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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  I love this car! - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By dr_jim1 - February 17 - 4:41 pm

  My previous car is a Volvo C70. The Eco had a lot to live up to. I have 16,000 miles with a lifetime average of 44 mpg. I commute 250 miles (RT) over mostly two lane highways in the frozen North. The acceleration makes passing easy, the car is beautiful and comfortable. I went to the test drive expecting to be under awed, but I had to get better gas mileage. A hybrid was not going to do it with my driving conditions. The car impressed me at every turn. It still does.

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  Punchy acceleration and rides as smooth as butter - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By spazmataz - February 17 - 12:55 am

  This car is fantastic! -- Its as roomy as an entry level Mercedes Benz, zips around city streets like a sports car, handles like a BMW and is quieter than a Rolls Royce. When I first saw a Volt in person, I found it much larger than I thought. Dont let certain pundits fool you. In truth, the Chevy Volt is roughly the same size as a 2012 Mercedes-Benz C250 Luxury Sedan, both inside and out (compare specs). The Volt only seats 4, but in my case thats fine. The interior is sleek and comfortable, the exterior far nicer looking than other plug-ins in the same price range, and the 17" aluminum rims look great. According to my odometer, so far Ive driven 1325 miles on 0.2 gallons of gas.

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  Love it! - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By gobigredaz - February 15 - 7:12 pm

  We love our new car. It is sporty and fun to drive. I like having the back up camera so I can see what is going on behind me and thankfully I had it the other day or I would have ran over a dog that was behind me.

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  Beats the imports - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By regular_renter - February 14 - 7:40 pm

  I travel on business frequently and rent lots of cars in this category. The Chevy Cruze beats the pants off the Toyota Corolla and Nissan Sentra in EVERY area. It looks and handles great. It has excellent pickup. The interior seems much nicer than its class and way more comfortable too. I wish the rental company would dump the imports and only carry this car. I choose it over the Malibu too. Way to go Chevy.

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  Best decision I could have made - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By justsayin - February 14 - 1:44 pm

  I just bought the 2012 Equinox. It is my first new car purchase and I couldnt be happier. The ride is smooth, the leg room is outstanding and I feel very safe driving it in less than ideal conditions.

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  excellent vehicle - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By mikeinwaco - February 12 - 10:54 am

  I recently purchased a Sonic LT because of its interior comfort and fit, performance, economy, and in-cabin features. Although pleased, I soon discovered a problem with electronic display...gas mileage indicator and odometer were faulty or not working...will have to return for repairs two weeks after purchase. Also, after driving off lot, was struck at busy intersection on right rear quarter panel...damage was minimal...07 Scion was totalled. I really like having gas consumption, compass, outdoor temperature indicators and blue tooth capability. Bought Sonic over Cruz due to hard seat cushions in Cruz. Got exactly 35 mph on road. Aside from problem mentioned, Im very satisfied.

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  brand new sonic - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By igelbuki - February 11 - 9:30 pm

  Picked up a new 1.4 liter, turbo today. The drive home was minimal hiway, mainly a 170 mile route on state back roads and through small villages. The car handles very nicely, and is very comfortable front seat for over 3 hrs. first drive. Ive read a number of online reviews and the pickup was as advertised with the turbo. With a real mix of driving I averaged just over 37 mpg, and it was in cold weather. The controls are pretty intuitive, and the simple drivers side arm rest a small but nice feature ( plenty of smaller cars lack this ). Plenty of storage places all around. Im hoping to add to this review after it is broken in.

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  my 1999 chevrolet malibu - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tiger56 - February 9 - 7:50 pm

  i have never had a problem from my 1999 chevy malibu. i bought it from a junk yard for $800, it got hit in the front end. no major damage. its still running. i replaced the front bumper cover and thats all that got messed up on it. i got it and it only has 164,000 miles on it. have not had to put any work into it. have had it since nov last year. motor is still strong. you have to take care of the car for you to have it a long time. you know not hot rodding it.... etc

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  Best Truck in the World - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By ehzzie - February 7 - 5:16 pm

  This vehicle was truly a gem. I have driven it to the east coast and to the west coast and pretty much everywhere inbetween. Never had any huge problems until it got to be over 200,000 miles. Then it started nickel and diming me. I have nothing but good to say about this vehicle. If they still made them I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

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  2012 Equinox exceeds my expectation - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By woodsje09 - February 7 - 12:36 pm

  I am very pleased with everything about the Equinox to this point, I had always been sceptical of crossovers and small SUVs as a taller person. I grew tired of putting $70/week worth of gas in my Expedition, so I decided to give it a chance. At 61 the front seat goes back further than I can have it, not to mention if you do have the front seat all the way back and the rear seat pushed back I can still be comfortable in the back seat. I was hesitant of a 4 cyl SUV, however even living in the mountains the 4 cyl 6 speed in Eco mode does great, I looked down and was doing 80. The features on the suv are amazing too, I am really happy, yes doesnt get 32 mpg but at this point I dont care.