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:

• 

  Should have went to Toyota - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By rjcruzedriver - January 10 - 6:36 pm

  This is the worst car I have ever owned. 2 days after buying the car new, the windshield cracked along the top and the roof and electronics all flooded. Three weeks past and the car refussed to go into gear and almost caused use to get side swiped. After being treated like a lower life form by the dealer ship and General Motors, we were forced to drive this car. Recently the pile of Cruze failed to shift into gear which caused us to roll back into oncoming traffic and was involved in an accident. This is the last GM product I will ever own, and I hope that Chevy stops getting bailed out. Government Motors, I should have known better.

• 

  Lots of features, disappointing MPG - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By angieb25 - January 10 - 11:13 am

  Ive had my Equinox for about a year now and have had no problems. It drives smooth. Its roomy. I like how the back seat slides back and forth, so you can add room where you need it. I like how the sunroof slides AND tilts. I really like having a USB port. It makes it so easy to listen to my music. The rearview camera is very helpful, and almost neccesary. The stereo sounds good too, but you may have to adjust it to your liking. I like the fact that I was able to go 8,000 miles before I needed an oil change. And even though I dont have AWD, it handles the snow and ice well.

• 

  Horrible Car-Asking for a Refund - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By cheyenneh - January 10 - 4:27 am

  My husband and I bought our 2012 Sonic Dec. 10th after weeks of car shopping. The car spun a bearing 15 days later (on Christmas Day) and was completely undriveable. Our local dealership, which has been very helpful throughout this whole ordeal, tried to get GM to replace the car. GM refused and told the dealership to just rebuild the defective engine. The dealership refused, and GM agreed to replace the engine-not the car, just the engine. The dealership installed the new engine, but the discovered while test driving it that the cam shaft sensor was bad in the new engine. It has been over 2 weeks, and there are still issues with the car. GM customer service is VERY unhelpful and dishonest.

• 

  Best car I have EVER owned! - 1994 Chevrolet Camaro
  By camaro_owner - January 9 - 5:29 pm

  Performance: 160 (I have 187) horse power. Doesnt seem like a lot but the torque is where this car wins. Runs like a bat outta hell and crushes all competition off the line (yea, Ive raced it a few times...) MPG: I get 24.5 city and 32 highway when Im not screwing around with it. Build/Reliability: The 3.4L 207ci (@156,000 miles) is the only engine in a Camaro that has taken the beatings i put to these cars! My 1980 Camaro w/ 5.7L 350ci, cant even take the beating. Not even on the fresh rebuilt engine. I have never had any problems with my car. EVER. Comfort: The bucket seats are SUPER com

• 

  2009 Traverse - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By tigger68 - January 8 - 8:41 pm

  We bought our traverse in June 2009 and I had one problem with a computer about a year ago. Then October 2011 came around and our check engine light came on. It was something I dont remember. We took it to the dealer and it was the timing chain and it had been recalled. They had the car for 10 days. Then we had the car back one day and I was driving home from work and it started smoking. We attempted to drive to dealer and did not make it. A transmission clamp broke. they fixed it and then we got it back. We had it back in 4 days. The fixed and have had some hesitation and now transmission module is out? Now back we go again! Dealer has been working with us at least!

• 

  Comparable to a "Cadi" - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ogcrew1 - January 8 - 12:21 pm

  I have to say out of all the cars I have had (Jeeps, GM SUVs, Saabs, Volvos, Taurus SHO)... This car surprised me! I have owned this car for about six months now and have put 14,000 miles on it... I do mixed driving and in the spring/summer/ fall months I was getting 29MPG(mixed) and 32MPG(full highway). The comfort level is awesome, the 4-Cyl could use a little more pep but still when I need to go it moves. Overall I would and do recommend this car to friends.

• 

  So Close! - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By ogcrew1 - January 8 - 12:04 pm

  Loved my LTZ! But I think the check engine light came on at least 3 times a month... Between the dealership and my local repair shop I had many rental cars.

• 

  High Praise for Volt - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By volt_me - January 7 - 11:34 pm

  I have only had my Volt for a couple weeks so far, but have had a wonderful time driving it and passing the gas station on by. The fit and finish is great. The acceleration is great, seems to do even better than my mustang did because of the instant torque.

• 

  Everything I expected and more - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By nyvolt - January 6 - 11:58 pm

  Not using gas makes me happy. Not being limited by the battery makes the car practical. The car does exactly what GM says it will do.

• 

  Best Vehicle I have ever owned. - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By ghendrick456 - January 6 - 6:51 pm

  My 2012 Chevy Volt is by far the best car I have ever owned. (And I have owned 10 new cars in my life.) This vehicle has impressed me in so many ways. nothing can compare with the smoothness, quiet refined ride and tight responsive handling. The acceleration is very satisfying and completely free of shifting. Its just what you wish every car could do. I especially like the fact that I can drive most of my trips without using a drop of gasoline while maintaining the flexibility to do a cross country drive on gas if I need to. (Seems like no other car offers this flexibility.) Most days I am spending less than 30 cents to recharge. (And I have the electric bills to prove it.