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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  Great Little Car - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By flrfselscrs - March 24 - 8:03 am

  I bought my Cruze new in August 2011 and have driven it 53,000 miles. So far there have been no maintenance issues. Ive only had to change the oil every 7000 miles or so, and replace the tires, which are inexpensive. In addition to costing me very little, the cars performance meets my needs. On the highway, I get 32-37 MPG, but my overall average is 27.5. It has performed admirably in all weather conditions (including heavy snow with a set of winter tires) and even on an autocross course. The cars tiny turbo is a must for me its not terrifying to accelerate onto the highway in a Cruze like it has been in other small cars Ive driven. Overall, I love this little car.

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  06 Chevy Impala LTZ Rocks - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By philz94tt - March 23 - 9:26 am

  This Impala LTZ is a very solid vehicle with only a couple issues. It will need a water pump and thermostat at about 8 years into service. There was also a recall on the power steering hose that was handled very well by the local dealer in the 2011 to 2012 time frame, 3.9 liter with 240 HP is responsive. The gas mileage is very good, ride comfort is great, no noises in my vehicle, interior is good for top of the line, the top of dash does seem a bit cheap and needs a good amount of detailing to look good, the sun will hammer that spot and the leather seat areas close to the windows need to be treated with leather conditioner. Bose sound system is very good.

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  Wow - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By cpal77 - March 22 - 2:38 am

  Always been a Camaro fan no matter what generation. I purchased a 2LS and have no regrets this Car is nothing short of spectacular. As a previous owner of a 1995 Camaro I new that I would make a comparison. Wow what a difference especially for a V6...a make that is sometimes frowned upon...This vehicle accelerates faster, smoother, and is simply quick. I did not buy this car to race or to compare to others, this car was one that i simply wanted because of my dedication to the brand. The most important thing that impresses me is the looks...this work of art is simply a joy to look at...and enjoy a a great ride....outstanding product by Chevy!

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  Blown Motor - 2014 Chevrolet Spark
  By got1onme - March 21 - 12:47 pm

  I test drove a 2014 Spark at my local dealership, I noticed the "check engine" light was on when the salesman and I returned to the dealership. I like the cars build so I purchased another Spark, one with more up grades on it, It had only 11 miles on it. I bought the car and after just 3 1/2 weeks, the "Check Engine" light came on in my new Spark while on my way home from work white smoke poured out from under the bottom of the car. I am very disappointed because I was so proud of my little car. I am in a rental waiting on GM to send a new motor

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  Dont buy GM - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By happygirl7h - March 21 - 10:24 am

  I was told I was buying it under bluebook its now worth less than 1/2 and its 4 years old. Began having problems with lights, engine speed lost on freeway and expensive repairs every year. Not worth it, I am told these are rental cars. I will stick with Honda or Subaru, something reliable. I will never buy a GM again.

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  Large, powerful, heavy GT car - 2011 Chevrolet Corvette
  By smerdyakov - March 19 - 1:30 pm

  My car was a 3LT GS with automatic transmission and every option except navigation. It was a pleasant car to drive, but not very exciting. It was so powerful that its acceleration capability was essentially useless in an urban environment - it would have been better suited to a place with wide open roads. Although it was pleasant to drive, its bulk inhibited the fun factor. It well illustrated the maxim that a slow car driven at 9/10ths is more fun than a fast one driven at 6/10ths. More of a GT car than a sports car. As has been said in many places, the seats were quite poor. I had to have the lumbar bag replaced in the drivers seat. after which it was better, but still not good.

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  BUY AN LT IF POSSIBLE. - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By unicornrides - March 19 - 12:23 am

  This is a follow up to my last review (which I cannot edit) on this car.. This is a scatter-brained review from someone who was used to a V6 engine. **NOTE: I mod my cars. This car has no major mods, yet. I use my car for: work, travel, picking up dudes.** In 2012 I bought my 09 LS Coupe (base everything- even fake hubcaps!) mostly for the the price (22k miles and under $7.5k.) Second car. THIS CAR IS STRONG. I have put over 25k miles on it in under 3 years.. and have driven it off-road, over things I cant identify but sound like explosions, etc.. and it hasnt affected it at all.

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  Bought with 11k Now close to 100k no issues - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By michaelvanity - March 18 - 7:13 pm

  Only thing ive had to do to this car within the past 90k miles are oil changes every 6 months, I make sure to use the highest octane gas, And I only stick with one gas station, Shell being my choice. I have not had one probem thank God. And I plan on buying a new 2014 Impala, Love the new design. So heres how it add up. Me driving in San Francisco, I live here. Taking frequent trips to sacramento and reno. Lots of city driving. Things ive had done in terms of matience Oil Changes - Every 6 Months Reguardless of what meter says Best gas you can buy - IE most expensive tires changed twice. Brakes changed once. No Major Issues. Im going to stick with my Chevys.

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  Poorly designed ventilation outlets - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By drivetrain1 - March 17 - 2:06 pm

  Poorly designed position of the a/c ventilation outlets. The drivers side vent is positioned way too low on the dash board. The steering wheel blocks the airflow no matter how I have the wheel tilted. The air deflector has limited range of motion and does not deflect or direct the flow of air properly. I can adjust the air vent (left of the radio cluster) to point directly on me, but then my passengers in back seat complain of no air. The summer heat here in Central Texas can be quite unbearable! The driver of ANY vehicle should have access to sufficient ventilation from the left air vent.

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  Awesome Car For The Money. - 2014 Chevrolet Camaro
  By paul_in_tx - March 16 - 8:38 am

  As another Review stated Im a 42 year old doing the mid-life Crisis thing. I drove all the different models V6 and V8 and settled with the 1LS. There is plenty of power to throw this thing around when you want and not kill the bank doing it. I was not very impressed the the performance of the V8 compared to the V6. Im sure on paper there is some difference but the seat of the pants feel was about the same to me. I like the redesign of the Gauges compared to the older ones I tested. The older ones have large needles covering a lot of the speedo making it almost useless, requiring the use of the digital speedo.