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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  2011 chevrolet cruze - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By KW - August 21 - 9:44 am

  Every two to three months engine light comes on. Thank goodness we got the extended warranty! Car is comfortable to drive but poorly made! Replaced water pump etc seems to be the norm. After 3 previous visits engine light is on again! Problem seems to lie in the heating/cooling system ( with my car). High humidity last few days, used air conditioner and bam!! engine light on. Over the winter, use the heat too often (daily) and engine light comes on, sounds like a pickup truck sitting in your lap. Car is not worth the money or the frustration. Do not buy!!!

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  If you have one, Get rid of it or by a lot oil - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By charles - August 19 - 12:34 pm

  If you have the four cylinder model youll need a new bank loan for the amount of oil it uses. Ive had to have the top end rebuilt at around 50,000 mi. It uses 3-4 qts/5000 mi synthetic oil change at the dealership. (Its the only way to keep the warranty valid) Service blamed the top end repair on the "owner" for not changing the oil often enough and "Chevrolet made it right." The oil has been faithfully changed at 7500 mi. Suggested changes are 10000 mi. What a load of Cr*#p when you read all of the forums with users complaining about the crummy engine. Chevrolet should recall the vehicle for defective engines. This is my last Chevrolet..... Government Motors needs help!

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  I paid for this!! - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Rick - August 17 - 2:13 pm

  This car sucks giant piles of rehashed rubber tires. Worthless. Malfunctions all the time. The latest is the awesome engineering where they put the transmission cooler inside the radiator... YES, inside it. 6 years old, 38k miles and the cooler erodes inside the radiator sending trans fluid into radiator and radiator juice into the tranny. Brilliant!!! Jack wagons. This car was built to fall to pieces so that the consumer is forced to buy a new vehicle. This car is criminal and GM should repay everyone of us who bought the scrap heap. I will NEVER buy a Chevy again. E V E R ! ! ! ! ! ! Tempted to leave that pos at the dealership!

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  Push it off a cliff - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Ian - August 16 - 9:43 pm

  This is a long review. What I mention can be very important to anyone who is serious about buying this car. Skip to the end if you want my recommendations. In 2010, I bought a base model 2dr Cavalier with a manual transmission for around $4500 with around 104k miles on it. I look back now and I can tell you that it was NOT worth that, even if KBB said so. If Im lucky I could sell this to a dealer for $600. In five years I have put around 41k miles on it and I have grown to loathe it. Good things: its a mode of fairly reliable transportation, heating and A/C still work, road noise isnt too terrible. Bad things currently: rocker panels are rusting badly behind the doors, intermittent wiper mode doesnt work properly (wipers get stuck mid-cycle), suspension, front seats, back seats (anyone taller than 5 9" should NOT sit in the back), seat belt harnesses are uncomfortable in front seats, trunk lid latch (occasionally when going to use the key to unlock the trunk, the key wont be able to open it because the socket for the latch will twist when turning the key and will not allow the latch to release). Bad things in the past: air vent control (Under the right conditions, if you force the air vent control knob, it will bend the cable that it uses to switch between airflow directions. After this, it is stuck in one airflow direction and cannot be changed. The dash has to be removed and a new cable has to be installed.), timing chain (This one worried me. It has been reported in forums that, after 100k miles, the timing chain starts to not get enough oil and the chain breaks causing engine damage. Id like to say I had my chain and other components replaced at around 128k miles.) Driving this car is dreadful. The suspension is soft and corners like a barge. The brakes are there and they get the job done. Acceleration is what you can expect from 2.2L 4cyl. Steering is quite floppy. There is a long throw in gear changes but it shifts smoothly nonetheless. Looking at this car is not much better. I realized later that what I should have had was a hatchback or at least a 4dr vehicle. This car is NOT practical. Yes, you could get yourself a 4dr Cavalier but they look even worse than the 2dr versions. Recommendations: 1. Use it for a winter beater. 2. If you travel less than 5 miles to work every day and you dont plan on ever driving more than that in one trip, you should be fine. 3. DONT BUY THIS CAR! If youre looking for a compact Chevy that isnt built in Korea, look into a 4dr Cobalt. Theyre more practical than the 2dr, they look way better than a 4dr Cavalier, and they arent terribly expensive. Do your research and pick a car that fits you. I clearly made the wrong choice.

