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:

• 

  2009 Chevy Cobalt - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By kayly - February 12 - 7:45 pm

  I have been driving my cobalt for the last two years with out any significant problems. This is the first and only car I have ever had, and it has served me well. I find it to be very comfortable, even for long car rides. I especially enjoy how quick it accelerates. ) In my opinion the vehicle has held up really well against all my wear and tear.

• 

  Need Reassurance - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By newchevydriver - February 11 - 9:13 pm

  I understand theres a recall on the airbags Ive called GM numerous times and they WILL NOT give me any satisfaction as to why my car is not part of the recall. I know they check the vin # but they must have a list somewhere as to where the cars were manufactured, the date, etc.. How do they know which one to recall? They are giving me the run around and I guess I have no other choice but to sell it. Can anyone enlighten me?

• 

  Great Little Car - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By ecflagcorp - February 9 - 4:14 pm

  I love my Cruze. Its dependable, quick, and comfy. My older daily driver has a V8, so this little thing takes some getting use to, but all that goes away when you fill up the gas tank. I havent really had any problems with my car. There was one problem before I even drove it off the lot when I bought it. It was something with the Turbo Charger. You could tell it had zero power and it just didnt have any get up and go. But the dealer gave me a loaner, and delivered me my new car after it was fixed. The only other repair has been a recall, which was the water pump. Ever so often there is a little bit of a shutter when I turn off the key. My older car (86 T/A) does the same thing.

• 

  2015 Chevrolet Trax Silver FWD LS - 2015 Chevrolet Trax
  By jesse_ortiz - February 8 - 3:02 pm

  I bought my 2015 Chevrolet Trax LS, FWD in silver on January 20th. So far I have to say I’m very happy with my purchase, since I do have to admit that I’ve been a fan of the pint-size SUV since 2012 when I admired it for the first time visiting Canadian websites online. [non-permissible content removed]

• 

  If you really need an SUV, choose another vehicle - 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By robi3 - February 2 - 3:53 pm

  I bought a Tahoe, with the towing package as I go cross country 2x times yearly towing a trailer with a gross wt. of 4500 lbs. (well below the wt rating). I also transport sporting equipment to remote areas but do not go off roading. In 36,000 mi, both differentials and rear shocks have had to be replaced, the Bridgestones that came on it handled poorly in even wet conditions and had to be replaced at 30,000 mi. Mileage without a trailer maxes out on the highway at 15, rated 21. Chevy technicians always seem "miffed" by clear symptoms of issues which require return visits for repairs until they find the issue. 3rd row seats tough to remove and store. Worst of 3 similar vehicles Ive owned

• 

  Chevy & Yugo mated and the result ? The Spark - 2014 Chevrolet Spark
  By sillyemail1982 - January 31 - 8:43 am

  What a hunk of JUNK !! Bought this fine quality GM product 7 months ago, brand new. Out of the 7 months ? It was at the dealer for 2 months total. 7 month old car with a MASSIVE OIL LEAK from the valve covers, 3 recalls, rear latch breakage and bad tire pressure sensors no one could figure out how to clear the code. Chevy has re-invented the Vega got the "quality" from Yugo & created the Spark. Road noise is horrible !! Fit and finish is a JOKE !! The door chime causes loss of hearing. Its a plastic hot mess. And the black paint is an upgrade ? Junk all the way. Traded it in yesterday on a far more reliable method of transportation. That car should of been recalled & forgotten about.

• 

  A HUGE improvement over our 2005 Equinox. - 2014 Chevrolet Equinox
  By frg5 - January 30 - 2:13 pm

  My wife and I purchased a 2014 1LT in candy apple red with the black/light titanium interior in September of 2014. The only option was the 8-way power drivers seat with the remote start package. Chevy improved this vehicle every way imaginable over our 2005 Equinox, which we LOVED. The ride, the handling, the quality of the seating, the quality of the interior, and all of the included electronic possibilities make this a truly fun vehicle for us to drive.

• 

  Finally, the perfect car for me! - 2015 Chevrolet Impala
  By patcic - January 29 - 10:01 pm

  Replaced a 2014 Lexus ES 350 with this Impala and I am shocked how superior this car is to the Lexus in seat comfort, ride isolation, hushed quietness, control design, navigation and many other areas. The Eco Tec 4 Cyl comes with active noise cancellation and it really works. I was talking on my phone doing 70mph in heavy freeway traffic tonight and after 10 minutes into the call, my friend was shocked to learn I was driving and not at home on my couch. He couldnt hear A THING! Great comfortable seats, easy controls, beautiful compliant absorbent suspension that soaks up the bumps and cracks (but not floaty) better than Lacrosse, XTS, 300C, MKS and many others.

• 

  Not what its claimed to be - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By mikemaj - January 28 - 2:43 am

  I am really disappointed, my issues is the electricity and bogus claims thats made by salespeople/dealers as how much it actually costs to charge the Volt 1. If you live in Los Angeles charging the car can be quite costly, pushing you to Tier 3 and skyrocket your electric bill. 2. Battery life is really lame on range. 3. With nowadays gas prices its not even economical to charge this car. Volt is an okay car to drive, but one should consider all aspects before buying or leasing. Performance for a car is a 2, comfort gets a four needs better seats. Interior/exterior gets a 3. Build quality a 2, and reliability to soon to comment. I would not recommend the Volt

• 

  Constant problems - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kjhansen1 - January 25 - 6:31 pm

  We bought this car used--1 year old-- in July. Less than 2000 miles later both rear wheel bearings went out. I sold my 1995 Cadillac @ 217000 miles and had never replaced a wheel bearing. I have a 2002 Suburban with 190000 miles on it and have never replaced a wheel bearing. A month later the water pump failed... When does a vehicle with less than 23,000 miles on it have a water pump fail? So, 6 months later, one of the replacement wheel bearings failed. Also the dash lights fail to come on randomly--the dealership cant figure it out.