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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  Still Reliable at >121,000 Miles - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By momalley1 - August 13 - 6:32 pm

  I bought this car new in Dec. 2007 and have put more than 121K miles on it. This has been the most reliable car I have ever owned. Other than replacement of the recalled ignition switch and electric power steering motor and a repositioning and splicing of the daytime running light harness at the radiator support and oiling of the HVAC fan, this car has had no other maintenance other than prescribed preventive service, which I do myself. Maintenance on this car is simple and not expensive.

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  Used to be a Chevy/GM fan, will never purchase another! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By orionman - August 11 - 9:27 pm

  We purchase our Z71 Suburban used from the original owner with 125k miles. 3 weeks after purchase we started having major problems. Its now been 1.5 years and Im into it over $3k out of pocket in repairs alone! The 4wd and complete A/C system went out and cost a fortune to repair, It eats brakes, replaced the battery twice, exhaust leak that kills the power, the list goes on and on.The front speakers for the stereo only work, the interior is cheap plastic that rattles like crazy. GM build quality in these is non-existent. If I can help anyone in their pursuit for a full size family SUV, please please please run away from the 2001-2006 Chevy/GM Suvs! Their all garbage from the get go!

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  Did its job - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By skinnyp - August 10 - 8:21 pm

  Got this car in 07 with 20,000 miles. Besides replacing the head gasket this car has been relatively problem free. It had piston slap since 80,000 miles but it never seemed to do anything besides make noise. It lasted until last fall when at 205,000 some things finally started breaking. I could still get 32 mpg highway driving at 200,000 miles. The common AC problem can easily be fixed if you search it on Youtube. Once I got rid of this malibu I went I got an 02. Overall Im satisfied with vehicle it did its job.

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  33k on 2012 Sonic - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By gnonnemacher - August 9 - 8:37 pm

  Bought this car new. Stock tires are useless in MI winters, so 4 snows are used in winter. Still gets 30+ mpg with snows! Good equipment package on LT models. We just got back from a trip to the UP of Michigan. Got 38.5 mpg overall and its rated at 35 hwy. Im picky about my cars and this one has had minor damage and repairs (others fault) twice. Drives very well at highway speeds and has usable seating for four. Holds a good amount of cargo with rear seats folded down, even in the sedan. No mechanical problems or issues to date. My only complaint is that it is not very forgiving on rough roads and we have a lot of those around here.

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  Its all about Value - 2013 Chevrolet Impala
  By carguy198 - August 7 - 8:49 pm

  I bought my 2013 Chevy Impala LT with 16k miles and Ive had the vehicle now for 1 year and put an additional 12k miles on it. I have to say I am very impressed with this vehicle because of the value it offers. You get GMs flagship 3.6L V6 engine with the 6 speed automatic in a full size sedan for under 16k in the current model year. Thats almost 50% off sticker for just 16k miles. For the money, there isnt a better deal on a vehicle out there (believe me, Ive looked). Great daily driver. Not a sports cars, its a full size sedan designed to be comfortable and reliable. MPG numbers are spot on too, 17 City and 31 Highway. Go take a look at one!

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  2004 Chevy Aveo Automatic Sedan - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mtngirl4 - August 5 - 9:46 pm

  Im shocked at all the bad reviews with this car. My hubbie and I bought this car used at a dealership with just under 29,000 km on it. The dealership changed the fuel pump before we bought it (had been sitting in a garage for a while). They only thing that was a problem was in the first year the breaks locked and we had to have it towed. We had to replace all the break pads.

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  Very mediocre - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By funruffian - August 4 - 11:10 pm

  What can you expect from a company vehicle? If you see a car simply as an appliance,its not bad. But if you are looking for a sedan with comfort and performance, shop somewhere else. The Cruze is pretty lousy. The car is underpowered for a sedan weighing over 3,000 pounds. If you are going 70 MPH on the highway and step on the accelerator, hoping to pass up another car, this thing is a dog. You are better off getting a Corolla for a little better price and better MPG. Only 29 MPG is not very rave fuel economy for a car with only 138 HP. Worst yet are the seats. its like sitting on a cement park bench. Everyone at my company who drives this car complains about the discomfort.

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  It cannot get out of its own way. - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By archmage69 - August 4 - 9:11 pm

  The A/C is less effective than having the windows down. Good luck getting up any hills, this vehicle has no torque. After getting up any hills the vehicle smells like rotten eggs to pay you back for pushing it too hard, which the dealership will blame on the gas. It will rev up and accelerate without the gas being depressed. At least the keys stay in the ignition while it does this. Somtimes it will not start, maybe its an issue with the onstar. Did I mention the A/C sucks.

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  Great for city driving.... - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By chevrolet4ever - August 3 - 9:24 pm

  I love my Chevy Tracker 4door, 2.0L automatic 4x4. It is great for any kind of city driving, and has a nice ground clearance for those pesky speed bumps and potholes, its 4WD works very well, however i do have a few complaints, on gravel/snow NEVER take it above 50KM/h(30mph) cause its short wheel base and poor steering control, its back end likes to Kick out, and can easily loose control of the vehicle, and with its narrow wheels flipping is defiantly a possibility, and at hwy speeds it defiantly feels tipsy, especially on bumpy roads, it likes being thrown around, defiantly cant be distracted when at hwy speeds. but i found it had suficent head room and easy to park, power is lacking

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  UNSAFE!!!! - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mercuryhater - August 2 - 10:23 pm

  Our Malibu has just been recalled there are so many problems with this car. The key can practically be pulled out while driving. While closing windows accidentally put the Malibu key in our 99 Blazer and it fit in it wouldnt turn but the door chime came on a quality key wouldnt even fit in. we recently had a blown head gasket and it needed a new engine the ac doesnt work well our familys 02 malibu was left in drive and the key came out and the battery died the key should not turn when a car is in drive it wa so scary I dont want to even ride in the car we typically drive our Tribeca everywhere.