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:

• 

  I love my Spark! - 2014 Chevrolet Spark
  By janine67219 - June 23 - 5:58 pm

  I just bought my 2014 Spark at Davis-Moore. I love this car! It is small but spacious. My tall grandchildren fit comfortably. The little storage area holds more than it appears it would. Going from a 95 Mercury to this is like day and night on gas. Its the cutest little ladybug on the road. Would recommend.

• 

  Why would you buy a Prius? - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By natefair - June 23 - 9:50 am

  This car is a great deal and a great car. Here is the math: $34,000 price, minus $10,000 back (CA pays $2500 of that), minus the gas savings which is about $100/month for me (all-electric mode means I often go 900 miles on a tank of gas and electric power is equivalent to $1.50/"gallon"). So after 10 years this car will have been far more economical than a Prius. Hybrids always use some gas (47 mpg-ish) but the Volt uses none for the first 40 miles (100 mpg equivalent). After that it gets at least 37 mpg.

• 

  318,000 with 2 repairs - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By roadwarrior13 - June 23 - 9:15 am

  Finally totalled on NJTPK in multi-vehicle pile-up with 318,000+ miles, only 2 real repairs ever = water pump, alternator. Other = 1 wheel bearing & exhaust. Change oil regularly & do very little else... looking for another one :)

• 

  2012 Equinox - just ok - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By s_l_w - June 21 - 12:33 pm

  We love the way the Equinox looks, but looks can be deceiving. Our 2012 Equinox has been in the shop way too often for a fairly new car. The main issues weve had are (1) the hub bearings had to be replaced, (2) the Check Engine light came on due to a faulty gas cap, and (3) the transmission jerks at low speeds. Replacing the hub bearings fixed the issue of the popping noise when turning the steering wheel at low speeds. Replacing the gas cap did not fix the problem, so the dealer just replaced a faulty valve in the fuel system. We still havent gotten a solution for the jerking transmission and the dealer says they didnt find anything wrong with it. These repairs are such an inconvenience!

• 

  Better than what I had - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jwh_2014 - June 21 - 8:51 am

  I traded in my 2001 Taurus.., I miss that car but I did a definite upgrade with this Malibu. My family is glad that I have actually have a car that wont leave me stranded anymore. I love the car even though there are downsides like trunk space, but other than that I love it.

• 

  Nicest car Ive ever hated - 2012 Chevrolet Malibu
  By rom225 - June 21 - 8:22 am

  I bought my 2012 Malibu LT1 4cyl new to replace my 1998 Malibu base 6cyl. I have a 66 mile one-way trip into work which includes 50 miles of open interstate driving with the last bit a drive through town on a divided 4-lane stop-and-stop traffic hwy. I went with the 4cyl because it was 19K and the 6cyl started at 30k. Convincing myself that the 34mpg would make me feel better. 6cyl I avg 26mpg, the 4cyl I avg 28mpg. second year at 60K miles the map sensor failed and needed to be replaced, not a warranted part.

• 

  42 mpg average for 11,000 miles - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By delawareroy - June 20 - 7:49 am

  I drive 54 miles round trip on a daily basic and am very happy with most aspects of this car. My drive consists of mixed driving and lots of different traffic flows. Right now with 11,000 miles on the car in 4 months I have little to complain about. The lifetime average with the car is 42 mpg. On trips where I can use the open road I get in the low 50s mph. The price of fuel here in Delaware is a little more than reg. gas but well below that of premium. My one and only problem with the service from my local dealer was that they did not carry the oil or oil filter for the car. Had to make a second appointment and return later for the oil change at about 6,000 miles. I highly recommend

• 

  2002 Chevy Malibu - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By dlynnh - June 19 - 4:19 pm

  If anyone has issues with it not starting refer to GM service tech bulletin no 01-08-49-020 concerning the ignition lock cylinder/switch replacement revision dated December 2001. I am so sick of this problem, have contacted GM since they seem to have issues with ignitions, they need to look at this model. According to the local dealer, no recalls never took place. Fear that if it does start and I go somewhere will shut off while on road.

• 

  Absolutely LOVE my 2015 Suburban LTZ (but....) - 2015 Chevrolet Suburban
  By eokerholm - June 18 - 9:27 am

  I really love this car and very happy with the purchase. This is much bigger than my 2006 Honda Pilot that I was happy to get ride of (that thing was a lemon coming from a guy whos owned 2 Hondas in the last 22 years). This drives well, not as lively as the 6.2L Denali, but my wallet and gas mileage appreciates that. Love all the radar and safety features, hands free, etc. Radar comes in hand when parking this lovely beast. Mileage is incredible. Over 2500 miles so far and Im averaging in the 18+ mpg range. Mixed driving City/Hwy. On the Hwy, I got 26 mpg to San Antonio from Austin. I was ecstatic!

• 

  Great car! - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By stevewl1164 - June 17 - 9:54 pm

  I bought this car in April 2009 and it had 118k, four door and three speed automatic. I paid $1100 for it. It had a new set of Michelins too! The dash near the windshield cracked and now has chunks missing. The original stereo/CD died. It uses no oil between changes. I replaced the radiator, the alternator, and changed the oil every 3000 miles. As of June 2014 it has 186k. I usually get 28 mpg in mixed driving, but sometimes get 30. I figured for $1100 if it lasted a year I could give it away and not be out anything. Five plus years later it is still going strong. Mine has the old OHV 2.2...never had an engine or transmission issue, nor check engine light. I may never get this lucky again.