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 - 2013 Chevrolet Sonic
  By icubarb - December 14 - 5:40 pm

  I bought this car 10 months ago. I have about 10,000 miles on it. I have the 2012 LTZ hatchback in Orange and love it.

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  Better than a Prius by far! - 2014 Chevrolet Volt
  By larry714 - December 12 - 9:36 pm

  I was disappointed at first but my issues were from a dealer lot issue and not the company so Ill try to be fair in my review. I have had a couple of priuses and I have to say the Volt is a better car, its smother, quieter, and feels safer to drive. You do have to read your manuals to fully understand the operational side of the vehicle. I dont think its a five star car but comes close. Performance for a car this small is a four, comfort gets a four needs better seats. Value is a four price needs to come down. Econo car fun to drive gets a four. Interior/exterior gets a three due to missing some things of the assembly line. Build quality a three and Reliability to soon to tell.

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  2013 Volt - Nice Small Csr - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By mcrat1 - December 11 - 9:32 pm

  I like big cars, fast stuff, and trucks. So Im jaded. First off, all the reviews that say the Volt is ugly are lame. It has yet to make any small children cry or make the cows milk sour. It looks good. The interior is nice, and well appointed. Navigation is in the speedo area where it belongs. Rear seating is for kids. A 6 foot man will hit his head and knees, but will fit. Handling is tight. Feels nice. I have a Vette and a CTS-V, and race alot. Car feels lighter than it is. Acceleration is OK. Im used to big power, but it is as quick from a light as a Crown Vic. Not bad. Braking is excellent considering the tire size and weight. Use L in city driving.

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  Sweet little truck - 2004 Chevrolet S-10
  By bulldurham48 - December 11 - 8:22 pm

  Have had my ZR-5 for about 6 years now and can really find no faults with it. I use it mostly for hunting and pulling a large trailer with a BadBoy Buggy in it and have never had a problem with it. Uses a little more gas than I expected when pulling a big loaded trailer, but not bad really. Has preformed really well in the red clay and mud found here in central Virginia, and has never been stuck even though I have taken it places I should not have. As long as its well maintained, oil changes, lubed, anti-freeze changed, things like that it does great. Really happy with my little sweet heart.

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  Why doesnt anyone know what is wrong with my car - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By allij0812 - December 10 - 1:53 pm

  I purchased a used 2006 Chevrolet HHR in 2013. I have not experienced trouble at all until a couple of days ago. I was on the highway coming home from work and my odometers started jumping, then the warning light that display read "power steering". My steering was ok. My car was "jerking" real bad as I was slowing down and changing gears, each time I would press the gas the car would jerk. Got it home then had my neighbor drive it she is a certified mechanic. No problems during that trip. The next morning I drove it to do some errands no problems until I was almost home same issue just the odometer was not jumping and no "power steering" displayed. no one can figure out this issue, anyone ??

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  Piece of Junk - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By wspringer - December 9 - 5:02 pm

  This car looks pretty nice on the outside, but thats about it. It sits WAY too low. The drivers seat is like a cockpit. There is no comfortable driving position if you put up the seat higher, you just hit into the steering wheel, and it sits very very low inside of the vehicle. It is loaded with blind spots the car is very hard to get a good view out of. Obviously not meant for someone taller than 5 foot. The seat itself is also hard as a rock. Back seats are very cramped. Everything inside is a junky plastic. I think I will be sticking with my 1991 Ford Country Squire.

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  Good car to own. - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By topg3ar - December 8 - 1:04 am

  i purchased a LT2 2011 Chevy Equinox AWD 4cylander which is 1 step under the v6 a few months ago pre-owned , ive had it for a few months now and have no issue with it , mechanically the vehicle runs perfect , basically fully loaded just not a v6 power , over all its a really great car for new family.

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  what happened? - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By karamel20001 - December 7 - 5:24 pm

  Well its like this..purchased car in 2006 brand new. Had fair credit at the time so being a unknowledgable I went for the high int rate. Had some set backs, but any about the car. Excellent when I first purchased. Didnt start having major problems until 110,000 miles. Took it to the dealership and sears only to be serviced. I had a transmission flush at 75,000 miles, a fuel thing for the recall, a steering issue for the recall, belt replaced, 3 rotors changed. And a long list of other things done as time went own. Now have 174,500 miles and the engine didnt pass the compression check and now they say I need a new engine at the dealership and it cost 3,100 dollars. I still owe. :(

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  2 years 44.5k mile review - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By natalie14 - December 3 - 7:22 am

  My vehicle is a black fully loaded ltz rs with nav. The paint has a bit of eggshell reflection so it is not the highest quality but it still looks nice and has minimal chips considering the ammount of highway driving that I do. My front seat used to make noise. Dealer tightened the bolts and replaced a clip. No squeaks or rattles after that. No mechanical problems in nearly 45k miles with only basic maintenance done on the vehicle. Ride quality is smooth and predictable. Acceleration is good enough to get on the highway with no problems and pass slow vehicles. When not stomping on the gas and driving normally the mpg is in the upper 30s to low 40s unless going up hill.

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  Great car for the money! - 2013 Chevrolet Spark
  By hallshop - December 1 - 6:56 pm

  Bought one early, August 2012. LS Manual hatchback. Installed window rain guards, colored side moldings (factory), after market mudflaps, and a light duty trailer hitch to tow a small three rail motorcycle trailer to rides and races. Driving gently and hauling the trailer approx 7,000 miles of the 28,000 that the car had when totaled, was averaging 38.9mpg. Car was cheap to buy, cheap to operate, handled well. Hit a deer at approx 35mph. Locked seat belts, drove radiator back into the exhaust manifold, broke a headlight, kinked hood, kinked right fender. Didnt set air bags off. Some concern for safety, but had the deer contacted the bumper, wouldnt have been as bad. Looking at another one.