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 Most Fun You Can Have on 4 Wheels - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By dex10 - May 21 - 2:49 pm

  I just got a new 2SS model convertible and all I can say is . . . OMG! I came out of an Audi A4 Avant with the 3.0 engine, which is a great car with excellent performance and appointments. The Camaro is my very first muscle car and convertible, so I thought Id do it up right. Pretty much everything Ive read about it thus far, both pro and con, is true. Bottom-line, it is a beautiful car to look at (LOVE the retro look and feel)--top up or down, and is really a blast to drive. While I will miss the nimbleness of the Audi and its German engineering as compared to the heft of the Camaro, the V8 engine certainly makes it fun to throw that weight around!

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  Piece of junk! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tomschevy - May 21 - 12:40 pm

  This car is the worst car i ever owned!so many problems,electrical problems airbag light comes on stays on some days and other days off,filled gas up needle goes crazy! no power steering in hot weather,will not start after long rides,leaking transmission fluid!wth? please do not buy one!and if you have one get rid of it!feels like car is dragging a block of concrete behind it!man worst car ever owned!!

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  Extended Warranty Needed - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By debrajmsmith - May 20 - 6:00 pm

  We have had a lot go wrong with this car (after the warranty went off), and we are still paying car payments to the bank. Besides expected things, like brakes and tires, the following things have gone wrong on this car so far: --1) emissions vent solenoid, 2) rear defogger, 3) front wheel barrings (both), 4) window washer pump, 5) air conditioning air-vent actuator, 6) key-less door lock units (all four) It is hard to feel comfortable driving a car that can have something go wrong so often, as well as hard to find any fun in it.

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  Worth it if taken care of. - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By wells596 - May 15 - 11:14 am

  Its a good truck if its taken care of. I bought the truck from a friend thats owned it since brand new in 2004 he got lazy with the oil changes and it ended up blowing a crank seal which blew the motor. He had me put a motor in it then I bought and its been running fine ever since. Ive had a few problems with it. Transfer case blew up valve cover seals. but all and all its a good truck. I take it out and beat on it in the trails I jump it haul my 3,000 pound trailer behind it almost every day and it hauls fine. Love it.

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  Safe, Reliable, Efficient - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By revjimmy - May 14 - 11:07 am

  My 12 Cruze Eco is sneaking up on 30,000 miles, and I have no complaints. To date, Ive driven it all over the South and Midwest over its lifetime, it is averaging 33.4 MPG, and thats with a LOT of city driving. With one exception, I havent had it in the shop once for service other than routine and recall work. That one exception was no fault of the car - an adult buck whitetail deer ran out in front of me while I was going 70 MPH, and even then, the car excelled - there was no frame damage, I was completely unhurt, and though it cost my insurance company a good chunk of change, the car was repairable to factory spec.

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  Chevrolet Express Van ("Summer Van") - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By kieblaiy - May 12 - 10:02 pm

  Chevrolet is known for its trucks and compact cars. However, their dark horse known as the Express Van rarely attracts any positive attention. As an individual working in the demanding trade of plumbing, never have I ever experienced such a royal piece of sh*t that refuses to die. My efforts to overload its weight rating and to continuously postpone oil changes, have produced no results as it defiantly clings to life. The water pump, heating element, engine light, and gas consumption are constant issues. This van is much like the Stephen King Novels famous car Christine, however it does not heal itself, it maintains a poor condition to syphon your hard earned money. Avoid at all costs.

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  Great Sport Car, Poor reliability - 2013 Chevrolet Camaro
  By tony241 - May 12 - 4:23 pm

  Hello everyone, my recent last month experience with my 2113 Camaro 1LT Coupe, had making me question the reliability and durability of the brand. Just imagine, having your entire tire assemble system with break pats and everything that comes with it, broke apart while you are driving above 70 miles an hours, YOLO, If you do! Welcome to my world.

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  Loved my cruze until now! beware - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By rae_xo - May 11 - 7:22 pm

  Traded my piece of crap dodge avenger in for another piece of crap. thought maybe getting a chevy would give me a better piece of mind. Got my cruze used with 32k miles and ive had it for 7 months now. The gas mileage is a complete joke! Ive never gotten over 35MPG even driving highway! Lately it lags shifting gears and take a few minutes to actually do so and it has also had alot of idling problem! chugging while sitting at red lights and drive-thrus. each dealership i go to tells me there is nothing they can do about it, but ive seen so many people with the same problems! please save your time, energy, and money

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  It pays for itself - $5500 so far - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By johndhenry - May 8 - 5:51 pm

  I just crossed the 40,000 odometer reading on my Volt. With my average mpg being 84, Ive saved approximately $5500 in gas over my previous 24 mpg SC430 Lexus . Said differently, at this rate, the Volts gas savings alone will have paid for the car in 5 years. Add this to the HOV Lane sticker and great reliability, and I have to say this is the best car Ive owned (and its the first American car Ive had).

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  Nothing but Issues No more GM products - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By peternew30 - May 7 - 9:41 am

  Have owned many Tahoes, Suburbans. Have to say that the 2007-2009 models are nothing but issues. Rear window defrost electric leads fall off, door lock on front passenger side stopped working. Transmission required rebuild (under warranty) Noticed missing 2-3 quarts of oil between changes. All within <3 years old. After 3 years the engine light came on many times which the remote start doesnt work when engine light is on. Dealer said the Cat Converters where going bad but a month later said the codes said communication issues. O2 sensor bank 2 needed replaced, And very bad design on headlight, try pricing a simple headlight and running light bulb replacement at your local dealer $200-$300.