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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  Great first car for our college graduate. - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By culpykat - January 22 - 8:33 am

  We were very fortunate to have over $4000 in GM card points that were allowed to be transferred to an immediate family member, so a Chevy or GM product was a definite choice. We looked at several models and the Sonic Sedan was the best choice based on price, safety, features and overall performance. She was able to get a lot of the bells and whistles and still keep the car within her price range.

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  Great family car - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By seanjamin9 - January 21 - 10:29 pm

  I recently purchased the rainforest green Cruze LS 1.8L 6 speed automatic. The cars exterior and interior styling is very impressive. So far this car has been excellent, with mostly city driving we are averaging 26 mpg. The interior is user friendly and very nice for an entry level car. There is almost no road noise while driving under 50 mph. The handling is tight however on worn roads you will feel a little play in the steering. This is not a car you could put 4 adults in comfortably, but children fit just fine in the back. Chevy is definitely going in the right direction with their designs and driver friendly focus.

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  More than I expected - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jonesy85 - January 14 - 2:31 pm

  I bought a 2014 2LT in Champagne, with sunroof and 18 inch wheels. This car is very comfortable, and is fun to drive. I get 26MPG combined, and I drive exactly the same highway miles as city on the way to work daily. I have 6K miles on it, and am very impressed with this vehicle. The I4 engine is surprisingly fast, and my last vehicle had a V6. The car was built to be comfortable, so who cares how many more square inches of cargo room the competition has? I have no problem hauling my carpentry tools around, and I have a lot of tools. Take a good look at the Equinox, and decide for yourself. No cliche intended.

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  Didnt expect to like this SUV as much as I do - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By abmwfan - January 11 - 11:37 am

  This review is for a V6 AWD 2LT with leather (apparently Edmunds doesnt give us the option to rate a V6 model). After 16,000 miles, this has been an excellent vehicle. Youll likely be happy with it as long as you have the right expectations. The Equinox is not designed to be a sporty SUV. Its a solid, comfortable, roomy, un-pretentious, completely reliable SUV with excellent highway manners, good technology, and good value. Remember, the Equinox is built on the same platform with the same V-6 as the Cadillac SRX, only de-contented and de-tuned (and much cheaper). A new Equinox will be released in a year or so, but I wouldnt hesitate to buy this model again.

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  The best lil 4x4 on the market \O/ - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By tokie - January 2 - 7:25 pm

  We found our 2004 Chevrolet Tracker 4WD 4dr SUV (2.5L 6cyl 4 speed O/D auto.) in a little car lot in Ocala Florida on : 12-30-13. I test drove it and was amazed with the overall performance for a small SUV with the 2.5 ltr. V6. It had a 1/4 tank of gas in it previous to the test drive, and I used an 1/16th in my "test session(s) which included a sand hill and 2-High, 4-High and 4-Low. I"tested it"for an hour,mashing the go-peddle every chance I could,windows down,ears-perked for any hint of stress of strain,and ...well...I took it back and never bothered to try and talk the dealer down a dollar. 59K miles and runs like its brand new. $9,100 later and Im completely happy.

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  Highest Owner Satisfaction Two Years In.A Row - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By davidsvolt - December 30 - 4:09 am

  My current overall milage is 69.8 mpg and climbing. I expect my overall milage will be over 100 mpg after a few more months of driving. With my current commute of 56 miles daily I typically drive 42 miles on a charge, then it switches to gas, seamlessly, for the remaking 14 miles. Its range is well over 300 miles per tank. It currently takes 10 hours to charge the car using the charger that comes with the car. It plugs in to any standard wall outlet. It cost about $1.50 to charge completely. You can buy a 220 volt charger that cuts charging time down to less than 4 hours. I paid $31,900 -$7,500 Fed tax rebate - $1,500 Ca rebate = $22,900 + tax/ license. That is a total steal.

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  First month impressions - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By epguy - December 27 - 10:17 pm

  I have had our 2014 Volt for just about a month. Its been very impressive. My only disappointment is that in very cold weather, below 15 degrees, the gas engine is programmed to come on instead of just using the battery all the time. As I have gotten to know more about the car, it continues to amaze me with all of its technological features, from the remote start from your smartphone, to the car turning the seat heaters on when you sit down, and automatically reducing the seat heater temp when they warm up. I like being able to drive an electric car, with no range worries that is sharp looking and truly fun to drive.

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  great mileage - 2013 Chevrolet Impala
  By lecartier - December 15 - 7:55 pm

  I will not address the vehicle appearance, interior appearance or "creature comforts", those are all subject to personal preferences which are as numerous as the populace. I can address only the mileage of this vehicle. I own this vehicle, entered service 8/12, now with 30K miles, plus/minus. I drove 320 mostly freeway miles in the last two days at 33 plus miles per gallon. The returning mileage in terrible friday traffic of 7 hrs vs the 3 hrs getting there was still barely over 30 mpg. The lowest mileage recorded in ALL traffic has been 24 +

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  Great Little Car - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By icubarb - December 14 - 5:40 pm

  I bought this car 10 months ago. I have about 10,000 miles on it. I have the 2012 LTZ hatchback in Orange and love it.

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  2013 Volt - Nice Small Csr - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By mcrat1 - December 11 - 9:32 pm

  I like big cars, fast stuff, and trucks. So Im jaded. First off, all the reviews that say the Volt is ugly are lame. It has yet to make any small children cry or make the cows milk sour. It looks good. The interior is nice, and well appointed. Navigation is in the speedo area where it belongs. Rear seating is for kids. A 6 foot man will hit his head and knees, but will fit. Handling is tight. Feels nice. I have a Vette and a CTS-V, and race alot. Car feels lighter than it is. Acceleration is OK. Im used to big power, but it is as quick from a light as a Crown Vic. Not bad. Braking is excellent considering the tire size and weight. Use L in city driving.