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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  Bad in accidents-Not Safe - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By LindaA - June 5 - 7:48 pm

  I am sad to say that I just had an accident in my March 2008 Cobalt. My Cobalt and a Mini Van collided at very low speeds and my car had $7,700 worth of damage. I could not believe how bad the damage was for low speeds of under 25mph. Air bags did not deploy. It was at a residential intersection. I have another 4 years to pay on this having taken out a 5 year loan. I am very upset about it all. I will not buy another Cobalt if they should be available.

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  Going Strong - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Lancer66 - June 5 - 3:24 pm

  My Trailblazer has reached 44000 trouble free miles. The only thing I have had to do is to put rear brakes on about 3 months ago. The fronts were still good so the dealership said I could wait a while on those. Original tires are still in good shape as well. This is actually my second TB. This one was a bit fancier than the first one and has the 4x4, step bars, mud flaps, etc. I have driven this vehicle across country several times as well as towed my trailer with it. It performs well, is comfortable and enjoyable to drive. Over-all I am pleased with the performance and reliability that this truck has provided. I would buy another one but I have heard GM is phasing this model out.

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  My Great Little Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By larryvii - June 5 - 4:26 am

  Great car. I love mine.

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  old man,younger days - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By peter james - June 5 - 12:02 am

  for a sixty year old it brings back memories of graduation 1964 and hot cars,chevy was at the top of the list....with only 50k verified miles it was a very good buy for just under $5000.

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  Great Car!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Rich - June 4 - 10:43 pm

  This is one awesome vehicle,, I got the LTZ package and am loving the whole experience with this car. Fantastic comfortable interior...Smooth ride and plenty of power. Great job Gm with this car! Anyone looking for a great mid-size car...you owe it to yourself to check this out.

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  Malibu Barbie - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Barbie - June 4 - 5:27 pm

  Our black, LTZ, with dark tinted windows is very beautiful and very sexy. It turns heads everywhere. We loved it when a guy in a Cadillac CTS said "Hey great looking car!" It is fun to drive and the on star navigation feature gives us peace of mind when we are traveling. Super car!

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  suburban interior conveniences - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By waller - June 4 - 5:05 pm

  A Nice ride, good mileage for a big truck, 18+ around town, 22+ highway @75 mph. Have been on two long trips with no problems. But they left out a lot of little things that made my96 more fun to drive with 165,000on it.

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  Built to last - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Ghess - June 4 - 4:13 pm

  I bought my 94 with 240,000 kms on bf Goodrich mud terrain tires 4 years ago. Now at 306,000 kms and still on same tires, original engine and trans. So much fun to drive. Worth the gas price. Ive had two radiators, an alternator, battery, front ball joints and tie rods and my driveshaft wore out so I had that refurbished. But still a great truck, like no other 2 door truck on the market today. Complaints are rear defog wire breaks off from window, and laying the back seats down for moving stuff its awkward to reach in with the tailgate down. I would prefer "barn" style doors but thats a small complaint. Beware my truck is 6,4" tall on 32" tires. Most rooftop/underground prkg. Is 6,4" to 6,6"

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  Love this car - 2017 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Mike - June 4 - 2:33 pm

  Admittedly, this is my first new car so I may be biased. I previously drove a manual 02 Golf. The standard backup camera is amazing (first time having one) and the screen is huge. I use Apple CarPlay regularly. I was a bit worried about the auto stop/start as it has been listed as a con of this car. Honestly, Ive never been in the situation that it does not start by the time my foot is on the gas. It starts so quickly that I dont even notice it; I would list this feature as a pro and not a con. Its a very smooth ride. Acceleration is decent but when the turbo kicks it feels pretty fast (compared to my golf). Not sure of fuel economy yet. I did see that at one point it listed 39 mpg as the best Ive gotten but I hear you need to let it break in before getting accurate readings. Love the cargo space (as does my dog) and I actually keep the seats down most of the time with a blanket in the back. I really love the interior; feels pretty luxurious for a car of this price but again, Im coming from an 02 Golf. The only con is that it feels a bit top heavy around turns compared to the Golf. I see that Chevy has a new suspension kit to make it a little bit stiffer; I might install that soon. Having a button for an ignition took some getting used to (convenience package) but now Im a fan.

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  Decent car - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Chris - June 4 - 10:12 am

  My malibu LS has been a decent car. Not a horsepower machine or a handling dream, but it gets good mpg and has been reliable. The quietness of the ride is exceptional virtually no wind noise. Still trying to get used to the four cylinder engine...first one I have ever owned.