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:

• 

  Good car, great value - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By renoron - April 12 - 1:50 pm

  I have had to replace the battery 2 times in 9 years Ive had this car. I attribute this to the difficult climates of the Las Vegas summer (116 daytime highs) and the Reno Winters it has had to endure (7 degree mornings). Two water pumps, and two fuel pressure regulators (one of which was due to a defective replacement part). Other than that, its spoiled me as it doesnt leak anything, runs smooth, and has me expecting it to start reliably. I also put a set of Michelins on it at 30000 miles. First car I bought with my wife the year our baby daughter was born (new). Hope I can keep it going like my wifes 73 Cougar.

• 

  Good overall value - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By rider16 - April 11 - 6:58 am

  I purchased this equinox after owning the same car from 2010. Both are 4 cylinder AWD models. I have seen some posts involving engine issues but both my 2010 (50K miles) and my 2013 (12K miles) are both great cars. I get about 29 MPG on both combined driving and neither car is experiencing any engine issues or any other issues at all. My wife is a very aggressive driver and her 2010 still is running original brakes and tires. She never gets 50K on any of her vehicles so this has really impressed me about the car. I have the oil changed by the dealer when the OLM reaches between 30-40% which is still around 6K to 7K intervals. Just had both OLM upgrades and will post the new intervals

• 

  Excellent in town car - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By dm3 - April 10 - 11:56 pm

  Responsive well built car but gets blown around on highway and handles bumps poorly. Engine and transmission work well to zip in and out of city traffic. Brakes very good as well. Interior well laid out with many nice touches. Electronics panel is very comprehensive and reasonably easy to use although the MyLink link to iPhone is very unreliable.

• 

  So Far Very Reliable - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By joycedustin - April 10 - 11:36 am

  You know... I love german sedans and the quality that comes with them. However I hate the price tag that comes with it. My 2011 chevy malibu has been great so far. It has 57k on it and the only maintenance costs I have had are the occasional oil change, brake pads at 50k and air filters. I really love the car its been great. The interior is perfect for long trip too. The only issue I have is the interior plastic on driver side door squeaks when going over major bumps but I tend to really beat on a car too. Quality and reliability gets 5 stars. GREAT VALUE for the money!With a little bang.

• 

  Is a four speed automatic tranny ext cab lt 2007 - 2007 Chevrolet Colorado
  By fallingdown2 - April 10 - 3:39 am

  I bought the truck new in 2007 and I just cant say Ive had any engine probs at all. I have changed the rotors and brake pads. Also the rear shocks and have been problem free otherwise. A few minor issues such as tail lights and a broken emergency brake handle but thats all. It now has 140,000 miles on it and has never had a tune up. I changed the plugs myself. It hasnt cost me a cent mechanically ...yet.

• 

  Amazing Performance for the Money - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By zr77 - April 5 - 2:30 pm

  Ive had my 1999 corvette for approx 1 year. I purchased it from the original owner who used it mainly as a show car and it had 90K miles. Almost completely stock with the exception of an exhaust. I LOVE driving this car. Great exhaust note, handles very well, acceleration is smooth. You can drive it easy or like a mad man. Ive started to track my C5 and grow more and more amazed with it every day. I can drive it to client meetings, getting 32-33mpg on the highway to flogging it at a race track (road racing) for a 3 day weekend and it keeps asking for more. Parts are cheap and plentiful. Only complaint overall interior design. GM cheaped out with the interior but the LS1 makes up for that.

• 

  Awesome family vehicle - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By ehibma - April 5 - 5:58 am

  This has been a superb vehicle for my family. This has taken us across the country in comfort. The kids have loved the DVD player! Fitted with Michelin snow tires, this has handled like a dream even through the deep Michigan snow. I trust that my family is as safe as possible in the Suburban. We have had the LT model with the Air Ride Suspension which has been incredibly smooth. The gas mileage is respectable for a vehicle of this size, even doing better than my smaller Lincoln Aviator.

• 

  2013 chevy cruze transmission problems - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By buzz45 - April 4 - 9:40 pm

  My cruze is less than 2 months old..when at a stop with the brakes depressed, the car surges and lurches forward..has happened 3 times and I noticed the same problem on multiple cruze web sites. This car still has transmission problems. Wonderful car, but I cant live with a car that wants to go forward with the brakes applied.

• 

  Some cheap parts but has the reliable drivetrain expected with Chevrolet - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By leland5 - April 4 - 3:33 pm

  I originally bought my tahoe used and noticed a few quality problems. The interior is mostly cheap plastic that often cracks, peels, and does not last for more than four years. This is surprising due to the high price for this vehicle. The bumpers are not metal and provide no protection for this vehicle. Nevertheless, the drivetrain and 4X4 system is nothing short of what is expected from a Chevrolet. I have had no problems with the engine transmission, transfer cases or any major electrical problems. This car is fun to drive, handles better than any other SUV on the market, can handle any terrain and has a huge interior.

• 

  Things start going wrong at 35k miles - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jayleesummers - April 2 - 8:17 pm

  I am a home health nurse and I bought my car because it was supposed to have great gas mileage and so far I am happy with it. There is a weird noise coming from the drivers side front of the car that the service department has not been able to figure out. It idles rough at times. The service department replaced a valve cover that they said was faulty, but the car still has problems with idling. The transmission seems like it is slipping at times when I am trying to accelerate and lurches when downshifting My car has been in the shop for 5 days now for the noise and the idle. They also found a faulty water pump since its been in there. All in all, I still love my car, just wish theyd fix