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:

• 

  little problems - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By aw336 - March 1 - 2:07 am

  Ive had my sonic for almost a year. Ive had to have the radio replaced twice. People can barely hear me through the Bluetooth system (I have a Galaxy Note 3). The car idles weird now and theres a rubbing sound in the back end. This car feels very unstable on the highway and the dealer says there is nothing wrong with it. I went on vacation and someone smashed my passenger window open and the alarm DID NOT go off and GM says it will only go off if the door is opened. So far nothing major has went wrong and Im hoping it stays this way. I will be trading out as soon as I can. I would not recommend this car to anyone.

• 

  Wow! - 2004 Chevrolet Express
  By cooldude5 - February 27 - 9:51 am

  Ive had this van since 2006. Its been so good. I personally think its more comfortable and prettier than the fords. Cabin is a little loud. Very easy maintenance.

• 

  Love It- But Not a Family Vehicle. - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By robertwayne04 - February 25 - 12:49 pm

  Im 28, single. I wanted something fun to drive. I state this because there is no qualms about what this is- a fun vehicle to go Ricky Bobby fast on the weekends. The features that bother people- visibility, trunk opening, etc. are not really a consideration when I purchased this vehicle. My concerns, if any, would be the fuel economy. I understood it wouldnt be great upon purchase but it may stab your wallet to death. I just hit 400 mi. this morning and have used 2 tanks on a 19 gallon engine. Purchased with 50mi. on it. Tight budgets beware. Red SS2, loaded w/ sunroof, nav, RS: $37,800 + TTL paid. Also, Im 62 and its kind of a tight fit but you get used to it.

• 

  Big inside! Bad MPG. - 2010 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mirde98 - February 25 - 12:41 am

  I bought my Aveo5 LT 60 days ago and now i feel i can submit a good review. The vehicle is super spacious inside for such a small car. The fit and finish overall is good. All is hard plastic but soft to the touch and are low gloss. I have the 2LT package with sunroof, rims, cruise, fog lights, and "leather" seats. No abs though. Stereo sounds decent and armrest is good. Car drives smooth and seats are comfortable. Hatchback design helps when need to carry large boxes. Headlights are strong and visibility is very good. MPG is a major issue with this cars. 22 city is simply unacceptable. Full tank gives me merely 250-280 miles.

• 

  Its a Tank - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By beemorsch - February 19 - 12:19 pm

  This car has seen HELL from just from my sister and I driving it alone (after three others). Even though I havent been in any accidents with it (although Ive come pretty close), my sister has gone through 3/4 pretty bad doozies, yet with just a bit of fixing up, its still running. That said, my gas gauge doesnt work, the drivers side heated seat is shot, my radio drains the battery when connected (wiring issue) and a few other things are in need of repair. This being my first car, the length was intimidating after learning to drive in a mini, but I always loved it and have always called it my tank, because its seen so many things and gone through "war."

• 

  unsafe problems reduced engine power/ service stabilitrac - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By lindseytn32 - February 12 - 8:11 am

  My vehicle has been great until it got cold outside and afraid its becoming a death trap. My vehicle has 83,000 miles and this winter my vehicle has decided to lower speed on its own no matter what speed im going.. I was on the interstate with my children doing 70mph and my vehicle violently started shaking the reduced engine power came on and service stabilitrac n immediately wouldnt let me decide the speed of my vehicle it dropped to 40mph and no faster there was no shpulder to pull off and had to drive it like that with people flying up on us scaring us to death. My dealership has tried a lot of things but this is still happening I can shut the car off and about three tries later it will

• 

  Reliable Van, Some Mechanical Probelms - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By akk050708 - February 5 - 6:55 am

  I bought my van in 2010 with 100,000 miles on it already. Here it is Feb.2014 and I have put almost 71,000 miles on it. When I bought it, it had a transmission slipping problem. I drive it daily with this problem & as long as you dont gun it at a dead stop, & give it time to shift from reverse to drive it doesnt slip. But does have tranny issues. I have also had my ABS go out at about 140,000 miles. I still can drive it daily & has never failed me even with those issues. I have had some break repairs done, but other than that its been regular routine maintenance. I would buy this van again if they had newer models. Its been extremely reliable, never stranded me & my family.

• 

  The car luddites built - 2013 Chevrolet Suburban
  By zorro_oscuro - January 29 - 11:42 am

  Id had a Chevy Tahoe that I basically drove into the ground after 16 years and almost 200k miles, it was time to let it go. I liked the car so decided to go with a Suburban because of the extra room. Biggest financial blunder of my adult life. Ive only had the car about 9 months, so I cant really comment on the bones. I was shocked that so much of the body is now cheap plastic. As far as technology goes, Im surprised it even has a radio. Its so far behind the times that its an embarrassment to drive in Silicon Valley. I kid you not, my motorcycle helmet has a better designed "infotainment" system.

• 

  2006 Chevrolet HHR 1LT 2.4 5 speed - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By 06hhr - January 28 - 12:04 pm

  Bought April, 2012. When bought it had 50,432 on it, Just short of 2 years later its at just over 90k. Average over 20k miles a year. The clutch still feels new and the 2.4 Ecotec hasnt skipped a beat! All this said, I have done the following: -Thermostat replaced (factory installed coolant caused premature breakdown of OEM part. (known issue) - Fixed broken sunroof wind deflector (common issue) - Replaced/upgraded front rotors (OEM known to warp), upgraded to ceramic pads. Total cost, about $230 to fix, all easily done at home. The one thing I will need to have done is suspension bushings. Theyre shot and make the car creak horribly in cold weather.

• 

  In Love w/ my Malibu - 2012 Chevrolet Malibu
  By fireguy841 - January 26 - 2:28 pm

  Bought my Malibu used but it rides like a brand new car. On a scale of 1-10 Im at a 9.75. I love the smooth ride it provides along with the great look it has. I bought the top of the line one with chrome 16 inch wheels, chrome door handles, low profile tires, leather/suede interior power everything. Love that it sits low to the ground giving you almost a sports car feel with the feels of a luxury car. Great gas mileage, not to mention it rides great in the snow. Definitely love this car. It is my 4th chevy Ive owned and is my all time favorite.