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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  Windy Wendy is a blast! - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By gdemarco - April 27 - 9:16 am

  Bought my 2001 hatchback in April of 2013. Very low miles and looks showroom good. I have wanted a corvette for years but children and a military career precluded adding one to the family. Now with just my wife and boxer dod the time seemed right. A long time dream come true and boy, do I feel blessed. Great car, great price, great dog, great wife! Could it get any better?

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  A Very Good Buy - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By bedshki - April 24 - 3:22 pm

  The redesigned 2013 Malibu looks and drives nothing like the 2012 model. This car is an extremely comfortable drive and the seats hug you. It features a quiet interior which you will really notice on those drives on the interstate. In addition to the redesigned interior, Chevy redesigned the gearing to get a car with a total average of about 30mpg city/highway. In short, if you are looking for a reliable car with a sleek look this is the car to have.

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  Fantastic refined midsize sedan - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By curved - April 22 - 4:46 pm

  I bought a 13 Malibu ECO last week and have been loving it. Compared to other mid size cars Ive driven, this new Malibu is something special. It offers a rewarding, precise drive, highly refined drivetrain, top-of-the-class interior, and great seats for tall people. Its compromises are an only moderately impressive fuel economy figure and moderate size interior. I have owned some very fast cars, and the suspension on this car is one of the most impressive I have driven. It manages to have luxury-level refinement while being very precise and settled during high speed cornering. If youre looking for a mid size car with very high refinement, this is it.

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  Best Truck Ever Owned - 1996 Chevrolet Suburban
  By gunther39 - April 20 - 8:47 pm

  I purchased my 96 used w/140K NINE years ago, it now has 205K and I simply love it more then ever. Sadly rust is winning the battle of this beloved vehicle. It has been the greatest vehicle Ive ever owned and Ive owned them all. Also sadly is the insane sticker price for a new one.

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  Love this car! - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By themrchen - April 19 - 9:05 am

  I bought a 2001 1LS in April 11 from Terry Cullen Chevy in Morrow Georgia, and I just traded for a 2LS in April 13. Great remake of a classic Chevy muscle car. Rock solid no rattle body and chassis, stiff and taught, really good road car. LFX 323 horse power V6 gets the job done for me, brisk acceleration, strong pull from 55 mph till..........well, whatever. Comfy seats, Bluetooth, Sirius radio, CD, aux port, power locks windows trunk release, it has all the standard goodies you would want...........and this is a base model. Never had a problem in 61,520 miles with my 2011, I am sure the 2013 is going to be the same!

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  Enjoy every moment of the drive! - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By thesubwaypushe - April 13 - 10:01 pm

  It took me about two seconds into the test drive to turn to my friend in the back seat and yell, "This is my truck!" And I didnt care that the salesperson heard me. Thats how excited I was as I settled into the bolstered leather seats and hit the accelerator. Then after a mile or so, I realized this was a very special truck. It drives like a sports car and truly tugs at your soul when it hits you with that attractive engine note. Going out to the winding curves of Long Island or the hilly moutains in the country is such a treat. It feels like a true muscle CAR of yesteryear, is extremely comfortable, and looks great as well. Vroooooom!!! Chris Thomasel

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  Love it! - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kks2013 - April 10 - 4:04 pm

  I swore I would never drive a car again after owning SUVs, but Im eating crow! Tired of getting 12 mpg with my 08 Chrysler Aspen and pouring money into fixing it, I traded for my Malibu and glad I did! 32 mpg highway and 28 city...not sure why I didnt do it sooner. Love the the design inside and out and get all kinds of compliments on its looks.

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  Very Surprised.. And Happy with my Colorado - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By colorred - April 7 - 11:31 am

  I bought my Colorado used with only 48K miles on the OD. Ive doubled that and it still runs like a top. Ill admit I was a bit of a skeptic but saw some positive reviews and Im glad I took the chance. The inline 5 is a great engine, though not overly powerful it suits my needs perfectly. The crew cab has lots of comfortable space. So far (knock on wood) Ive only performed regular maintenance and it hasnt required any repair needs. I keep the brake pads changed perhaps a little more often than normal as I was told new rotor replacements will be big bucks. They werent designed to be changed easily.

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  Great car however - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By hollandia - April 2 - 4:01 pm

  Decided to purchase the Impala from my local Chevy and Buick dealer. The car had 15,000 miles when purchased. The car was first put into service in Hawaii as a rental . When I turned the radio off I could hear a whistel or buzz from 2100 to about 3000 RPM. Turns out there is a service bulliten on the 3.6 for buzzing, humming or whisteling from 2000 to 4000 RPM, bulletin PIP4956A. This covers the replacement of the intake manifold. Just picked the car and and no more noise. All work was performed under warranty. I really do like the car and who can complain about 300+ HP on tap.

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  2013 Chev Eco Cruze Manual 2000mi review - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By rneuman - March 26 - 10:15 pm

  This car does everything it says it will. Great mileage (30 -34mpg in town). Peppy and fun to drive. Comfortable seating. No build quality issues. So far compares in quality to my last 6 Japanese made sedans/SUVs. The Cruze is quiet, dependable, and exceeds my expectations for 19K I paid for car. I am over 50 years old and this is the first manual transmission car I have owned and I am loving it. Great job GM!