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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  Surprised - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jmatt360 - October 8 - 9:47 am

  I bought this truck used and was kinda hesitant about its performance. After driving for awhile I was really impressed. Drove it 360 miles in one weekend and got great gas mileage. Estimated about 27 mpg with a load of furniture on the back. Sure it gets more without furniture. Loved the handling of it through Altanta traffic. Would recommend it to anyone interested in a mid - size truck.

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  Chevy Cruze - After 2 years. - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By tat1739 - October 7 - 10:26 am

  Up-dating my original review (written 3 mo. into ownership). My car is now 2 years old/28K miles. How do I feel now? Still pleased with performance. Turbo has gumption making me happy with its 4 cyl. Gas mileage is what sticker says if you are on cruise control, highway, no mts, and riding alone. I avg. 25-28 mpg, which is disappointing for small car. The arm rest console is horrible! Too small to rest forearm on. It bugs me all the time, even when armrest is pulled forward. The fan to the heating & a/c is loud, annoying, and sounds "cheap". Buttons for heating/cooling controls are too low for easy viewing. My first American-made car that I have been pleased with.

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  Classy Car - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tanner11 - October 3 - 9:06 pm

  We purchased our LTZ last week. The color and interior we wanted, White Diamond and Brownstone, was not available in the Chicago area. Our dealer found the car we wanted in Indiana a three hour drive away. We are very pleased with the car which has the Electronics pkg, LTZ Premium pkg and Advanced Safety Pkg. It is very quiet and comfortable. My wife drives the car and has shared that she has received compliments from from people she does not know. This is a car we may have for a while.

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  An outstanding vehicle - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By dc678 - October 2 - 6:44 pm

  I purchased a 2013 Equinox LTZ with the 3.6L V-6 eingine. I am very impressed with the quality materials and refinement of the interior, the overall fit and finish, and the performance of the V-6. It is very comfortable, has lots of leg room, and is very quiet. If you are considerig a midsize SUV, you should test drive one. I bet you will be impressed with the quality, performance and comfort. I drove several other brands and they all felt cramped and inferior to the Equinox. This is by far the best quality mid-sized SUV I have found. I average 20MPG driving mostly around town and 23-24 MPG on the highway. I like everything about the equinox and highly recommend it.

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  A true bargain if leased....$299/month - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By jfkirk - October 1 - 3:47 pm

  My Volt replaced a 20ishmpg Lexus. Over the 36,000 miles of the lease the Volt will save me $7200 with gas at $4.00 gallon. (My commute is within the Volts electric ranged...so no gas.) The actual cost to me over the old Lexus with gas savings is about $99.00 a month for a very nice $40,000 car. Obviously if something drives gas past $4.00 the savings go up even more.

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  Just got 2013 Sonic LTZ Hatchback Turbo Automatic - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By key1cc - September 30 - 10:19 am

  I only had it for one day but if yesterday is any indication, life just got waaaayyyy better. I went across state to by it to get the exact features I wanted so I had a nice 55 minute ride home to test her out. Driving at 67mph I hit the mpg reset key and it showed 40-42 mpg!! For me that is nice but the reason I purchased this car was not for the mpg or even for the looks because I like the look of the Kia Rio SX a little better. The reason I went with the sonic was that big fat grin that comes on my face when I get behind the wheel and press the gas pedal. This is the first turbo I have ever owned and boy is it fun to drive. I even woke up in the night just to take her out for a spin!

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  Great car at a great lease! Thanks Obama! - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By audi_b - September 30 - 1:37 am

  What a deal-low lease for this fantastic car and I no longer visit the gas station! Somebody needs to get us off the gas pipeline, why not the government. Thanks to lucrative incentives, I drive this car for less than my former gas bill.

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  Love the Cruze - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By lstation - September 29 - 8:13 pm

  This is my first car review EVER. Just purchased the cruze and I love it! I test drove the 2013 Honda Accord and 2013 Nissan Altima. Unfortunately these were going for a pretty penny and the Chevy Staff really wanted to offload the 2012 models. As a result, I was able to pick up the 2LT model for 4,000 under MSRP. The car is well built, fun to drive, and excellent on fuel economy. I am very happy with my choice!

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  7 Month Update - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By gep10 - September 25 - 12:11 pm

  My Eco manual now has 9K miles. Not a single mechanical issue the car is still tight with no rattles or squeaks. The overall fuel economy (computer) has improved to over 38 MPG for >80% city driving. My best 50 mile economy is 50.0 MPG (computer). Got an indicated 45+ MPG for a recent 450 mile trip (20% @ 75 -80 MPH, 70% @ 62 MPH, some city) which is probably around 42 MPG actual. The computer is consistently 2-3 MPG high. My only complaint is the hood has a few chips in it Ive read other complaints about this as well (soft paint??). Overall, Im very pleased with this car. I highly recommend anyone shopping for a high MPG car test drive a Cruze before making a purchase decision.

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  Just Cruzin - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By just_a_chemist - September 20 - 9:00 am

  Edmunds did not have choice of 1LT with 6-speed auto, but that is what I own with RS package. The car delivers great value and performs way better than others in the class. Good ride, great power, great gas mileage, and good looks. Average 28 mpg in local commute with 38-42 on the highway with 87 octane. Suggest using mid-grade or premium for highway driving as the turbo will perform better with higher octane. I have had no problems at 7000 miles in 6 months. The complaints about the sleeping shifting are due to the gas saving transmission linkage allowing the car to coast increasing fuel economy, all cars will be going with this technology.