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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  fuel pump defect: message from Customer Service - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By bob lyon - November 4 - 6:32 am

  Dear Robert, Thank you for getting back to Chevrolet Customer Assistance. Please accept our sincere apologies for our delayed response to your email due to the high email volume. We have processed the information using the vehicle identification number (1G1AS58H197166725) and found out that there is a special coverage #12191. This is to make you aware that some 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt may have a condition where the plastic supply or return port on the fuel pump cracks and leaks fuel or fuel vapors. Fuel vapors, in the presence of an ignition source, could potentially cause a vehicle fire. The symptoms of this condition are: - A noticeable fuel odor while the vehicle is being driven or after it is parked - The Check Engine Soon light may be illuminated on the instrument cluster - If the crack is large enough, fuel may be observed on the ground, or vehicle performance may be affected We are conducting a program to address this issue. The program is a special coverage and under it should a vehicle ever experience this condition, the owner must take the vehicle to their GM dealer and have the dealer inspect the vehicle, confirm the condition, and then repair that vehicle for free. Repairs and adjustments qualifying under this special coverage must be performed by a GM dealer for diagnosis and inspection. We also found two open recalls #14092 "Ignition Switch Replacement" and # 14133 "Replace Ignition Key".

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  Great Dependable Work Horse - 1997 Chevrolet S-10
  By Barry - November 3 - 5:59 pm

  the gas economy is poor but with regular maintenance this truck is very dependable and drive great.Maintenance Cost is about medium.

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  A High-school dream - 1994 Chevrolet S-10
  By WStoney - November 3 - 5:47 pm

  I bought my Chevy S10 for $1000 dollars at 200k miles (only because the owner thought it had a cracked head, but it was perfectly fine and just a spark plug wire came loose) and I have to say, its been a great first vehicle. I used it to learn how to drive manual and its still going strong. The little 2.2l 4 cylinder can move this truck pretty quick on the city streets, but I wouldnt recommend it for constant use on interstate highways. The gas mileage is great, insurance is cheap (for me at least) and it has maintained great reliability. The only part I have a problem with is the ignition module on top of the steering column under the dash, as it will go out about once or twice a year, but as soon as I did it once, its a quick swap and the part only costs about $8. My truck has been beaten up a bit from previous owners and had me grind the gears while learning how to drive it, but its still as strong as my dads was when he had his. My S10 was lowered and I believe it increased the cornering pretty well, and it feels very strong compared to some other trucks. If I was to get my child a first vehicle, a manual 2.2l S10 would be first choice for its reliability, tolerance to abuse, and the great gas mileage.

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  Give other comparables some serious consideration! - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dewayne - November 3 - 2:25 pm

  Im all about quality, which means how much you get for your $$ as well as the valuation of a product. The Equinox falls significantly short of expectations, especially for the $$, compared to other SUV/CUVs. My first impression was cramped discomfort. Im 6 200lbs, so Im not small but Im not huge either. The seats were uncomfortable, although did have lumbar support and power on the driver side, the seated experience was "get out, now!". Although the dashboard was rather plain, I appreciate that lack of clutter the center console MyLink system was abysmal though. Too many buttons to figure out what goes to what part of the dashboard to make this a driver-friendly experience. Road noise is horrible - for a FWD, theres an awful lot of noise from the rear end, which seems to only highlight my experience with GM products. Theres far too much plastic and too little attention to sound-dampening (and seriously, a dealer inventory vehicle that had 20 miles on it has either brake or bearing whirl on the back end? - not a testament of solid engineering!). It made me think that the 80s and 90s were back. I honestly expected a lot more from this car and Im glad I didnt buy it after the weekends test drive. It was disappointing in pretty much every way, especially when compared to equivalent vehicles from other manufacturers. Creature comfort is important and it seems that Chevy has dropped the ball on this one. The engineers and designers at Chevy need to take a long look and a long ride in their competitors inventory more value for the $$ exists in others, no matter which one you choose.

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  toomanyleaks - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By Chris - November 3 - 10:07 am

  I brought this car new with 3843 miles on it. I left the dealership only to discover that there was no heat. Returned to dealership and found coolant low. It then took 8 times in shop and from Nov 14 2014 till Jan 12 2015 to find a factory defect. And now it leaking again with the dealership having no idea where. Make sure you have the Sonic checked before buying.

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  DO NOT BUY - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By shana harrison - November 3 - 7:05 am

  I SUGGEST NO ONE BUY THIS CAR EVER

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  My first oil change was at 35K miles $0.00 spend - 2011 Chevrolet Volt
  By high volt-age - November 2 - 7:48 pm

  This car is fun to drive especially in sport mode, the only complain is the middle arm rest it is kind of hard and it should be a bit forward. My first oil change was at 35K miles and it was free, so far no repairs (except the couple recalls) $0 spend in over 2 years I dont know why if you check the cost to own it it says Maintenance first year $166 second year $317 not true $0 spend Repairs first year $80 second year $191 not true $0 spend I dint spend a dime in 2 years how did edmunds come up with this numbers ? http://www.edmunds.com/chevrolet/volt/2013/st-200424007/cost-to-own/

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  Waited a long time - Awesome Truck!!! - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Brad Heath - November 2 - 11:01 am

  I researched this truck for months before seeing in person and test driving. I didnt want a full-size due to my urban lifestyle but wanted the benefits of having a truck for towing/hauling when the time comes. The truck is amazing, no complaints at all. The engine, drive-train, mileage, ride, technology...etc all speaks for it self. Im 63 (200 lbs) and I can fit in the truck easily with great comfort. I constantly receive compliments about her, shes a real GM gem.

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  seat of the pants - 1995 Chevrolet Corvette
  By sc2222 - November 1 - 9:02 pm

  The most dependable ..harsh.. trouble free.. powerful..needy..give me ..take me. solid and firm ...41"high low to the ground ..driven by your limits and short of this chassis expectations...auto you will ever try to drive. eats 911s for lunch ...on mine, 104000 miles the last of the original smallblocks. no on knows the limits of this LT1 longevity.

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  Prepare To Be Underwhelmed - 2015 Chevrolet Cruze
  By M. Brookes - November 1 - 1:25 pm

  Noisy, unrefined and under-engineered, dressed up with technology to take your mind off its shortcomings.