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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  My first Vette - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By mark - August 10 - 8:10 pm

  I have had this car for about a year and half. Fun to drive. Gets a lot of positive feedback and turns heads a lot! My wife dosent like to ride in it but thats OK. There are plenty of other people who do!

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  Good truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By FRED - August 10 - 5:30 pm

  I use this truck for a meat packing plant I own. It has a lot of power and hauls meat, my boats, and a huge trailer of deer hides very well. I never had a mecanical failure on it before. I smoked a deer with it and it had a lot of damage to the front and fender (which still was never fixed right becouse the front bumper and grille is not centered very well). I also like the acceleration on it. Overall I love this truck.

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  04 Vette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By shobe - August 10 - 11:44 am

  Great car, ride, performance. Gas mileage 19 around town. Bright red, real head turner. No returns to dealer except for oil changes.

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  Cute Little Commuter - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Expymom - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Surprising amount of space up front and in trunk. Fun little car to wrack the miles up on and not feel bad about it. This little guy is sacrificing to save a new Tacoma Double Cab.

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  2500hd Chevy - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By beemer - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Excellent vehicle for towing a 5th wheel camper. The 8.1 and allison are a perfect match. Tows better than the cummins I used to have.

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  My first new car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Chris Rock - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Wasnt a real big fan of the cavalier but really enjoying the car

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  Silverados are junk - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By ka8dzt - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Many small minor problems. Transmission replaced at 58,000 miles. Brakes are junk...have never worked right. Passenger seat belt doesnt work correctly...never has. Engine vibrates badly especially on cold mornings. Eats fan belts. Have work with 2 dealers Terry Lee Chevrolet and Rose Chevrolet. Didnt seemed concerned about my complaints. Never fixed any problem I had...said I had to live with the problems. Have bought GM vehicles for over 30 years but never again!!!!!!

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  2004 z71 avalanche - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By dandi - August 10 - 10:00 am

  I love my avalanche. I own and show quarter horses as well as live on a farm. This vehicle has saved feed and other cargo many times since we have owned it from getting wet and unusable. I love the interior. It is comfortable and drives almost as smooth as a car. I do have the Bose sound system and satilite radio. It is a great system. Overall this is a great vehicle.

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  See Your USA - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Joseph Condomitti - August 10 - 10:00 am

  Trip to FL. 2 day trip but my wife felt great. Her back didnt hurt,she loved the ride and just wanted to drive it through. I had 8 people in the car in Florida and they loved it.The gas milage was 19.4.drive,handled well,looks great,good be better on gas,and in is American. It gets my vote and I drive a Benz and it rides nicer than the Benz and the salespeople were much nicer! Has more room than my brother-in-laws Navigator in the 3rd row.

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  Great value with Classy Aggressive Looks - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By ucdavisboy - August 10 - 10:00 am

  The Equinox is a once in a decade auto- a vehicle that is an incredible value, great performer within its class, but yet likely to be largely overlooked by the purchasing public. The Equinox does not really excel in any one area (except maybe styling-see below), but it is exceptional enough in every single area to make it an extremely enjoyable SUV to own. Combine that with incredible value (my loaded LT FWD was $22,500 off the lot) and you cannot lose.