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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  Regret buying this car!!! - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By alsaims123 - February 18 - 11:20 pm

  Bought my impala used from carmax. Bought it with 29k on it in 2011 since buying it i have had to replace transmission with 42k then front and rear head gaskets before the 50k manufacturer warranty was up. Since then used the carmax warranty to get the rear window defrost wiring replaced. The warrantys are all up, scared to see what is next. Granted i feel lucky compared to some of the issues people have had to done to their impala. Still have issues with the cd player, driver seat doesnt go up and down like it should. Wont buy another chevy car again.

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  If you really need an SUV, choose another vehicle - 2012 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By robi3 - February 2 - 3:53 pm

  I bought a Tahoe, with the towing package as I go cross country 2x times yearly towing a trailer with a gross wt. of 4500 lbs. (well below the wt rating). I also transport sporting equipment to remote areas but do not go off roading. In 36,000 mi, both differentials and rear shocks have had to be replaced, the Bridgestones that came on it handled poorly in even wet conditions and had to be replaced at 30,000 mi. Mileage without a trailer maxes out on the highway at 15, rated 21. Chevy technicians always seem "miffed" by clear symptoms of issues which require return visits for repairs until they find the issue. 3rd row seats tough to remove and store. Worst of 3 similar vehicles Ive owned

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  Dont buy it - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cg07 - January 9 - 9:19 am

  At first I was impressed of the interior, very spacious, nice looking, but less than a year of having it star having issues with the check engine light it took about 3 weeks to find out the problem, and it was a gasket replacement from the engine, after some months other issues with oil sensors and also the car accelerated on its own for no reason even while parked, before 40,000 miles water pump needed to be replaced car overheated and absorb all antifreeze. Is a very nice looking car and features are pretty but that does not replace the worrying on parts when car is still new and should be only taken for regular oil change and services.

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  A terrible, terrible excuse for a car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By shadetreegiant - January 3 - 11:18 pm

  I finally traded in my 2005 Cobalt, and I couldnt be happier. The engine and transmission are good, but the rest of the car is absolute junk. The body has several spots of rust bubbling up through the paint. The interior of this car is made of the same plastic used to construct VHS tapes. The suspension is miserable and unsafe. Oh yeah, I almost forgot... Nearly all Cobalts will have a clunking noise coming from the steering column. Thats because the steering column uses a plastic gear that breaks in EVERY Cobalt. At idle, the engine rattles loudly. The blower motor has chirped since 40,000 miles. The door handles are painted with chrome paint that flakes off and stabs me.

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  Serves our purpose well, but... transmission repair at 117k miles... really? - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By asianteacher - December 27 - 10:41 am

  I am displeased. Our Traverse has been a vehicle that we brought to the dealership most because of recalls, back jobs, and now a shot transmission at just 117k (min $1,500, max 3k+ repair cost)? Our other cars certainly did better! I usually dont complain but we are not happy. I found out that this transmission problem is a common issue, I dont understand why it isnt a recall! We bought this because Americans help Americans especially in GMs dark times. But now we realized, whos going to help us now? We dont have the budget for this now, so our Traverse is sitting in the garage. If you insist in getting this, get an extended warranty.

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  My LAST Chevrolet!!! - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By 91notchback - December 26 - 10:10 am

  I have and 08 4X4 LT2 model Tahoe. It is driven approx. 8000 a year. At about 38000 miles and 4 years old the rear passenger door lock went out. I replaced it myself. About 6 months later the rear drivers failed. I replaced it also and started looking into this issue. Last week the front passengers lock went out and I contacted GM. Why I dont know. I guess after 3 out of 5 locks actuators failing I thought they may stand behind their product. I was wrong. They said they couldnt help because my warranty was out. I said no joke my warranty is out, but this seems to be a manf. defect, can you not replace your mistake. They said nope. About your luck. This will be my LAST GM product.

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  A Very Questionable Investment - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By erthfriend - December 17 - 8:57 am

  I was surprised seeing that this car rated 4 out of 5 stars. The gas mileage was supposed to be 32, but we never got better than 23 mpg. Even allowing for the AWD, we expected upper 20s. There was always a rattling coming from the engine that sounded like pins and needles shaking in a tin can. At 60K, I took it in for an oil change and the dealer could find no oil on the stick at all. No oil pressure guage. No warning light. At 80K, the oil use was only worsening. The dealer said it warranted a ring job. Since the warranty was expiring at 100K, we traded it in on a Prius V, taking a $6K hit. The GM people are some of the best. Too bad this is a crappy car.

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  Very satisfied until 92,000 - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By bobby22345 - December 2 - 9:33 am

  Bought this Traverse used @ 9000 miles. Really like the car until I took in for an oil change @ 92,000 miles. Advised that one strut was leaking. Replaced both cost $699.00, re-placed brakes $199.00 (which I understand), dealer very liberal in replacing water pump parts @ N/C. rebuilt steering box @ N/C still needs steering gear repaired @ $1289.00 advised today that the timing chain belt needs replacing $2000.00. This car was built in Tenn. Evidently they wanted to use all of their parts before closing the plant whether they were of good quality or not. I feel that this car needs re-built. Not a happy camper!!

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  Subpar. - 2014 Chevrolet Sonic
  By lvcas - November 24 - 8:00 pm

  The 201y Chevy Sonic is a good car. Its good on gas, relatively stylish, very dependable. However, it lacks the over luster of a sub-compact car. The transmission is a joke. Im sure it is set up for economy, but come on Chevy you can do better than that. The engine lacks power...majorly. The overall interior quality is poor. The seats are awkwardly placed and hard to adjust especially if youve never been in the car. The interior is covered in flimsy plastic and hardly any soft touch material. But the worst thing about the entire car is how loud it is. Every bit of road and wind noise enters the cabin. Even on smooth pavement, you would think that you are driving on gravel.

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  headlights - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By berke - October 29 - 7:08 pm

  Just had to pay $120.00 labor to change a low beam bulb. Not blaming the mechanics but the designers who did such a poor job. If you havent had to change a bulb you will be shocked. I have always changed the headlights myself, up to now, but this is ridiculous.