great until the check engine light came on. The car then started idling and I had to put out a few 100 bucks for that. Then my fuel system burst into flames, the latest was the abs light coming on and off. Ive had to put way too much money into something I was guaranteed would last a long time. If you need a truly reliable car, dont get this. This car will get you from point A to point B and thats about all

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  the car has no spare tire - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By James nesbeak - November 17 - 8:42 am

  They want five hundred bucks for a spare kit. Got a flat? Wait 90 minutes for a tow truck. If you have the air conditioner on and need to go up a hill you have no power [non-permissible content removed]. Do not buy.

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  Happy after almost 3 years and 20k miles - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Vicki - November 16 - 8:51 pm

  Have been happy overall with my leased 2013 Equinox LTZ. Gas mileage in city (LA stop & go? traffic) consistently 20 mpg freeway high 20s...low 30s in ECO mode. Only issue thus far has been occasional hiccups in radio/nav system (occasionally doesnt turn on with car often starts in radio mode rather than usb/iPod where it was when turned off). In terms of design, really like sliding back seat...lots of rear seat leg room when not hauling cargo. Cargo space is a bit narrow, but has been adequate for my needs. Rear seats fold flat (as long as headrests retracted), creating good space when needed. Not thrilled with plastic door panels...very cheap looking. Absolutely HATED front collision sensor, and turned both it and the lane indicator OFF shortly after purchase...front collision sensor would apply brakes when accelerating to pass, and also on "twisty road"...apparently it thought I was headed for the cars parked on the opposite side of the street so applied brakes...very irritating and potentially dangerous. Fit and finish have been great. Absolutely no repairs required outside of routine oil changes/tire rotations. Tires and brakes still ok at 20k miles.

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  Not so much - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Robert Haist - November 16 - 10:25 am

  Its resale value is poor and this car had reliability issues. After 93,000 miles it overheated and blew a head gasket. Had issues with it running rough from a cold start for first few seconds and had problems with spark plugs and spark plug wires. Left rear taillight kept burning out. Would blow white smoke out tailpipe once in a while. I would not recommend buying this car.

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  I Love My Spark!!!!!!!! - 2015 Chevrolet Spark
  By Meleanor - November 15 - 12:45 am

  So Ive only had very used cars in the past, and traded my 2000 Volkswagon Jetta in and bought the Spark, and I Love It!! It drives great, and looks great too. I would recommend this vehicle to anyone.

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  GREAT CAR - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Robert Knasinski - November 14 - 4:12 pm

  DRIVE IT

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  Positive volt - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By john - November 14 - 11:01 am

  Great comfortable, functional, and fun car. Many positives. Rear seat room just above adequate. Negatives are: Climate controls are too complex. Heat is a big drain on the battery.. even being careful it cuts range by 20%. Exterior gap and fit still not up to Japanese quality.

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  Good Value - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jack - November 13 - 11:03 pm

  2005 Avelanche used at 18K miles. 2x4 with G80 locker. Major problems: transmission went out after 95K, My Suburban had over 150K without a problem. Investigating some had earlier problems and most went out around 100K, so dont feel to bad. It has been reliable with little maintenance. Interior seem to fall apart fairly easy, buttons on dash, Cover on window pillar fell off. Light 4x4 with G80 locker did very well.

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  LOVE MY SONIC - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Judy hammond - November 13 - 11:00 am

  Im retired, and this is almost the best fun Ive ever had, driving. I had a 78 Mustang Cobra in my younger years, so thats hard to beat. But I LOVE my 2012 Sonic! The only thing I wish is that it has cruise control, and all the ports for cell phone and other things the newer cars have. My fault. I didnt realize they came with that stuff, and I forgot to check out the cruise control feature, because I was having so much fun when I test drove it. Its a hatchback and I toted an 8 x 2 x 1" board home with me for an entertainment system I built. Just about as good as a little truck, which is what I was looking for. Love all the little storage features it includes. Cant say enough good about my Sonic, which Ive had for about three months. Whoever designed it had women in mind! Ive already taken it on three long trips. Ohio to NC twice, and Ohio to Syracuse NY once. I went 70 mph with no problems, and its a whole lot of fun to drive. In a few years, if Im still on this planet, Ill be looking to get a newer Sonic with cruise!