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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  Loved the Truck but not Reliable - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By dacuna13 - July 28 - 2:10 am

  I havent had any problems with the vehicle until now. It has been well maintained and the transmission and engine went out at the same time at 54,000 miles.

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  The Traverse, my first. - 2017 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Angela Amend - July 27 - 9:31 am

  MPG isnt great but I knew that going before hand.

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  Solid Car But Slippery When Wet - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Art - July 26 - 5:23 am

  I have enjoyed my Malibu LS for a few reasons, starting with the gas mileage. I usually get around 26 mpg for a 400-mile trip. Acceleration is great. The engine is strong and smooth. Air and heat work well. Steering is great and cargo room is fine. The back seats are incredibly spacious, even though I sit quite a ways back in the driver seat. Rear moonroofs are fun, although the sliding screen easily snaps on people. My biggest complaint, and one that should be noted for anyone switching from SUV to wagon due to gas mileage, is that the Maxxs traction control is worth nothing, literally. My wifes Corolla does better in rain or snow. It was by far the biggest disappointment.

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  Weak but nice. - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By New user - July 25 - 10:00 am

  The Aveo has slow accelation forcing you to punch it to accelerate into traffic. The fit and finish is good for a low end vehicle. The vehicle is very good in cramped spaces.

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  One problem - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Frjohn - July 25 - 10:00 am

  I like the car but the power steering was a great problem. The steering wheel would move on its own (pulsating) and locked up on two occasions. The entire steering column had to be replaced. I was very disappointed in getting the car fixed. parts were not available and it took 10 days to get the car out of the service department. Pretty good car -- terrible service makes for an unhappy owner.

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  My Truck Sucks - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Ralph Jones - July 25 - 10:00 am

  The locking Rear end on these trucks are not what they could be. Mine, Hops an skips An has locked slam up on me at less than 12,000 miles with an easy break-in period. Agreat Truck, with second rate Quality. I think Ill give Ford a try on my next new truck.

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  Diesel Exhaust DPF issues - 2014 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Jon W - July 24 - 10:49 pm

  This 14 Cruze Diesel was purchased new in Feb. 2014, all highway miles, today it has 81,000 miles on it and has had the exhaust reburned 7 xs, manually by the garage, not once did the car display any reburn in process or do not stop until the reburn is completed, no messages (the reburn should be automatic). The dealer could not find anything wrong. it was covered under warranty on two of the reburns, the rest came out my pocket at $140.00 each, It has been to 3 different garages and each mechanic believes the car has never done a reburn on its own. The engineers have some work to do with respect to the exhaust DPF . As for gas mileage, ave. 43 GPM tank to tank, fuel filters cost $120.00 each, 2 installed so far, oil filters are $25.00, and oil is 8.00 quart, (low ash formula) all this plus labor, this is not the car to have if you do short runs of only drive 20 miles to work. it will not get hot enough to get good mileage. This extras cost makes the gas version a better choice.

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  Lemon - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tammy - July 23 - 4:13 pm

  I have had my car for 5 months now and it has been in the shop 4 times for the longest visit being a 2 and 1/2 weeks stretch. I have had the air- conditioning quit working after only three days of ownership. It has been in the shop for rack and pinion steering problems 3 times. Finally the cruise control also has been working only intermetiately.

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  Colorado good for compact truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By JIM - July 23 - 4:33 am

  No problems for a compact truck. It has good low end pickup, is fairly comfortable on long trips, an Im pleasently suprised at the good gas mileage. The truck is used in my courier business, and am pleased so far.

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  I love my car - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Lovelyone - July 21 - 5:26 pm

  The gas mileage is terrible compared to my prior Chevrolet Cavalier, but thats what i get for upgrading to a V6. All in all, the car is outstanding. Everyone, including myself, loves it.