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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  WORST DESIGN EVER!!! - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By ryanrobinson32 - April 23 - 8:26 pm

  I hate this design, I now hate Chevy and will spend the rest of my life talking against them!! I will never again buy another Chevy after this stupid design..... Not only can you NOT get to your headlights from the hood, to replace what was a quick 5 minute headlight... You know have to completely take the bumper off to replace a friggin headlight!!! Worst Design ever!! NEVER BUY CHEVY!!!!

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  motor seized - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Barbara Laursen - April 22 - 9:53 am

  We have always had the car serviced at Midway Chevrolet whenever the mileage told us to do that. Monday I was driving it and I went to pass a car. When I went into overdrive there was a "clunk" and I lost the overdrive power. No trouble lights came on so I continued on. The car began to "clunk" whenever I touched the accelerator and then as I drove. (I had to get to a doctor appt.)After the appt. I found a GMC dealer and by that time it was barely running and extremely noisy and the trouble lights were on. The engine had seized and all the oil was gone. I had 141,350 miles on it. We are getting a used engine put in. I thought the engine would last longer. Has this happened to others?

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  Wouldnt Encourage Anyone to buy this car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By hockeyplr12 - April 8 - 6:19 pm

  I bought this car used about a year ago, and its been nothing but a headache. I got the car at 141k miles and the ac compressor was shot, fuel pump was shot, struts are bad already, 3 broken door handles already (even if your gentle theyre very weak. The worst part is this car burns oil like no tomorrow. The motor has a weak start, i can rely on it to start, but im not sure how far it just might go.. the only really positive thing i can say is that its decent on gas, but its a very tiny car. Im 6 foot and i hate getting in and out of it, it feels like your pressed against the steering wheel. I wouldnt get this car unless your 4 foot 2 and like to put more in oil then you do in gas.SeriouslY

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  Least reliable Ive ever owned - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By bandit96 - April 7 - 8:18 pm

  I bought this car new in 2009, knowing full well that I was making a trade off on some of the bells and whistles offered in other models. Thats not an issue if it wasnt for it being an unreliable and expensive piece of junk to run I would still be driving it. I have a mechanical background, and know about driving and maintaining a car to make it last. Unfortunately, in the six years of ownership and only 70k kilometers (43k miles) this heap was in and out of the shop at least a dozen times. The last year of ownership, when it was out of warranty cost me more in repairs then my last GM vehicle did in 10 years and over 350k kms (210k miles). In short, never again a GM for me.

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  Disappointing - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Zachary A. Horn - March 24 - 8:36 am

  This car was great for the first few years I owned it. I bought this car new with 15 miles on it in early 2012. I drive about 30,000 miles a year between work and personal use, and performed all recommended maintenance. Around 50k or 60k miles the car started running rough in between oil changes. When I started checking the oil levels more frequently I noticed it was using 2-3 quarts of oil in between oil changes (performed every 5,000-7,000 miles even though the owners manual recommends 15,000). At 80k the timing belt broke. At 85k it used 3 quarts 1,500 miles after an oil change. It is currently at the dealership having the engine rebuilt. Fortunately I have 15k of warranty left.

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  Good Cruiser But Disappointed With Chevys Gearing - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By kobiewan - March 3 - 9:45 pm

  The interior is cheap yes. But so are other cars. I can look past that due to the car being reliable. One thing I did notice is the transmission. I like that it cruises at 2k at 80. But for one, it hesitates and gear hunts. I also believe the gears to be too tall. Of course it is a huge improvement over the old impala with the 4 speed. But usually in a v6 you should not have to even cross 2.5 rpms on the tachometer before going to second gear. This car takes off like a four cylinder on an incline, and it is not lively until higher speeds are achieved. It is not bad but not good. Hopefully the newer ones are better

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  It is a very under powered vehicle - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By 389gto - March 2 - 1:37 pm

  I purchased the 2012 Equinox new that year. I like the looks of this vehicle. While on a highway trip It felt very busy driving. I was trying to adjust the throttle pedal to slight hills for climbing power. I tried the cruise control it helped some. The transmission shifting too low gears when you want to pass. It was better to pull over and let people pass.

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  Only buy this car if you have a lot of money to spend. - 2011 Chevrolet Camaro
  By deano18 - February 26 - 12:04 pm

  This car has its pros and cons, but there are too many cons. Pros: The car is a lot of fun to drive, very powerful, and looks great. Cons: MPG is not even close to what the epa estimates are. Unless you drive incredibly well and keep the rpms below 2500, you are going to get 14/15 mpg on a good day and average out at about 11. The car is always in the shop and constantly needs to be maintained. An oil change costs about $100 and this car drinks oil likes its no tomorrow. Tires costs about $250 each and the car goes through those like an eraser on a pencil. Only buy this car if you plan to use it as a weekend car, not a daily driver, and dont care about maintenance costs.

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  bad trans - 2012 Chevrolet Impala
  By William Bandy - February 25 - 12:12 pm

  car is very unresponsive when you take off, hesitates to move. I thought it was just the trans but even the electronics such as fan controls are sluggish. took it in, they say its ok . if all impalas are like this & it keeps getting good reviews what does it say about buyer revues. The car would be car of the year if it wasnt for the 6 speed trans & heating controls, who ever passed that should be fired

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  great mpgs yes, build quality not so much. - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cjonesls7 - February 24 - 10:34 am

  Like the title says. I bought this car used. I wasnt expecting a new car but I was expecting some kind of stand. Interior is clean and roomy, leather seats a little hard, LCD is a nice touch and the upgraded sound system is great in theory. In the 6 months I have owned this car ,mind you nothing was wrong with it when I bought it. I now have two blown out subs, check engine light that repeatedly comes on, steering wheel that is falling apart and a transmission I am convinced thinks its supposed to be a manual. not impressed and I have owned a boat load of chevys. this by far is the absolute worst I have ever had. my 16 year old trans am that has a dead fuel pump has more value to me.