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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  The most misunderstood car in America - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By pvolt - March 26 - 8:54 pm

  This is a wonderful car, plain and simple. Everyone seems to want to make it only about whether or not the battery will pay for itself but that really misses the point. This is a stylish, distinctive, comfortable car that is really fun to drive and has, as one of its many features, a minimal need for gas. It costs under $30,000 despite what everyone says. If you buy one you can get a $3,000 rebate, a $7,500 tax refund. And for $30,000 its a terrific car. I traded in a Prius V (that also cost $30,000 BTW) and its a WAY better car. I have owned BMWs, Jaguars, Audis, Mercedes and many other "fine" cars and this is different but equal or better than them all!

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  Chevy Hit It Out of the Ball Park - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By hbbob - March 21 - 11:16 am

  Incredibly electronically sophisticated vehicle. Light years ahead of any other hybrid or electrical car on the road today. I installed a 240 volt charge station to speed up the recharging process, plus it reduces the cost of each full charge from 13kw used to 10kw. For me in Calif., it costs $1.70 for each full charge. I normally get 43 miles on each charge and on gas anywhere from 45-60 mpg (light foot on the throttle). Assuming 10k miles/yr and 10% of the miles on gas, the total cost would be about $460/yr or a $2,000/yr savings over our other gas costs for 10k miles/yr. The volt cost $32k after all rebates. Do the math...this car is a no brainer!

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  My favorite car ever! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By nesreena - March 19 - 6:14 am

  I just completed 40 thousand km in 13 months and i had zero issues with this car, it is a very responsive car with amazing features for its price and range, this is my first car to drive and I never drove before that yet it made me love driving and cruzing with it....

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  Excellant - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By c4ddym4n - March 12 - 4:18 pm

  Love this Malibu. I traded my 2010 2LT with 59k miles for this ECO 2SA with leather. I travel city/hwy and was getting 24MPG now I am getting 29 MPG City/Hwy. Less engine noise and more power. Shuts engine off at stop lights, restarts when I remove my foot from the brake, seamless.

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  2013 Chevrolet Equinox - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By johnnie14 - March 11 - 11:58 am

  I have had this 2013 Equinox for about one month and I am very happy with it. It has a nice quiet ride, I love the stereo system, love the sunroof. In fact I love everything about it. We are taking it on a 300 mile road trip this next weekend and I am confident of a good ride and great performance. If there is one thing I would have any negative comment about, it would be the gas cap to fill it up with gas is on the passenger side! Other than that, I am very pleased with my new car. We are recently retired and this will probably be our last new car.

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  Could not ask for better value - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By savantrep - March 10 - 11:58 am

  I recently purchased my first LTZ- a 2012 model after searching high and low for that perfect mix of performance, comfort and style. This car has it all. The 302hp engine is awesome as well as the ample room (Im a tall guy).

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  Extremely happy - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By njbettina - March 8 - 12:08 pm

  This is my second chevy that Ive owned. My first was totalled in a hail storm and then I chose a nissan which I hated, then a mazda, and now back to chevy with my first SUV. I have to say that I absolutely LOVE this car. There is alot to be said about an american made car vs. a foreign one. I was debating between the Huyandi Tucson and the Equinox. For me, the only thing Hyuandi has over Chevy is their long warranty, once I shut the door in the chevy, I was sold.

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  Among the best - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By gina6629 - March 6 - 2:18 pm

  Stylish and comfortable with bells and whistles that I love such as the turn by turn navigation, the Eco button which saves on gas and the way gas prices are today, Im glad I have it and takes regular gas...which is a plus, it has the pioneer premium sound system....hands,-free calling, rear-view camera....[non-permissible content removed]

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  Great and sporty - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By titanicbuff - March 5 - 1:30 pm

  We own a 2001 Chevy S-10 Extended cab. Weve never had any major problems, although we did replace the radiator- but that was normal ware and tear. I do find I have to turn the key twice sometimes to start it and the rear door latch broke- The 4.3 liter V6 gets great gas mileage and the truck drives more like a small car. It tows great wit the built in bumper pull package. In the snow even without sandbags it does fairly well. Ive never really slid in it and eel safe. The drawbacks are the doors dont close all the way sometimes and The rear door handle is broken but I dont use the back door anyway. The truck gets to be a little noisy but thats just about right for any truck it seems.

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  2011 1LT Cruze is a GREAT Little Car - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By dwalsh2 - March 5 - 8:32 am

  I have now had this car for just over two years and almost 21K miles. I have never had a car that I enjoyed as much. When I first purchased it, there were lots of little "back to the dealer" fixes, but they were all corrected. I am pleased with the mpg, though I know foreign cars of similar size typically get better. I drive a combination of city and highway and typically get about 29 to 29 mpg. I do not feel like I am driving a small car. Recently, I had a rear-ender in which the other driver slammed into me at a pretty good clip. The trunk lid was damaged and the bumper was, but it wasnt very obvious. I was able to drive away, while the other driver was not.