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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  Disappointing MPG - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jrh0912 - February 23 - 5:25 pm

  My only complaint is the MPG. Im getting 31 in both city and the highway. I was hoping for something closer to 40 like a previous reviewer is getting. Other than that, its a nice car. We saved thousands compared to a hybrid.

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  115k miles and... - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By neil27 - February 22 - 10:02 pm

  Ive put 115k miles on my Chevy cavalier. The price was very attractive. The car has surprisingly good slow speed acceleration. However, Ive had numerous mechanical difficulties including: fuel pump failure, multiple evap canister failures, serious wire harness failure, ventilation blower failure, speaker problems, hood latch failure, power steering issues, broken seat. In addition the car eats front end brake rotors at high rate. The transmission failed with 12k miles, but was replaced on warranty. The rear suspension is noisy and rides really rough. Road noise levels are high. The interior design, especially the placement of the cup holders, is terrible

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  Buyer Beware!!!!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kristinac - February 22 - 2:28 pm

  I bought my Equinox New in Feb. 2005. Loved it at first. Then it started to fall apart. Visors fall off repeatedly, buttons on Stereo faded, key stuck in ignition, wore to the point I can take it out while driving. Turns over repeatedly with no start, Dealer said the electric fuel pump might be going out, to turn key on and off and wait to start it, mind you I had only 30k miles on it. The electrical malfunctioned, on-star could not even open the doors, key wont work in drivers door. Had to tow to dealer to get into my car, Fan switch went out, heater is all or nothing, air conditioner is going out, shifts hard, and now with 100k the head gasket blew.

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  Best crossover - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By galileo517 - February 21 - 4:37 pm

  4Cyl 2LT AWD. Awesome crossover bought it brand new--now 12K miles on it, very quiet, compact design and just fun to drive. AWD is amazing, went to the snow and did NOT require chains at all, it was snowing hard on I80 near Truckee CA headed to North Star ski resort. Average about 20mpg in the city, 30 on freeway. We used to have a Chrysler minivan, after test driving so many crossovers we decided on the Equinox, Im happy we did.

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  Many, many problems - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jodi7 - February 21 - 11:36 am

  I bought this car about a year ago, in that time I have replaced tires, brakes, fuel pump, blinker switch, battery, oil pump switch, intake manifold, gasket, water pump, and currently the head gasket is also leaking. The car continues to have an electrical problem, sometimes the windows will power up or down, sometimes not, only half of the lights work, and the car has a continous intermittant starting problem that cannot be fixed, I never know if Ill be sitting for an hour or two waiting for this car to start. currently the car is broken down, Ive decided not to fix the head gasket and as someone who loves american cars Ill be looking to buy a japanese car for my next one.

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  Enjoying my lifetime dream car! - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By johncarl - February 21 - 8:20 am

  Lucky guy! I also own a new Camaro and love it. I have always wanted a Corvette since working at a dealership after high school. I checked out a local 2008 that I located on the internet. I had never driven one and didnt know if the power would be too much for me to handle. It wasnt and I bought it too. This car drives perfectly at any speed. And I simply love its beauty and performance. My lifetime car choice had been right all along. I have the Atomic Orange 3LT transparent removable roof. I cant seem to stay out of this car. I receive compliments on both cars each time I drive them. I agree with every positive thing I have read on this forum. Buy one if u can!

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  More than I expected! - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By hugheskirby - February 20 - 2:50 pm

  I purchased My Malibu to save money on fuel, and have a comfortable ride. My first stop for gas netted me over 32MPG. This car is very comfortable for me (63" and over 280lbs), although the door opening could be a little larger. I am finding the 2.4 4cyl engine to be adequate, but if you want the good MPG, you need to drive it light there is an egg between your foot and the gas pedal.

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  The schizophrenic Cruse - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By donrican - February 20 - 10:07 am

  This car is schizophrenic. This is a midsized car whos convinced its a compact. Im a big guy who used to rub shoulders with passangers in my Civic. Not any more, the cabin is spacious for a compact. This is also a sub-compact whos conviced its a compact. The 1.4 acts like its pulling a 2100 pound car and not the fully loaded Cruzes actual 3100. It should have much worse fuel economy as it does. This is a sports sedan convinced its a compact car. The handling is down right brilliant! This is a near luxury car convinced its a compact car. The fit and finish are good. None of the buttons and switches feel cheap. Leather seats are comfortable. Pioneer sound system is great. It needs a shrink!

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  Happy Former Japanese Car Driver - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzy - February 19 - 1:09 pm

  In December got out of leasing a Subaru Impreza, test drove the 2010 Toyota Corolla & have owned a 1990 Corolla until it had over 100,000 mi. Since that was the extend of my driving experience, I did a lot of research as to what car & type to lease next. Worried about switching from AWD to front wheel drive, I opted to go with front wheel with turbo power as a compromise. It drove well through all the storms we had in NYC except when I had to drive up a pretty steep & snowy hill (I live in a hilly hood). The road was too slippery to drive the Cruze. This was the only time I missed the AWD. The Cruze does roll-back more easily than Im used to. Overall, Im very happy with my Cruze.

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  Surprising - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruzeecoowner - February 19 - 10:36 am

  I bought a Cruze eco model about two weeks ago. I cant believe Im averaging 39 mpg in mixed driving in hill country on the first two tanks of gas. I would have been happy with 29 in the kind of driving I do in hilly terrain of SW Pennsylvania. The car does seem to kind of glide without much effort and I drive it conservatively on the highway letting it coast down hills at times around the speed limit--often having to slow it down a bit. The high range gears also pull hills better than I expected--even the 6th gear. The car is also fun to drive in the city where I work and must commute during the work week. It is quick, with more feedback and precise handling than Id expected.