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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  Best van for our needs - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By claudia palamar - July 22 - 3:23 pm

  This is the third Astro we have owned. Currently we tow a 26.5ft travel trailer through the midwest and have experienced no problems. One must drive responsibly and not expect to break any speed records.

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  Love It - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Scott - July 22 - 2:23 pm

  Got 33 MPG even with AWD. Seating is more comfortable than CRV and RAV4. Fun to drive.

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  New Z06 - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JACK SENN - July 22 - 11:08 am

  The Z06 is the best car Ive ever driven. The power is unbelievable. The fact that I can take a Lamborghini Gallardo or a Ferrari F490 in an American car that costs a third of what those two do is amazing. The styling is incredible, the ride is smoother than the 911 4s, or the BMW M6. This car is the real deal. My 505 hp 7.0l engine is getting about 22 miles to the gallon. This is all around the best car on the market for the money.

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  GMs S-10 Blazer Disappointment - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Roger S. - July 22 - 10:00 am

  I bought my S-10 LT 4WD Wagon with 5,000 miles on it.At first I thought it was great,then things began to come up.First thing I noticed was the terrible Fuel mileage!I also noticed that the interior had more squeaks and noises than my Grandmothers old Rocking Chair! Next was the Mechanical problems.2 sets of Oil Cooler lines by 25,000 miles,the Muffler at 18,000,Seat recliner handle, Transfer case leaks.Now at 40,000 miles I have some kind of Suspension noise.Im now going to trade this dissappointment in.

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  Its a pain to drive - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By oilerfootball - July 22 - 10:00 am

  If your looking for a challenge, this car is the one for you. I bought this in August and have had two wrecks that could be attributed to the mechanics of the car. It is very difficult to see out of with many blind spots, and it has very sloppy handling. Buy anything but this car.

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  Good but could be great - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Leigh Z - July 22 - 10:00 am

  After spending a month with the car, I am beginning to really like the car. For everyday commuting it is very comfortable and gets very good gas mileage. What it isnt is a performance beast that makes me want to take it out for the hell of it and just cruise around. For a SS moniker car I expect it to outperform the average sedan from Japan. Sadly, it just does not cut it under the hood.

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  a keeper - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By luv2boat - July 22 - 10:00 am

  Bought the truck new. compared to ford and dodge but chevy had more creature comforts for not just the driver but the passenger, go figure! Much quieter interiors than others. Pull a 20ft I/O boat and never complains. Regular maintenance and TLC makes for a great looking / running truck. only trouble was some cracked leather which was replaced, a window seal that was reglued, and now at 42,000 miles is a malfunctioning gas gauge and front drive seal yet to be fixed.

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  Best Ride on the Road - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mike - July 22 - 9:55 am

  My wife has an X5 and I have the Z71 Suburban. It drives so well I can not give it up. We have three kids and this vehicle is perfect for us. I have all the "bells and whistles" and it is perfect for road trips to the beach, etc. We have looked at all luxury SUV options. This is your best value. I recommend the Z71. We have the third row and bucket seats on the second row. If you get a bench seat on the second row it makes it very difficult to get the kids in and out.

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  2007 Atomic Orange Z06 Corvette - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 2007 Corvette Z06 - July 21 - 3:59 pm

  This car is awesome. GM finally did it right. Several times they have come close, but never actually did it. What do I mean by they finally did it? For the first time they have not allowed a specific price point to keep the car from becoming what it should have done many times over. The greatest American muscle car that has basically no limitations. You have to spend 200K to get a car that can even come close to the all around performance of this car.

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  Bought a Lemon - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Lynn27 - July 21 - 9:04 am

  Weve had this car for 3 years and 3 months (37,000 miles) and have had it in for service 18 times. Though all were under warranty, it meant time off work to take the car in, sitting for a couple of hours in dealership, or finding someone willing to drive us back and forth. This is the most unreliable car weve ever had. Service included: steering column replaced, (lost power on highway and I couldnt steer), fluid leaks from axles, new routers, stablizer bar, front end problems (Chevy is working on this they said), trunk release broke, strut mounts replaced, seat broke, new muffler, hazard button fell into dashboard, gas cap recall and more.