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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  The Car that Keeps on Going - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By reneg78 - March 22 - 4:05 pm

  First of I have to say I LOVE THIS CAR. I now work in an office, but before I use to drive the heck out this car on avg 800 miles/week delivering permits for the film industry. Ive taken it on a little off road adventure up in the mountains. Ive been in one accident and only had cosmetic damage. Ive never had any problems with the car. I think the only problem Ive had was that the battery on the key ring to unlock the car and trunk had to be replaced twice. But the car no problems. Ive fixed the cosmetics, and recently had to buy new wheels but only because I slammed into a pot hole. But its a great car. I would buy another one and recommend to buy.

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  2008 Chevy Malibu LTZ - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kfuller - March 22 - 3:58 pm

  The infactuation with the Malibu wore off after the first 500 miles, the car developed a squeak and rattle that took three visits to the dealer before it was resolved, the remote keyless entry when pressed/depressed doesnt lock or unlock the doors, I have to roll down the rear windows so my passenger can reach inside to pull the locks up before the doors will open, this also happens on the driver side too. The seat belt alarm is now randomly alarming with no other passenger seated. Whats the most frutrating aspect of owning this car is that I have to take this car to the dealer to change the headlights. The dealer has to remove the entire bumper, labor $200, for a $20.00 bulb.

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  If You Have 3 or More Children, Read On .... - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By massmanboston - March 20 - 11:45 am

  Very few choices when looking for 3 rows AND reasonable cargo room and you cant/dont want to own an Expedition/Escalade/Armada, etc. The Traverse is your best choice for ride comfort, roominess, good looks, and features that come close to being worth the price. Choose your options carefully and dont be fooled into paying more than 500-600 over invoice max. If you do your homework and want to spend $35K or less, this is the vehicle for you and you have 3+ kids. Great for the car pool, tailgating, long rides (although mileage kind of sucks), and trips to Lowes. Best options are on LT1 are Bluetooth, sunroof, and heated seats if you can find one that has it. Overall, very well-plsd w/T1 trim

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  No complaints, unexpected value - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By mhoffman2 - March 15 - 10:46 am

  After owning American, Japanese, Swedish and German automobiles, I unexpectedly purchased a 2009 Impala sitting on the dealers showroom floor. The discount (25%with rebates) was too good to pass up. Included leather, moonroof, Sirrius radio, full power, traction control and 4 wheel disc brakes, remote start, upgraded alloy wheels. After 23,000 miles with only routine maintenance, the car has been great. According to the computer, we have averaged 25 mpg (29-31 on the highway). The trunk is huge and with the rear seat down is like a mid sized wagon. Reasonably smooth and quiet, has not changed since new. Would definitely recommend as a used car, particulary if under power train warranty.

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  Love this car! - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By kennept - March 12 - 4:44 pm

  Bought a 2011 Equinox 2LT AWD 4 cylinder in Oct 2010 to replace a 2004 Tahoe Z71. Yes, quite a difference but I was so surprised at the interior space. There is actually more legroom in the backseat than the Tahoe. Took some getting used to a 4cyl vs the 8cyl I had been driving. Definately not the car to use to make a fast getaway. My only disappointment is the MPG. I was told that I would get 23 city/29 highway. Wrong! 18 city/23highway. Better MPG than the Tahoe, but still not what I was looking for. The ECO button really made no difference, so Ive stopped using it.

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  Good but not excellent - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By docj1 - March 12 - 2:48 pm

  This LTZ is the first US car Ive bought in over 30 years. Its reviews were very good and it lives up to most of them. For a 4-cylinder vehicle with modest power it is a lot of fun to drive. It is extremely quiet inside at all speeds. I get 25-26 mpg in a mix of largely suburban driving and Im not easy on the throttle. Where the car falls short is in the quality of interior materials and its fit and finish. The interior plastics are extremely cheap, molded materials that scratch very easily. Interior trim pieces dont line up and snap together well. The overall effect is well below the level of Honda and Toyota.

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  2005, automatic - 65,000 Miles - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jdubsnow - March 10 - 8:06 pm

  Ive had this car for 2.5 years, I got it because I needed a car and it was a great deal. For city and in town driving, this car is perfect...however - if you drive on the freeways a lot, it is terrible at high speeds/with wind - due to how light the car is in weight. It also is not great in snow...so if you live in the Midwest, or anywhere with a lot of snow in the winters, I would not recommend this little go-kart. It gets stressful in the snow with how light it is - and you cannot get great tires, especially over 14" - so that doesnt help. If you go too fast, you will slide, and if you go too slow, you will get stuck. It is great for nice weathered places though, and in town driving.

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  Wondering what to do.... - 1998 Chevrolet Lumina
  By carrisa_lumina - March 7 - 10:49 am

  I have had this car for about 5 years now, it has about 75,000 miles on it (the odometer stopped working at 35,000) I am trying to decide whether or not to fix this car up to keep it or buy a newer car. I havent had any major problems with this car, fuel pump(twice), the ignition stopped working so I had to have a push button start installed, and a starter, also the AC doesnt work. I was just looking to see what I should do with the car... it needs to have the transmission serviced, oil changed, new tires, and when I try to start it sometimes it skips and doesnt catch right away. Also the AC doesnt wor

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  Good Car For Teen - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 631rob1991 - March 6 - 11:51 pm

  I had the Z24 model which had good power. For its price it was great. Interior os too small with very little space in the back seat and trunk. If youre over 62" no way to drive as the roof is very low. Stylish.

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  Poor Gas Mileage - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By farmerb8 - March 3 - 3:43 pm

  I bought the Equinox because of its reviews here at Edmunds. I bought the 4 cylinder version with just front wheel drive so that I could get the best fuel economy that the Equinox offers. I just took it on its first long trip, from Ohio to Florida. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. The advertised 32 mpg in reality was 23 mpg. How can the car companies advertise 32 and in reality it is 23? I can see 2-3 mpg differences due to driving habits but how can it be 9 mpg different? My 2005 Impala got 32mpg on the same trip. My 2007 Impala got 26mpg. Now my Equinox gets 23mpg. The Equinox is great in all other aspects.