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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  First Car At 168,000 Miles... - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Ethyn Dirmeyer - March 17 - 3:48 pm

  Well, got my first car about a month ago. The Chevy Malibu LS. Got it used for a heck of a deal. Love the power this thing has got, and the interior design is AMAZING! The Radio is alright, ended up replacing every single speaker (4x6 and 6x9) for Rocksfords. The original speakers arent bad though, the bass isnt half bad but not any wear NEAR what you can get. I love the inside of this car. 2 Cigarette Lighters, Easy to open door panels. All im getting from now until i die is a Malibu (:

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  wish I never purchased this car - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Tricia Kelly - March 16 - 6:54 pm

  Purchased my 2012 equinox in April 2012. Had to call the dealer within a few months due to the fact my check engine light was illuminating from my dash. Was spoken to like I was a moron & told to tighten my gas cap. Did not fix the problem. It would go on & of constantly whenever where ever. The dealership would humor me & reset it when I complained. Then my equinox started consuming oil at an outrageous rate. In between oil changes I am constantly adding 2-4 quarts. I have to constantly check my oil, usually at every fill up in fear of my engine consuming all of it considering consumption is only getting worse. I have under 50k miles & have preformed all scheduled & preventative maintenance

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  Camaro LT w/ RS Package - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By luke326 - March 16 - 2:46 pm

  I recently bought a 2013 Camaro LT with the RS Package (automatic)..best decision I could make! I love my new Camaro, its a blast to drive, a total head turner. Only complaint is very poor visibility when backing out of a parking spot. So I just back in so Im pulling out nose first and problem solved. It gets great gas mileage. I constantly get compliments when filling up at the gas station. I bought it with 20K miles on it, it was a lease car turned in and was in perfect condition.

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  2007 Cheney Tahoe LT - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rolland93 - March 13 - 2:32 pm

  Bought this truck about six months ago it has been reliable safe and fun to have and its more fuel-efficient than our old expedition. Its plenty a room but beware if you buy one make sure you get the bang for your buck I have an LT but I also have a customer that has the same year LT as I do and he has features unlike mine , sunroof GPS , 4X4 an automatic footboards.

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  over-engineered cockpit, but a joy to drive - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By bugmanpat - March 13 - 9:43 am

  Driving my 2015 Volt has been a learning experience. Some of that learning is figuring out the climate control system, which is unnecessarily complicated (the 2016 corrects that). However, the other learning is about owning and driving an electric vehicle, and that has been a lot of fun. I was drawn to the Volt to stop buying gas (I havent bought any since I left the dealership months ago) but also just to adopt the new technology. Ive learned how important external temperature is to battery range (cold days subtract at least 10 miles), and how to charge at work and at home. Driving has been really enjoyable - super quiet, smooth, really impressive and, dare I say, fun.

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  I wish I had a reckingball - 2011 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Pat Spinello - March 12 - 11:28 am

  Chevy really blew it on this model. No wonder they discontinued it. I have had numerous issues with this car since the warranty expired(typical). I have had the struts replaced numerous times, wheel bearings replaced, suspension issues, break-line replaced. Ive gone through enough tires that the goodyear guys see me and dance because they know its going to be a big ticket sale. Currently, I cant get my key out of the ignition unless I hold my stick shift to the left and Im also have problems with the shift sticking in park. I really hate this car but I am stuck with it because I cant afford a car payment. It really has given me a bad taste in my mouth for Chevy.

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  Good car for the money - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Phil keeling - March 12 - 11:24 am

  Good in snow, comfortable on trips, 25 to 30 mpg and has been very reliable in first 10k miles.

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  Chevy Volt - Infotainment System Issues - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By mgoblue19 - March 10 - 9:03 pm

  I love my Volt - biggest issue is the Infotainment system. I cannot plug in an Apple iPhone into the USB port and have it play music through the car. I get an "indexing..." error message. Called support, they said they do not support iPhones over 30GB, which is not mentioned by any sales person and not in the infotainment system literature and manual. Their support people would not escalate it to get a fix. The phone works fine through Bluetooth, but heaven help you if its the end of the day and your phone is out of juice. Ask your salesperson to fix it before you commit to buy a new Volt. In addition, every night, I have to specify I want 12 amp charging. Forget? Car not charged.

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  my baby :) - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By angelstarr1 - March 10 - 4:15 pm

  I had a 2000 impala which was flawless and now I bought me a 2012 white ls fleet..and I must say it is the most comfortable car I have driven in my LIFE..and iv always loved the impala no matter what other pplz opinions may be about them..the exterior and interior are fine with me no complaints hear..I enjoy the 2012 impala and if you have never tooken one on a test drive..i suggest you do that..and you will see why most of us Chevy owners love em so much..

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  LT2 3.2l V6 AWD - 2015 Chevrolet Equinox
  By James D. DeLude - March 6 - 9:09 pm

  I rated this model excellent for reliability but I havent owned long enough to accurately comment on the attribute. Overall the car is pretty much what I expected after driving a VW Tiguan SE 4Motion for 3 years. The motor is smooth and powerful but not really inspiring. Lots and lots of technology helps keep my mind off of the numb steering and sounds of NY salt and sand pinging off the bottom of the vehicle. Braking is adequate and a little better than I expected. Visibility is great and seats are firm and comfortable. MSRP on my model seemed high at $37k but GM made it affordable with almost $4k in lease incentives.