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  piece of crap - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By Roberta - August 11 - 10:02 am

  I just financed this car and already had to take it back for recall then my timing chain broke which costed 1000 all for 2 months and now the engine blew this was the worst car experience i every had never again will i purchase from Chevrolet again im so hurt and disappointed

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  piece of crap - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By amber - August 9 - 5:50 pm

  My truck I bought new and It dont start lights come on wont turn over jerks when you accelerate tire pressure comes on at least 2 times a month

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  Epic Fail - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Gunslinger - August 8 - 7:42 pm

  The truck is an electrical and engine mechanical nightmare. Problems are too many to list. But here is a few common annoying issues. Tires wear on the front end no matter how many or by who the alignment is done by. There is a theft deterrent ignition that will make you late to muliple appointments on a regular basis. Changein the ignition switch is a costly waist of time. The fix for this issue is to wait 10minutes and try again starting the truck. Hopefully it does. The blower for the a/c works when it wants to. Eventually leadeing to a 100% failure burning out the wireing harness also. Dash lighting works 60% of the time. There is a sound made by the engine top end that sounds like the truck is a diesel. This is a gasoline engined vehicle. Exhause manifold cracks if water is splashed on it while driveing. Basically this is why chevrolet is no longer the manufacturer of choice for me. Ive been a chevy fan for most of my life. They managed to change my opinion by designeing and building this truck with the help of crackheads.

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  Do Not Buy With Active Fuel Management - 2008 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jon - August 6 - 7:02 pm

  The Active Fuel Management System causes major problems on this vehicle. $2,000 in fixes so far and it isnt fixed. World Class trained Chevy Technicians are having problems figuring out how to deal with the AFM and how to fix the problem. Next step $4,500 to go in a look and maybe fix the problem. Maybe. Suburbans were supposed to have a great engine. The Active Fuel Management ruined it. Dont let them lie to you. There is also a special memo inside of Chevy mechanics only talking about a high oil consumption problem that needs 11 parts added to the vehicle to fix the problem at your own cost. Chevy wont tell anyone outside of their network that they had to have Chevy engineers come up with a band aid. They also wont cover any of the cost. Do not buy a 2008 Suburban from anyone.

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  Its a real POS - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Phillip Najarian - August 6 - 4:41 pm

  I fell in love with this car when I was in high school, I loved yellow cars and it seemed like the best thing ever, a cute little bright yellow coupe. Unfortunately, I was better off loving it from afar. I purchased this car used, and it is the base model so other models may not be this bad, but IT IS HORRIBLE. Its so loud inside the car with road noise that you cant have a conversation, the doors are MASSIVE, if you are in a close parking spot you cannot get into the vehicle because the door opens 8 feet. The doors also weigh a TON, multiple times I have been bruised massively because I stick my leg out of the car to get out and the door comes back and pins my leg. The seats are the most uncomfortable things Ive ever sat on, if I ride in my car for over 30 minutes in a single day my back will be killing me, and I live out in the country so if I go anywhere beyond the gas station by my house it is over 30 minutes. The interior set up is stupid, if you push your seat all the way back you cannot reach the radio and climate controls, but if you move it closer then you feel like youre sitting at a desk because of the huge dash board. The back seat is basically nonexistent, I can fit one of my dogs back there. For such a small car it gets awful gas mileage, I usually average 25 or so, my old Dodge Neon got upwards of 40 mpg. Chevy itself is very rude about fixing the recalls on this car, and basically just acted like I didnt deserve to have a working, safe vehicle. It does what a car basically should do, it goes, it stops, it has seat belts and it has a radio which works (although the CD player does not). But it loses me on all of the little things that matter in a car, comfort, design, fuel consumption. It just doesnt make any sense as a car.

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  Malibu of Shame - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brent Evans - July 13 - 6:02 pm

  I bought a used 2009 Malibu LS for my daughter and have had nothing but trouble. Recall after recall for some odd reason does not apply to my car and Ive spent well over $1000 to replace steering column, power steering, stability control, traction control module. The biggest joke on these cars is replacing the front headlights because you have to take off the front end to get to the headlights to replace the bulbs. I was determined to not take it to the dealer so my son and I found a YouTube Video and 1 hr later had one replaced. This is ridicules because on my Honda and Acura it takes me all of 3 minute tops!!! My stereo also quit working so I ordered one for a reasonable price on E-Bay but as you might imagine its not just a swap. No that would be way too convenient. You have to schedule an appointment with the dealer to have it programmed which is around $45 labor charge. The Malibu is a great looking car and has good styling and features BUT Chevrolet and their engineers should be embarrassed they have produced such a mechanical FAILURE!! Chevrolet should recall every Malibu manufactured from 2009-2012 and admit the created a "LEMON"!