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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  Econo box? Not anymore - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By CLO - January 23 - 10:00 am

  A new entry-level car that really does feel upscale. I am continually surprised by the ride quality, low noise, and effortless cruising at 75 mph. The automatic transmission is velvet-smooth, and the interior is surprisingly roomy. The interior does not look expensive, but not gawdy and cheap, either. A fine car all around, backed by GMCs vast dealer network.

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  AVEO--fun!-comfortable! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By gaparoonie - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Great little car! Ive had a small Hyundai, which was great! and a small Ford, which was great, but tee-eeny! But the AVEO outshines them both, in spades. Definitely get the sedan, if you are interested in trunk storage, as the whole car is 14 inches longer then the hatchback. Has a lot of features that you wouldnt expect on a little car -- like power windows/doors, and a sunroof option.

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  Wonderful car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Animal70X7 - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I do not understand how people get such low gas mileage. Mine keeps on going up. It started as 34 MPG on my first tank for city/country driving. It is now 36 to 37 city/country and 41 highway. I have over 6000 miles on mine now and have been thrilled with this car. My friend purchased and Echo and she gets lower gas mileage and has had her car in the shop 3 times in 4 months. I would recommend an Aveo to any one. I am near 50 and think this is the a car I will own for many years.

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  aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By jclay - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I enjoy driving it makes a great 2nd car for work, especially the gas mileage, just getting started and first two tanks 29-32 mpg. Was purchase to use in my hobby soon as I retire next spring. The key is hard to insert and would like to have a locking gas cap. Also would like to have cruise control.

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  A bad Truck To Buy - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By McMahan - January 23 - 10:00 am

  This Truck has been in the Shop 3 time is the past 2 months to have the transmission worked on, still not fixed. Forget about getting help from GM reps to talk with about safety issue. They will just tell you that your safety is not their concern, but to try and fix the vehicle. I would be very careful if I were thing about buying this vehicle. For the price and better quality I would look at a different Truck.

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  Malibu Driving Experience - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By John Cipollone - January 23 - 10:00 am

  A truly fun car to drive. All interior controls in close proximity to the driver. On one 400 mile trip with AC used sparingly, the car averaged 38 mpg. There is plenty of cargo space. Air conditioning with outside air at 93 degrees on maximum brought in 40 degree air easily cooling off the car. A great car .

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  dutily - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By zolie - January 23 - 10:00 am

  fun to drive radio a bit confusing back seat hard but handles smooth ride.

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  My Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bsestone - January 23 - 10:00 am

  I have only had my car for a month but I really like it so far. It handles a little rough but compared to others I took for a test drive it was the best. I would recommend this car to my friends.

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  FLatulant Malibu - 2017 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Jarrett - January 22 - 10:26 pm

  We Purchased this vehicle on the 28th of November after trading in a 2012 Malibu lt That had 72000 miles on it. We chose the LS model as our new replacement because of the the options that we could get for the money. Unfortunately i think we should have done more research. At 489 miles the check engine light came on. I took the car in to be serviced and i was told that there was gas vapors escaping from the gas cap and that is what was causing the check engine light to come on. I was told that the part would be ordered but it would take a couple of weeks to get in. I can not believe this is happening on a brand new car. I purchases my 2012 Malibu as a second owner with 42000 miles on it and not once did i have a check engine light come on. i pray that this is the only problem and that i will be fixed soon. this has been the only problem that we have had with the car other than that the 1.5 liter engine is good. Its not overly quick but you have plenty of passing power on the highway. I have a heavy foot and i like to drive cautiously fast however i have not once had to floor the accelerator, the 1.5 liter gets you up to speed quickly and the brakes are nice and firm for whenever you have that driver thats not paying attention to the road. the android auto is a great feature that was added for the 2017 Ls model it helps keep the driver focused on the road all you have to say is " Ok Google" and the vehicle activates voice command. I wish the tire noise was reduced however different tires may decrease the sound. Gas mileage is good i am averaging 22.8 so far but we live In Midtown Atlanta so its mostly city driving. Overall We love this car just troubled that we are already having problems.

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  Whatever - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By R - January 22 - 2:26 pm

  I bought this new and have 55000 miles on it so far. Tires wear out faster on the front than the rear. It bucks the crosswinds a lot. It has a lot of front end noises and rattles going over rough pavement. Dealer says sway bar links could be the problem, Ill try replacing those, but I think its in the steering (knuckle)? Cant do better than 23 miles per gallon on hwy. Small gas tank. Knock on Wood.