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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  KING OF THE HILL - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By BOB ALLENBY - August 8 - 6:17 pm

  YOU ARE GETTING THE BEST FOR THE PRICE ON THE MARKET

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  Its been a great vehicle - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Ben - August 7 - 9:43 pm

  Weve owned our 2008 equinox since 2009. Never had any issues until about a year ago. Minor maintenance issues, tensioner pulley, idler pulley, battery, etc... Major issues electrical problems, windows not rolling down or up, door locks work when they want to, hub assembly needs replacement. Over all weve enjoyed this vehicle, would purchase a newer model.

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  Colorado: You ROCK! - 2015 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Doug - August 6 - 10:55 pm

  I have owned a Tacoma and a Frontier. Both were great trucks. The Colorado is the best truck I have had. It is comfortable. Smooth ride. Outstanding interior. Awesome exterior. The technology is top rate. I love driving it. I have received a lot of people checking it out and asking me about it. I am very happy with my purchase and would encourage others to buy a Chevy.

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  Unbeatable - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Greg - August 6 - 7:06 pm

  For the costs, the towing ability, comfort! Comfort! You cant beat it. Easy to get parts, Highly reliable, this vehicle is unmatched.

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  Do Not Buy With Active Fuel Management - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jon - August 6 - 7:02 pm

  The Active Fuel Management System causes major problems on this vehicle. $2,000 in fixes so far and it isnt fixed. World Class trained Chevy Technicians are having problems figuring out how to deal with the AFM and how to fix the problem. Next step $4,500 to go in a look and maybe fix the problem. Maybe. Suburbans were supposed to have a great engine. The Active Fuel Management ruined it. Dont let them lie to you. There is also a special memo inside of Chevy mechanics only talking about a high oil consumption problem that needs 11 parts added to the vehicle to fix the problem at your own cost. Chevy wont tell anyone outside of their network that they had to have Chevy engineers come up with a band aid. They also wont cover any of the cost. Do not buy a 2008 Suburban from anyone.

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  Its a real POS - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Phillip Najarian - August 6 - 4:41 pm

  I fell in love with this car when I was in high school, I loved yellow cars and it seemed like the best thing ever, a cute little bright yellow coupe. Unfortunately, I was better off loving it from afar. I purchased this car used, and it is the base model so other models may not be this bad, but IT IS HORRIBLE. Its so loud inside the car with road noise that you cant have a conversation, the doors are MASSIVE, if you are in a close parking spot you cannot get into the vehicle because the door opens 8 feet. The doors also weigh a TON, multiple times I have been bruised massively because I stick my leg out of the car to get out and the door comes back and pins my leg. The seats are the most uncomfortable things Ive ever sat on, if I ride in my car for over 30 minutes in a single day my back will be killing me, and I live out in the country so if I go anywhere beyond the gas station by my house it is over 30 minutes. The interior set up is stupid, if you push your seat all the way back you cannot reach the radio and climate controls, but if you move it closer then you feel like youre sitting at a desk because of the huge dash board. The back seat is basically nonexistent, I can fit one of my dogs back there. For such a small car it gets awful gas mileage, I usually average 25 or so, my old Dodge Neon got upwards of 40 mpg. Chevy itself is very rude about fixing the recalls on this car, and basically just acted like I didnt deserve to have a working, safe vehicle. It does what a car basically should do, it goes, it stops, it has seat belts and it has a radio which works (although the CD player does not). But it loses me on all of the little things that matter in a car, comfort, design, fuel consumption. It just doesnt make any sense as a car.

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  2003 GM fuel pumps defective. - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Eric Puckett - August 6 - 12:45 pm

  My 2003 Chevy Malibu fuel pump went out. While looking for a new one I found some interesting facts. 1 website had over 90 complaints on that part for that model and year of GM cars. Normally parts for cars interchange every 5 years. The 2003 GM models fuel pump was only put on cars that year. That makes me believe that GM knew the pump was defective. Wy else would GM only install that pump for 1 year when they always use parts for 5 years. Something to think about.

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  electrical issues - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By elaine wogomon - August 6 - 11:30 am

  I bought my 2015 equinox in may 2015. so far it has been in the shop 2 times for electrical issues, first time my whole dashboard shorted out radio included. 2nd time radio shorted out made an appt for the next day to have it looked at . when i went to go out in the car later that day my battery was dead too!! Very frustrated

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  General Motors has done a great job!I l - 2015 Chevrolet Malibu
  By miaclockman - August 5 - 1:36 pm

