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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  Surging problems - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By northerncruzer - November 7 - 10:53 am

  hmmmm....I see I am not the only one with this problem...stopped at lights brake applied and car starts surging, scared the crap outta me lol sometimes its worse than other times and happens intermittently, its booked next week so hopefully the problem gets resolved.....

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  Built American at its Best! - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By usmretired - November 6 - 5:21 am

  I can only find a couple things I would do differently with this car which are include a full size spare with the same alloy wheel thats on the car, and include fog lights on all the models. Now let me start by expressing how much I love this car. I love this car! Chevrolet hit the ball out of the park on the 2013 Malibu. This car looks really great, I get compliments all the time. The car is so quiet inside when being driven, he handles very well, pretty good acceleration too. The fit and finish in this car with the blue accent lighting allows me to really relax at night and enjoy the ride!

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  Custom hobby builder mechanic. - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By unicorngm - November 5 - 2:39 am

  What can i say the 1999 chevy malibu is a great car for the guy who knows what hes doing. Never had a problem i could not fix, if any! i have had it now for 10 years now and am going to keep it. A little fine tuning and you feel like your driving indy. Its V6 engine is perfect spec. To go in and beef it up, iv added a twin turbo pac, engine mods, tuned the suspension added extra trac-bars. OK not everyone can do this but for me GM is a greatly made car, i know i take them apart and see the quality thats there. iv taking other cars apart and brother there not what they seem..at least the ones that come from the dealers, cheap metal, plastic, sometimes the guys that make them are lost.

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  Great Compact Car! - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cruze2014 - November 2 - 3:21 pm

  I recently traded my 2011 Camaro in for a 2014 Cruze. I was trying to find a car that could save me on gas. The Cruze was an easy pick for me, compared to other cars in its class. I got the black granite metallic color, it really shines in the sun light. I was looking at the Mazda 3 also when buying a new car. I preferred the drive quality on the Cruze, the Mazda 3 had a lot of road noise for my taste. I am actually liking the Cruze more than my Camaro.

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  WOW! - 2014 Chevrolet Impala
  By italiangrandpa - October 31 - 1:40 pm

  My wife and I have owned many GM products. This Impala ranks as the BEST we have ever had. Great styling and comfort. Simply put the car is a real head turner.

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  Love the new 2013 Chevy Malibu, great design. - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kuekio - October 30 - 3:08 pm

  I really love this car. I bought the 1LS model and it rides wonderfully, looks sporty. Maybe this vehicle is a little more expensive than competitors, but this is a classic American auto. I bought a 2013 Toyota Corolla and I had serious steering problems so I changed it for this new 2013 Malibu. The Malibu has a great smooth ride and that the interior is comfortable and excellent design. The car gets mpg just like it says, 37mpg open road and 31mpg in town. Not many cars will get that good right out of the gate. In my experience, I went to Alabama driving around 58 mph average and the car did 52mpg!

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  So far so good! - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dmcnuttfamily - October 28 - 9:54 am

  Bought the 2013 Equinox 2LT this past April. Nice car. First time to buy a Chevy after having Hondas and Toyotas for the past 20 years. Couldnt beat the options and the price when compared to the Hondas and Toyotas. Had some difficulty trying to find the exact car as there are so many options that are not necessarily automatic on a 2LT. For example found the color we wanted with the leather seats we liked but it had a manuel rear door. You would think that on a 2LT the power rear door would be automatically included. Back seats are roomy enough for our 3 teenagers. Front seats provide many adjustments for a comfortable ride.

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  Learn how to drive a manual - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By tacitus7 - October 25 - 10:35 pm

  This month I purchased a gas Cruze Eco with the six speed manual. I just filled up the tank and checked the gas mileage. I got 39 mpg! That was all around driving, although the majority was highway. Then I drove 98 miles all highway at 62 mph, twice aggressively passing and negotiating some hills. I filled up and it only took 2 gallons! 49 mpg! I am very happy so far. It handles well and isnt underpowered. My 2004 impala 3.8 which I traded in for this had a better ride and more passing power, but I dont think I lost much in these areas. I am very happy. My advice: learn how to use a manual:>)

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  Just bought an LT manual - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By gino985 - October 25 - 9:54 pm

  Since its so late in the year, I could only find a couple near me, and ended up with Crystal Red tintcoat, not my first choice, but I actually really like it. Shifting is incredibly easy, like butter, and the engine really does have some pep. Its also true that the car feels much bigger, its hard to feel the speed, Ive been afraid I will get a ticket because Ive been speeding everywhere! Mileage is right on as reported, the first tank was exactly 30 mpg, mixed city and highway, and included a lot of idling at the dealership, so Im hoping that number will go up. With all the great cash back offers right now, I highly recommend this car, great value for the cost.

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  A real head turner. - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By spurned - October 23 - 7:34 pm

  I purchased my 2013 Camaro LT2 nearly 4 months ago. Opted for the 6, with a manual transmission and the RS package. A blast to drive, and quite the head turner for many passing motorists and pedestrians alike. Car is solid, plenty of pull, and I love the sound/feel of the exhaust in the higher RPMs. HUD is a nice touch, and gauges are easily visible. Rear leg room is limited, and I wouldnt recommend it. Its a daily driver for me, and I look forward to it. Rear visibility is limited, but with the optional camera assist, I can see just about everything I need when backing up. Getting about 24 MPG now, with a mix of city and highway driving.