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:

• 

  Amazing Little Car - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By dragonxks - January 9 - 7:11 pm

  I bought this after my 66 mustang got wrecked I wanted something that was cheap on gas so I got this lil Metro hatchback. I got it for $1,900 with 197+ miles. Put new tires on it for 150$ and replaced the EGR valve that was throwing a code and did a basic tune up on it, plugs,wires,filters and sea-foamed it. Runs perfect. I took it on a vacation trip from Reno to Crescent City ca. I was doing 75 the whole way with my boyfriend and 110 German shepherd and 2 duffel bags of stuff. I was getting 50 mpg when I ran Lucas injector cleaner in the gas tank. Comfy seats surprisingly

• 

  Great Value for the Money - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By reviewer22 - January 6 - 10:32 pm

  We actually are leasing a 2012 Cruze 1LT. The ride and quietness of the car are comparable to something much more expensive. The interior is equally impressive for a car that come to @ 20K with tax. You are not getting a Lexus ES350 for 20K, so lets be realistic too. This is a commuter car for us, but the back seat is just fine two kids fit just fine in their car seats. I dont know that I would want to be an adult in the back of any car in this size for any period of time. The disk/drum combo is more than adequate for everyday driving. The steering is crisp and the handling is quite good. If there is a weak spot, I would say its the OEM Firestone tires.

• 

  2012 Eqinox Just OK - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By grngob - January 6 - 5:55 pm

  I have owned my 2012 Equinox - 4 cylinder/FWD - since may of 2012. I have never gotten more than 29.5 MPG highway, not close the 32 Chevy quotes. (In fact, I got 22 MPG on one tank - some city miles spoem highway). Very disappointing. The FM radio has reception issues and fades in and out on occaision. It is a nuisance more than anything.

• 

  My Current Malibu Experience - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tburts - January 1 - 11:53 am

  For the most part, my Malibu is a pretty good car. It gets good gas mileage, has needed power when you need it and is comfortable to drive. It is a plain in styling. However, they are meant for small/medium families. Quality is ok for the Malibu. However, the head gaskets can be a potential problem if left unchecked. Engine also has the typical "click clack" sound when started cold. Click sounds eventually disappear after running for a few minutes. Transmission shifts well.

• 

  More than meets mediocre expectations - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By jackstraw93 - December 30 - 8:52 pm

  The most common complaint everybody has is that there is a problem with the transmission. After test driving dozens of cars in this class and finally buying this one I can say the computer operated transmission is STRANGE but youll have the same problems on all other cars with the ctv transmission. That being said I so far love the car. It is very comfortable in the front seats, and for the price crams alot more technology into it than any other car ive seen in its class. Very quite ride, very smooth ride, and while its not "Fun" to drive, (I do miss my truck with its RWD and tire smoking fun) its VERY plesent, very quiet, very very smooth, great on gas if you arent driving like an idiot

• 

  Feeling discouraged - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By sunset5 - December 27 - 10:38 am

  I recently bought this equinox over the summer practically brand new as far as mileage because i fell in love with it when i rented it for a month. Since i purchased it i have slowly began to experience problems with it which are so depressing and are making me consider giving it up. My most recent experience with Chevy was my check engine light. I brought it in to get checked. They told me it was my Mass airflow sensor that needed to be changed in which they tried to charge me over $600 to replace. I took it to another shop and ofcourse replaced it for under $200. I payed Chevy for checking it and telling me what the problems were but now my car is shaking and stalling. So what now?

• 

  Easy to Drive Car - 2010 Chevrolet Impala
  By 99snitsky - December 23 - 6:10 pm

  I like how the car drives with the soft suspension, it absorbs bumps very well. All models come with an 8 way power driver seat with lumbar. I am tall and I have plenty of head/leg room. Mine has the floor shifter and it isnt marked, when shifting you have to look at the dash, very cheap. I like the interior layout of the radio, climate controls, and dashboard. Very straight forward and easy to use/read. On the downside the interior is full of cheap plastic/ fake wood. The car has a huge trunk, it nice going shopping knowing you have room. The back seat is small for a large car. I didnt have the car long enough to comment about reliability.

• 

  Purchased a used Volt - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By tdj1 - December 22 - 6:58 pm

  I have been driving Hondas and Acuras all my life. With the kids grown, I decided to look for a replacement for my Honda Pilot. I narrowed my choice between a Prius and a Volt. I test drove both. The Volt was more fun to drive and felt like it was built better. I was very surprised. I rarely drive much more than 40 miles a day. Im VERY happy with my Volt. I spent all day running errands and didnt burn a drop of gas.

• 

  Bought in 2010 & Still Going Strong! - 1998 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ckingwevl - December 20 - 10:32 am

  I had an opportunity to purchase my 4dr LT in 2010 with only 65k miles on it. Today it has 85k on it and its still going strong. The normal things are wearing out that I would expect to on a 15 year old truck, but I have not had to put in any major repairs thus far. The previous owner was a meticulous maintainer of the vehicle and I am continuing the trend. Comfort wise you can not beat it. Recently drove 11 hours to the Big Bend area of TX. Did mostly offroad rock and dirt roads while there and she was a beast. Towing is good, but upgraded shocks are recommended to distribute weight better. As for brute strength, I would take this tahoe over a new one any day!

• 

  Love My 1999 Chevy Tahoe - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By tramhue - December 19 - 12:36 pm

  I can honestly say I really enjoy the reliability of my 1999 Chevy Tahoe with its powerful 5.7 liter engine. I am a HVAC and water-proofing contractor and this truck exceeds all my expectations. I also charter fish on Lake Erie and this vehicle tows my Sea-Ray with little effort. I had to replace the fuel pump a couple years ago..and get a tune-up after 140 K miles, but let me tell Chevy cannot improve much on this vehicle.