  I must say that for the past 20+ years, I had gone sour on American-Made cars after terrible experiences. So, for over 20 years, we leased Nissan automobiles with few problems and very satisfied. However, it came time for us to get a new vehicle and I thoroughly researched the top mid-sized sedans for 2015. The 2015 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ2 caught my eye after reading outstanding ratings by J.D. Power & Associates as well as top-notch crash ratings in all categories. Safety and reliability are on the very top of our list of what we are looking for in a vehicle. When we arrived at the dealership and saw the LTZ2 on the lot we had chosen online, first impression was that it was small for a mid-sized car. However, upon opening the doors and sitting in the vehicle, we found ample room in all seats. The first thing that impressed me was how absolutely quiet the interior of this car was! I didnt even know that the engine was running. Outside noises were barely noticeable and there is little to no road noise while driving the car. For once, I sat in an American-Made vehicle that didnt skimp on the quality of the interior. The dash was padded and every attention to detail was given. I especially liked the ambient lighting that wraps the entire instrument panel and dash with a gentle blue light. The ride was comfortable, and the car has an amazing tight turning radius. Acceleration, even without engaging the turbo, was more than enough power. When I "punched it", I was blown away at the power that I had to pass, enter a freeway, or do whatever I needed. It was hard to believe that it was a 4-cylinder engine. Braking was smooth, handling was responsive, and visibility from all angles was excellent. As for the "bells and whistles" - yes, this is the top of the line Malibu with everything included. We opted for the leather interior (although the majority available have black leather which is horrendously hot in South Florida), safety features abound with enough air bags (in my humble opinion) to keep me safe in the worst of crashes. The "heat factor", however, is easily overridden by the fact that the car can be started remotely. Simply press the lock button twice on the remote key, and then press the start key for 3 seconds. The car will start, the A/C or heat will bring the cabin to a comfortable temperature - all while you are walking t the car! And fear not - it cant be stolen when this is happening because the doors remain locked and all drivable features such as taking the transmission out of park, or steering are disabled until the key is physically put in the ignition). I appreciate having the rear-facing camera with guides to assist with parking and backing up, I appreciate the sensors that warn of front, rear, and side collisions, as well as a "lane drift" warning system that alerts me if I drift from my lane. "On Star" was the best thing that GM could have included in its vehicles. It consists of a host of sensors all over the car that can do remarkable things. For example, if I am driving along and feel or hear something amiss, I can call On Star and have a remote full diagnostic of my car done via satellite while I am driving. If it is something serious, I can get directions to the nearest dealership. If, God forbid, I am in an accident and unconscious, the On Star staff will attempt to contact me - if there is no response, an ambulance and police are immediately dispatched to my location. If my car is stolen, I can report it via phone or my mobile phone On Star app. Police will be notified and the car will be tracked by satellite. Once a police car is in sight of the vehicle, a remote signal is sent to slow the engine to a stop, lock the doors, and the thief is basically stuck in the car. I do agree with Edmunds.coms complaint that the My Link system (which is the brains of the car on a touch screen) has a steep learning curve. I think that GM tried to put as many features as possible into the system that it made it difficult to be more intuitive. However, everything is explained in detail in the owners manual, so I cant take away points on my review for this simple thing. For the basics, such as controlling the radio, adding favorite stations, pairing a Bluetooth phone, etc., are fairly straightforward and easily done without reading an instruction manual. Any of the "OK or N/A" ratings that I gave in this review are because I have only had the car for one week, so I cant speak yet for my experience of mechanical reliability or resale value. Otherwise, I feel that we made an excellent choice and I believe that GM has taken a long-hard look at what the consumer expects out of a vehicle and has equaled, if not surpassed, its foreign competitors in size and price class. I would highly recommend taking a look at the 2015 (and soon to be 2016) Malibu LTZ2. If you can afford this model that includes many of the features described above, it is well worth the extra $$$.

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  Puttin Along - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By LoriKM - August 5 - 6:30 am

  Bought new with about 400 miles on engine. Mine is the base, manual, get me where I want/need to go model. No, pick up isnt very good, and it does have that nasty blind spot, BUT it IS reliable (recalls were for MINOR items on mine) and I get an OVERALL 42 mpg (I drive highway, city AND mountain areas). It handles curves like a BOSS and the instrumentation is VERY convenient. My mechanic stated that itd be EASY to fix any engine problem as its laid out well, and the parts wont be expensive to replace should I have need to. This was another pro. The space inside for a 52" to 58" under 200lb person will be SPACIOUS. If youre over that height and weight, it may not be AS comfortable for you as a driver. I found it amusing that my model doesnt have power door locks, BUT has power windows, auxillary plug for mp3s and such (discovered by daughter) and lock for the trunk! The ONLY things Id get different on this car is add cruise control as I do a LOT of hwy driving and get the color Techno Pink as I have the Lemonade color and its fine, just prefer the other color more. Oh, and as for the a/c, no, it doesnt cool off THAT well in EXTREME heat, but for what I do and where I go, I can get by with it.