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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  After 5yrs/135K miles and going strong - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By jmeeep - April 24 - 3:16 pm

  I purchased this car for its unique look, decent mileage and ability to carry lots of things. It has been a very reliable car. No problems what so ever. The car does get regular maintance but believe me.. Im not perfect at it. I recommend this car to anyone just dont mind the car being called PT Cruiser or the white bus. My Fiance hated this car in the beginning and hes a car enthusiast. If you asked him now, he would be hard pressed not to recommend it either. It has been more reliable than his car and he takes care of his own car like a baby!

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  Bestest vehicle I ever owned - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By persianguy40 - April 22 - 11:40 pm

  OK. I owned a 1987 VW Golf in the 90s. 1995 BMW 325is in late 90s. Ford sport trac 2001. Toyota Tercel 1993. Toyota Corolla 2005. Any finally my beloved 2005 4 door colorado 2-wheel drive. This is a perfect vehicle. Not too small, not too big. Looks good and aggressive. Engine sounds good, sporty, reliable. 5 cylinder engine sounds weird but it works great. Compared to my friends who have 6 or 8 cylinder trucks this truck is very easy on gasoline. I get 27 miles/gallon on freeway, and 22 on streets. Dont forget this is a truck, and you can do all things a truck can do with this awsome truck. I bouight the truck in 2007. It had 50,000 milies on it. Now it has 99,500.

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  EV1 Owner Waited 10 Years for the Volt - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By ev1_2_volt - April 20 - 10:38 am

  My wife and I had the privilege of having a 1999 GM EV1 when it was a prototype all electric cal with a range of 90-110 miles. Only 500 1999 EV1s were produced. We loved that car! When the EV1 was taken back by GM as part of the agreed up prototye lease agreement we kept waiting and looking for an alternative fuel replacement. I do not care for the Prius, although I appreciate the technology advancements and fuel economy - - To me it is still a 100% all gasoline car. I was waiting for a plug in electric like the EV1. I was hoping for a small SUV like the early edition all electric prototype Toyota Rav. Overall, I am very pleased with the Volt. It meets all my driving needs.

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  Great little car - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By conanmacmorna - April 18 - 3:58 pm

  Ive had my new Cruze LS for two weeks and 500 miles, and so far I absolutely love it. Coming from a long history of full-size sedans and pickups, I was expecting to be underwhelmed by the Cruze (I test-drove the Eco and LS), but it has plenty of go and the ride and handling are wonderful. Twice the fuel economy of my previous rides is a great bonus. I dont know how big the Edmunds reviewer is, but my wide self has no problem with the seats. Chevy, youve knocked it right out of the park with this model.

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  Awesome car! - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By volkerbradley - April 18 - 6:31 am

  Have had this car for about a month now. Topped off the gas tank when I bought the car and have not been to the gas station since. The styling is beautiful. In fact, I have been stopped by strangers on several occasions to discuss the car. The car is comfortable and has a solid feel while driving. The instrument panel is comphensive, the Bose radio sounds beautiful, having OnStar and the OnStar app on my phone is a real helpful feature.

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  Our 2nd Equinox. Great vehicle - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By alititude2087 - April 17 - 9:41 pm

  Traded in my 2010 that had 67,000 trouble free miles for a loaded LTZ. I have the 2.4 and after 10k the fuel economy has improved from 23ish to about 28mpg highway. I drive 30,000 plus highway miles per year and find the Equinox to be one of the most solid highway performers in the compact suv market. I find it well built and stylish.

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  Love it - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By alanlpa - April 13 - 8:59 am

  Have had the volt fdor 2 weeks now, gone 300 miles and not used a drop of gas yet The estimated milage is bogus, you get much more. this car is really built, i have had 2 Pirus prior to this a 2004 and a 2007, they are like tin cans compared to the Volt.

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  1996 Chevy Caprice 4.3 - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By qshoulders - April 11 - 9:34 am

  I have owned my 96 Chevy Caprice for 3 years, I bought it with only 23,000 miles of it. As of right now it has 44,000 miles on it. The performance is great the ride is very smooth and comftontable. I have plans to own this car forever, and if someone have the opportunity to own one it would be a great buy. I drive it from FL to Miss every summer and it have been great to me on my road trips.

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  2013 Malibu - 2013 Chevrolet Malibu
  By sipper1 - April 7 - 9:56 pm

  So far, we have owned the car for one week with one extended trip. MPG is what we expected, but when driving in the 55 mph zones, the mpg exceeds the EPA mileage. The quiet ride, smoothness, and overall comfort are quite impressive.

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  50 mpg on the road!! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By pharlap007 - April 7 - 12:57 pm

  Great car! I have 9 cars, and some have a lot more features than this one, but heres the skinny. The ECOs milage is real. Im averaging 42 combined, and Ive gotten as much as 50 MPG on a 50 mile highyway trip. These numbers are not from the computer. I fill up, and do the division with the actual miles driven. Im probably going to trust the oil life monitor, and if you dont use your 6 months free turn by turn, youre missing out on a lot of fun! I signed up for 300 minutes of phone time for my new cars phone number for $9.00, since it goes to $114.00 after the one year expiration!!! Take advantage of that. If you forget your cell...or if you are in a dead spot.