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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  The Chevrolet Sonic is the best in class subcompact family hauler - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By jwfink - September 24 - 8:08 pm

  Like compact cars, subcompact cars seem to have grown in size over the last 30 years. Luckily, driving one is no longer like driving a penalty box. Also, there’s plenty of choice: WRT the Honda Fit/Chevrolet Sonic it is similar to comparing an Accord and Camry. Both vehicles are winners. The Sonic is slightly smoother, roomier, more comfortable. The Fit is slightly more efficient, sprightly, and versatile.

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  2002 Chevy Venture Mini-Van - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By banjowyatt - September 19 - 2:11 pm

  Yes, this van has some "minor issues" like no interior light when the door opens, windshield wipers sticking in the upright position and some rear tail-turn signal-brake light problems, but this is a damned good reliable vehicle. It has almost 190,000 miles on it and she is still running smooth.

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  Steering Column not centered - 2013 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By acanarte - September 17 - 8:42 am

  I just purchased a 2013 Chevy Tahoe. After a few days of driving it, I noticed that the steering column was not centered to the seat and consequantly to my body. I took it back to the dealer and they were not able to do anything. I then took it to another dealer where they did agree that it was off-center, but they said this is a problem with all large SUV. Has anyone else experienced this problem? Although, I like the way it rides, I am considering appealing to the lemon law.

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  Excellent car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ravens1986 - September 4 - 9:07 pm

  I bought my cavy when it had around 135,000 miles on it. Its just now gotten to 218,000 after five years of owning it, and its been exceptionally reliable. The only part to go bad on it was the fuel pump, I have not had to buy any other parts for it. Other than the standard oil change and brake service, new tires, and normal maintenance, I havent had to put any money in to it. And I used to abuse the crap out of it when I was younger. Well worth the investment. I notice a lot of people posting about having all sorts of problems with theirs, but its the absolute opposite for me. Its not the sportiest car, but it is reliable.

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  Full of surprises! - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By kiriana - September 4 - 9:12 am

  My Camaro has surprised me in almost every aspect. The first one being the comfort of the seats. I am very picky about how comfortable the seats are, and when I first sat in one, I was pleasantly surprised. Even though it doesnt have specific lumbar support, it supports you in a way that you dont really need it. It drives tight, the road noise is minimal, when you want to get a little thrill this baby can get up and go. It has a very soft clutch, so it was very forgiving of a first time manual owner like myself. The interior is very simple, but stylish. The sound system for a base model is amazing! The steering wheel feels a little cheap, but a nice leather steering wheel cover fixes that.

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  Great Car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By cardriver18 - September 2 - 1:37 pm

  I got my 2008 LT Malibu in May 2013. I have to say that it is comfortable to drive and the gas mileage is great. I get about 26-28 driving in the city and 30-35 highway. I mostly have been hitting 31 mpg. This car has had no problems and runs great at 99k miles. I do however plan to trade in this car for a chevy cruze this coming spring.

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  Good value for the money - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By azdriver1946 - August 31 - 2:29 pm

  I bought the 2011 Equinox in Nov 2010. It now has over 35k miles on the odo. Only problems noted so far: needed to replace left rear turn sig light bulb, right rear speaker rattled. Gas milage (in Ariz at mostly 70 plus on highway): in town 22, on highway 29. Granted its not the 32mpg noted by EPA, but its fine for over 70mph. No rattles, drives mostly OK, but acceleration from start a bit lame at times. Glad I bought the car. No issues with blind spots.

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  Poor Fuel Economy - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By romantilly - August 27 - 8:01 pm

  I bought the Chevrolet Cruze 1 year ago after reviewing and driving many other models. I needed something with good fuel economy because I drive 130 miles to work each way. The car was advertised at 30+ for city and 42 for highway. About 90% of my driving is straight highway miles at 75 mph with the vehicle on cruise control. My average fuel economy on highway has dropped from 32-35 to less than 30, and around town from high 20s to low to mid 20s. The car does not deliver what it advertises.

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  Passenger Airbag Problems - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By foresterjoe - August 26 - 12:59 pm

  My wife and I bought this car two years ago with only 21k on it. Drove it and loved it initially, then the car started to have issues. Since we have owned it (now over 2 years), we have had it in the shop 6 times 5 of those dealing with the passenger air bag system and 1 to replace the final drive in the transmission. 3 out of the 5 times have been for the wiring harness/connectors. We just had it in last month for the airbag and guess what, yesterday we had the light come back on. Poor design that GM wont recognize as being a major problem. Thank goodness for extended warranty, but still costs us $100 a pop for deductible. Wont buy another GM car again. Thats for sure!

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  Great value. - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By stirfry1 - August 24 - 8:10 pm

  Bought the car with 20,000 on it, and now have 50,000 with no significant repair issues.