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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  Best small car yet - 2013 Chevrolet Cruze
  By blomidon2013 - April 7 - 7:19 pm

  My wife and I have been driving cars for 45+ years. Until 2013, we had not bought a Chev for well over 25 years. Before buying a Cruze, we had an Elantra, a Focus, a Volks Golf, and a Dodge Caravan (to name the last 4). We test drove the Elantra, the Focus, Mazda and Toyota, and decided on the Cruze 6 speed standard. We have not been disappointed 10 months later, and have put approx. 20,000 miles on the car to date, with no problem to date.

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  Amazing value for the price paid - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By kayemtee - April 6 - 8:54 pm

  Ive only had the car for a few days so my enthusiasm may be subject to change. We just took delivery of a LTZ sedan with the 1.4 turbo and a six-speed manual transmission. Im very impressed. Quite peppy in city driving. We just took a highway ride and ran at speeds up to 80 mph and averaged 39 mpg. Amazing! Very solid ride and quiet with little wind noise. Amazing amount of legroom and headroom for driver and front seat passenger. Im six-two and had to move the seat up and had tons of headroom. I liked the look of the hatchback better but lower price and huge trunk made me pick ther sedan. We paid less than 18K I cant think of any car out there to offer this value.

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  Indestructible - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jaspell - April 3 - 8:00 pm

  We are now at 290,000 on Old Bessie and she is still going strong. We change the oil every 4000 miles and its still going strong. The only repairs we have had are the power steering pump, the belt tensioner, and an intake plenum. I think we may have put it one starter but Im not sure. Basically this car is start and drive. Its old, its dented and it leaks oil a bit (leaks, not burns) but I would still drive this thing through hell. Awesome comfortable car.

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  NIGHTMARE!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By moonwi11ow - April 3 - 12:25 pm

  Bought my 2005 Equinox used, 99k on it had a thirty day warranty, got it on June 4, broke down on July 4. Head Gasket. Cost me $2100.00 Electrical issues...This vehicle is a nightmare. I have always been a chevy girl, but I think next go round Im buying a FORD.

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  Plastic Toy Car!! DONT BUY!!! - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By carman_ - April 1 - 8:13 pm

  Do not buy this car, I repeat do not buy this car!! This car is hunk of junk. The out side design and interior are unique and appealing, but dont let that suck you in. You feel every single bump no matter what, and the suspension is horrible. This Car Has Terrible heat, absolutely terrible. If you live in Canada like myself, stay clear. The gas mileage is good as its 90% hwy driven. The gears shifting are very noticeable, and acceleration is very slow (1.8 L). The sound system is terrible and most LS, and LTs dont even come with rear speakers. Besides the appealing look it, its horrible to drive, Its like driving a plastic toy car! Not worth the $, buy a cobalt, anything, but not this!!

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  What a truck! - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By al3310065 - April 1 - 9:44 am

  Shocked to find all these negative reviews! Bought my 2007 LTZ 4wd used 2 years ago, and it has been ROCK SOLID! It had 70K (or 50,000mi.) and Ive driven it 30K in 2 yrs (now has about 65,000mi.) Im hoping it continues strong as it continues to age. For now: looks like new and drives like new! Everybody thinks my truck is fresh off the assembly line. MOST of the mileage was done while pulling my 6000lbs camping trailer, so its not being babied. Only had to replace suspension compressor for air ride, and the rest has only been REGULAR maintenance.

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  Great car - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jilikins - April 1 - 9:33 am

  We had a 2002 Malibu that we originally bought in 2007. Never had any major issues with it and because of high mileage hubby put on it driving 90 miles back and forth to work, we decided to look for another car. We found a 2002 Malibu (this one is loaded) with 80,000 miles on it and promptly bought it. My husband is a back yard mechanic of sorts (built a 66 Chevy II from the ground up into a pro-street car) and so he does regular maintenance on it and changes the oil religiously and tune ups and such. Sure, weve had to change the brakes on both our vehicles, but that is the norm. Great, great car.

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  Bad Experience - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By twittybird - March 31 - 2:51 pm

  I purchase my Cobalt in 2006 brand new, I had problems every since, my power steering went out, and my ignition key would not release unless I stuck my finger in the whole the dealer made available for me to release my key from the ignition.

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  I Love My 2013 Equinox!! - 2013 Chevrolet Equinox
  By andrea2u - March 30 - 12:13 pm

  6 months and 4,000 miles later I have absolutely no regrets! Comfy and fun to drive. No problem passing or merging. Pleasantly surprised at the power it has when you need it. Filling up was difficult but after a couple times you get used to it and now its no problem. Its soo quiet , roomy and the ride is great. My top 3 were the Mazda CX5, Nissan Rogue, and Equinox. After test drives I knew it was the Chevy. I dont have any blind spots. It has a sturdy & safe feel. My mpg is as advertised but its all in how you drive. A quick 500 mile trip gave me 31.8mpg. I found a great dealer and got a great price! One problem is my daughter borrowed it and didnt want to give it back!

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  Research Pays - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By itcd - March 29 - 12:04 am

  I purchased this vehicle 3 years ago with 87000 miles, and have since brought it up to 107000 so far. One thing I have noticed is that it seems to get a lot of guff around the Internet, but seems more like a mixed bag. Some people have transmissions failing prematurely, while I know of people with over 200k and no rebuild of either motor or transmission. This vehicle isnt for everybody. It isnt a "just buy it and drive it" type, it requires a bit more care and attentiveness than the average person will want to put into it. But for those who are willing, it is quite rewarding and proves to be snappy with its strong engine and okay steering response.