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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  2006 Cobalt LT Coupe - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By shift2n - June 18 - 3:36 pm

  Good small car. Excellent value. Sticker price was $17,000. I bought this car because the price of the imports was $3000-$5000 more for a comparable Honda Civic. Dont always believe what the magazines and web sites tell you about any cars!!! I test drove a Civic and it was a dog in performance and handling as compared to the Cobalt. The exterior styling on the Cobalt was so much better, I could not believe people were paying that much for a Civic. After 60,000 miles, the only problems have been: 1. Key sticking-warranty. 2. Power steering pump recall - warranty. 3. Front wheel bearing noise-out of warranty. This car is fun to drive - not like our Honda Crv which is a chore to drive.

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  Not toooo bad...Not too impressed either - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By mwahlgren7 - June 17 - 8:42 pm

  My chevy is slow. Thats a fact. Edmunds claimed my four banger has a 0-60 time of 8 some seconds. That is a lie. The true time is around 15 seconds. its ok off the line but it simply doesnt move once you get up there, and god forbid if you should try to pass anyone. The interior feels durable but also cheap and ugly in blobular chevy style. Gas mileage is pretty decent, i get around 23 average. The gearbox in my manual however, completely sucks. Ive hit third on accident more than once at a stop sign because they are so darn close together, and the clutch feel unfriendly and prickly-if you want to shift smooth, you have to be extremely gentle. Not a terrible car but i wont miss it.

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  07 Chevy Aveo: Electrical issues - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By krystalb1 - June 17 - 7:50 pm

  I have 69,000 miles on my car right now. A few months back, my horn went out, so I obviously checked for a fuse, fuse was blown so I bought fuses. As I was putting the fuses in, they were blowing out instantaneously. The last fuse I put in didnt blow out right away, so I turn the car on and all of the sudden the entire horn harnesss goes up in smoke, blew out my horn entirely. Mechanic tells me I can fix the problem which has potential to be expensive or bypass it and put in a "button" to replace the horn. As I was contemplating this decision, my interior lights went out and so did my outside lights, but only on the passenger side. Weirdest thing ever, any suggestions on what happened?

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  LOVE IT!! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By equinox01 - June 17 - 10:17 am

  I got my Equinox in March. I rented a 4 cyl. and a V-6 before I purchased to see which one I would like better. The V-6 got better gas mileage and had a lot more pick up. The 4 cyl. struggled on the highway for me. I absolutely love my Equinox. I have 20 MPG highway and city. I traded up from a Nissan Sentra that got 25 MPG, but I feel so much more comfortable and secure in my Equinox. It was worth the difference to me. Smooth, Quiet ride with plenty of room. Best vehicle I have ever owned!

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  Lemon of the Market - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By chevy45 - June 16 - 4:31 pm

  This is the first car I have owned and I regret buying it. I bought it with 80K miles on it. The AC never worked, and in the summer in Florida its torture. The check engine light never turns off and the selt belt light never comes on. Muffler fell off the first week I drove it and the car sometimes stalls when I attempt to accelerate (veryy dangerous when pulling out in front of traffic). EATS OIL like crazy. Interior cheaply built & cup holder is in the way of the radio. AC is too expensive to fix. NOT reliable

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  Excellent Choice - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By pzambrano - June 14 - 5:17 pm

  I was looking for a truck to replace my 1999 Suburban 2500. This truck was an excellent choice, we can still pull our 23 foot boat with ease.

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  SS.2.RS Race Car - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By smushi - June 14 - 3:42 pm

  When I was checking out the car I thought no way would the wife let me get it. Get to test driving the car (v8 Manual) wife refused to drive it saying she was intemidated... After we get it home she took it out and now 2 months later 1500 of our first 2000 miles are from my wife cruising around to work etc. This car is a race car in build. If your seeking maximum comfort or the best gas mileage get a Caddy or a Prius. If you want a car and like many others have said that gets you comments and looks everywhere you go. Feels and drives like a race car. Makes you feel like 1 million bucks. This is your car. Its fun,fast, and sexy. You wont go wrong here!

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  Good not Great - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jdf2005 - June 14 - 1:32 pm

  Have had this LTZ for a month and still not getting the EPA 36 MPG the sticker shows. Best MPG so far is 33.5! I really bought this car for 36MPG or better. Car runs good has adaquate power...transmission is clunky in shifting. I like the looks and feel of the car. It does drive well on the highway. The front and rear seats do not have enough padding and are uncomfortable after a couple of hours. Have 2500 miles on car so far...if MPG does not get better I will be upset.

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  More like entry level! - 2011 Chevrolet HHR
  By canman4 - June 13 - 9:08 pm

  Ive had this car for about a month and a half now. What can I say? This car is OK, not good, not great. Good thing GM is offering huge discounts because its not much better than some entry level cars. I was looking for something larger than compact after owning a van for a while. The size of this car is pretty good compared to small SUVs but, thats about it. A very loud Ecotech engines easily scares people at crossings but is kind of annoying (the older engine was quieter and you cant buy ethanol anywhere anyway). Bad gas mileage (not much better than the old van), creaks all around the dash and the outside air temp sensor is way off (5 -10 degrees). Go with Mazda 3 or similar.

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  DONT DO IT! - 1993 Chevrolet Astro
  By goodlife - June 13 - 3:34 pm

  Terrible terrible terrible! Wish Id researched a little more before purchasing! Granted, a 1993 cant be expected to be stellar. That said, I didnt know a used car could be this awful! My Subaru with 260,000 miles has always run like a champ with routine oil changes and a few small things here and there, so I assumed I would be as lucky with this van. Not so! It only has 140,000 miles, purchased with 133,000. Ive already put thousands into it and just trying to get rid of it now.