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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  Love my 14 Malibu - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
  By murrietaal - March 3 - 3:00 pm

  I believe the 2014 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ is a great car for the price. The features are what you expect to find on a car costing twice what I paid. Shortly after my purchase I took the car on a "shakedown cruise" to Laughlin, Nevada, about a 300 mile drive each way from my home. The car performed flawlessly and I got just short of 30 mpg for the round trip, including a 20 mile drive in stop and go traffic on the return trip.

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  Just bought this as an extra car. - 1999 Chevrolet Prizm
  By dmd747 - February 27 - 5:39 am

  So I just purchased this car used with just a little over 96,000 miles. Gotta say great choice. Weve been having a hellish winter here -20s not uncommon followed by 6-12 inches of snow when it warms up. This car has never even hesitated. Mine is the 5 speed and I love the gas mileage. Awesome heat!!! A/C works too. Mine had the usual door handle break off, but the previous owner fixed it. I cant believe I actually enjoy driving this car. I wish the new Corolla wasnt cvt then Id buy one next year.

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  Amazing Cruze - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By joe527 - February 24 - 12:00 pm

  I have owned the 2013 Cruze LT for 6 months, no issues. I love it, so does my wife. It should be better if the CHevrolet can increase the interior space and the armrest.

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  2014 Volt Rocks! - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By havityourway2 - February 19 - 4:08 pm

  We purchased a new Volt after careful contemplation and evaluation of alternatives available. We have never owned a hybrid or electric car. We havent purchased a new car from a US automaker in over 20 years. We have owned this car for about a month now. So far, it has exceeded our expectations in all regards: comfort, performance (it is quick- particularly in "sport" mode), energy efficiency, build quality.

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  2008 Chevy Colorado Crew Cab - 130,000 mile review - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By dstanzini - February 19 - 5:39 am

  I must say, Ive always had Silverados before but was looking for something a little netter fuel-wise and lower to the ground for my elderly parents to be able to get in and out of. I am rather impressed with this little truck. Ive put 130,000 mile on it and the only issue I had was the water pump went at about 80,000, but it was covered under warranty. The only other annoying little issue is that the rear brake squeak after awhile. There is brake dust that builds up in there. This truck has a snow plow in the winter and I tow a trailer for the band and my classic 55 Chevy so I am not easy on it. Towing up hill is a little rough. Gas mileage is decent about 22 hwy and about 17-18 city

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  Love My New 2014 2LT Malibu - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
  By reginanita - February 13 - 5:41 pm

  Have not had a small car for 13 years. Used to drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee. Have had it for 1 month and use it to tool around town. No long trips yet. The Stop/Rest works occasionally. Seats could be softer but the foam is dense so thats good. Blowers come on rather slowly. Fav Pages on Radio do not go back but must go thru 6 pages to go back to Pg 1. I feel it is shifting rough but may just not be used to the constant shifting. Support from GM and local Dealership is excellent. They are trying hard to please. Every time I return from a drive I tell my husband, "I love the Malibu." It handles great. Learning all the fun stuff, Sirius, AllStar etc. No plain Jane this time.

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  They just dont die! - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ahnalia - February 12 - 6:51 am

  I bought my 98 z-24 cavalier with 101k "highway" miles on it in 2003. I have NEVER regretted the purchase. I have only had to have 1 major repair done on it (housing case) in 11 years. Mine has been through a lot. It has been stolen, and they hot rodded it and tore it up externally pretty bad, but it still runs. I let maintenence on it slip pretty bad over the years, and it still runs. No matter what punishment this car has been dished out, it just does not stop running. It also has some real "get up and go" when needed.

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  Pretty good crossover - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By italiangrandpa - February 7 - 11:02 pm

  My wife fell in love with the Equinox in White Diamond. Lots of room inside. Well laid out dash. Shift smoothly. We went with a 4 cyl. Great on gas mileage a little lite in power.

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  got Camaro 2LS this week - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By klimarov - February 7 - 9:29 am

  Ive been on market for a sporty car which wont be a complete gas guzzler like 6.2+ cars. I rented mustang few months ago, however didnt like it much in comparison to 2014 camaro. Camaro is one toy to own and the price is more than fair. front seats are amazing! who wants rear seats in a sports car anyways? The acceleration is excellent (mustang in comparison had 2-3 sec downtime after pressing the pedal), camaro has no down time. As for trunk, the trunk is decent, fairly big, only problem is the opening is small, but it can be dealt with. If you can afford it, i would suggest you get it.

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  The Malibu 1LT gives you a lot of value for the price. - 2014 Chevrolet Malibu
  By khk - January 28 - 3:31 pm

  We took delivery of our 2014 Malibu 1LT in early January. It came equipped with the driver convenience package which gives me a lot of extra features such as 8 way power seat, rear vision camera, remote vehicle start, ect. Handling and ride are excellent. Road noise is almost nonexistant. The engine is quite perky for a 4 cylinder, which was a pleasant surprise. Although I was very concerned about the stop/start feature, it has performed flawlessly. It stops and starts so quickly and smoothly, I hardly notice it. It has loads of storage space and convenience features.. It is a very fun car to drive, and we are very pleased with our purchase.