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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  Fun but Unreliable - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Elizabeth - April 1 - 11:29 pm

  I loved my cobalt when I first got it it was fun and easy to drive. After the first year or so, a lot started going wrong, however. In the past 2 years Ive had to have 2 door handle replacements, the sunroof has gone offtrack twice, & in the past 4 months alone Ive had to fix a leak coming from within the hood of the car (they had to remove the passenger seats & headlights to figure out where it was coming from -- cost about $500 to fix), 2 tired replacements (wear very easily), had an alignment, and got a new battery because it went completely dead. Also the cruise control decides when it wants to work.

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  Worst Car I Ever Owned - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Brian - April 1 - 11:13 pm

  My Dad pushed me into this car while I was unemployed, after wrecking the family heirloom (again), the 87 Celebrity wagon. The Lumina was as unreliable as the 94 Grand Am GT Quad4 HO I used to have, but was totally lame on top of it, and had worse fuel economy than the GAGT. In typical 90s GM fashion, there were no catastrophes with the car (saving it from a 1 in reliability), but literally every month something needed attention to keep it running.

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  Love my truck! - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Michael - April 1 - 7:56 pm

  Got a great deal on this 2003 LT 1500 Silverado, Took it on its first day trip and all I can say is I love my truck. I averaged 19 mpg on the highway, with the A/C running the whole time. This truck has the smoothest ride I have ever experienced in a full size truck, and its a Z71 4x4. I looked at a lot of trucks before I made the decision to by this beauty, and all I can say is that I feel I made the best choice. If I had to make another choice Dodge was a close 2nd and Ford trucks didnt even come close especially when it comes to fit, finish, comfort and ride quality. So if your thinking of buying a used Chevy 1500, look for an LT and you wont be sorry.

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  surprisingly good car - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By johnathanwills - April 1 - 6:42 pm

  I am biased to GM as I work for them but this car has been nothing but a pleasure. Ive replaced one wheel bearing since 2004. It has great fuel economy on the highway, not great in the city. The car is plain and nobody notices it which is nice when its parked in a lot overnight. One tip dont skimp on brake parts. Mine squeak constantly and have before when Ive used so-so parts.

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  New Cobalt - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Dan - April 1 - 4:56 pm

  I really like my new car. I was looking at Focus and Cobalt. For the price, I just could not say no. I drive a long ways for work and I needed a quality car I can depend on. This was a good deal and I am getting around 34 to 35 mpg round trip, going over hills and all. The extras I get with this car, XM radio, ONStar, hands free phone and the price, I just could not say no.

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  So long Acadia, Hello Traverse - 2018 Chevrolet Traverse
  By N. Manly - April 1 - 4:37 pm

  I have been nothing but impressed with my new 2018 Chevy Traverse. Over the past 9 years, I have owned two GMC Acadias and was about to purchase my third when I saw the specs on the new Traverse. I was very disappointed with the look of the new Acadia and more importantly the fact that they shrunk the size. The reasons I preferred the Acadia in the past are now the reasons I prefer the Traverse; more of an SUV body style, more leg room and especially more cargo room behind the 3rd row seat. The added entertainment and safety features have also been a very nice addition.

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  Cobalt Fan - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Teen in Iowa - April 1 - 3:12 pm

  This was the car my parents bought for me. Its a 5 manual but still is fun to drive. Ive had no problems with the car. Easy to handle, and quick standard engine. Gets ok gas mileage in city and highway mileage is great. Love the smooth ride.

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  The SS actually stands for "SS" - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Blake - April 1 - 2:58 pm

  Id been eyeballing the SS Cobalt when it was supercharged. However, instead of purchasing it, I bought a 2007 Subaru Forester, XLT. (turbocharged) I turned 50 and decided it was time for my midlife crisis car. So, I added the 2009 Cobalt SS Turbocharged to my stable. I use my SS Cobalt as a commuter vehicle. Part of my commute is on a narrow winding road perched on the side of a canyon. The car is amazing on that road and I look forward to the drive. After the 14 miles of twisting road, everything else is boring. The car has an excellent ride. Oddly enough, the car rides better than the Subaru. I get a combined 28.5 mpg with the car and I dont drive conservatively.

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  Great little car, glad I bought it - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By celticgent2 - April 1 - 2:14 pm

  I bought a 2007 Aveo 5 door hatch back LS with automatic trans and air conditioning for my 16 year old daughter. That was 2 and a half years and 30,000 miles ago. Its been a great little car ! No problems at all and gets great gas mileage. This was the perfect car for my daughter to learn how to drive. Its easy to drive, has great visibility and very good safety features like side impact air bags with good crash test ratings. I guy at work has the same car but with a manual transmission and he swears he is getting 40 MPG ! What do people expect from a $12,000 car ? Its a great value.

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  C-5 cant be topped. - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By John Castrenze - April 1 - 12:33 pm

  The C-5 ZO6 is the best of the best for all around performance and certainly for the price. I have owned 26 Vettes since 1965, 4 presently and the "04 Z is tops. I have driven and critiqued the C-6 and have significant dislikes of it because it is now being produced with a NEW Corvette audience in mind, but has failed to keep the true Corvette enthusiast of the past 50 years as the focal point for what a Corvette means to them. Adding gingerbread does not make for a better vehicle and I predict that sales of the C-6 versus that of the C-5 will tell the accurate story. The Corvette is a "sports car" folks, not a luxury ride.