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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  I Love It! - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Mary - May 26 - 5:19 am

  I bought this car used in 03 and have loved it ever since. I have had a few costly problems, but otherwise it runs great and is a blast to drive, easy to park, fun off road. The only problems I have had have been at about 30,000 mile the master switch for the power windows broke, cost of almost $300 to replace, but I found one on Ebay for $10! Also I Just replaced the rear brakes, $700 later. I have 60,000 on it now and plan to keep it for at least another 5 years.

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  Love My Avalanche - 2006 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Love It! - May 25 - 2:43 pm

  This is hands down the nicest vehicle I have ever been lucky enough to own. It is the best of all worlds for me, large enough to haul my labs and hunting gear with locking compartments and also pull my trailer. Far more flexibility than my Silverado, Blazer, or Corvette!

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  Great LT - 2007 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By JeanL - May 25 - 8:24 am

  I traded in a Subaru to get more size and towing ability, and the TrailBlazer seemed like an excellent choice. The interior is very comfortable, the motor has great power, and the mileage has been acceptable. My family loves it, and my dogs are so impressed that they actually sit quietly in the back seat! Id recommend it to anyone.

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  Verifiable Wolf in Sheeps Clothing - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By Jason W - May 25 - 7:56 am

  Needed a new car, thanks to the VW TDI scandal and it just so happened to coincide with the elimination of my 110 mile round-trip commute. As a car enthusiast, I was looking for something fun to drive that also could haul the family in comfort. With fuel economy no longer a factor, I landed on the SS. My dealer couldnt locate a 6M in black, silver or blue within a 250 mile radius that also had the 20% off MSRP tag, so I ended up with an automatic. I was able to enjoy the summer tires for the first 800 miles before swapping them out for Michelin Ice Xi3 snow tires on 18" wheels. 1200 miles on the snow tires has been surprisingly good, and not all that different than my Passat TDI on the same tires. Of course the best part is firing up that big, throaty V8 and hitting the nearest on-ramp for a quick blast to 70+ mph. With the summer OEM tires back on, handling, braking, and acceleration instantly improved and I am enjoying this car every time I drive it. I have found the Performance setting to provide the best responsiveness for the automatic transmission and it handles excellent. Touring and Sport cause the auto to be very slow to respond on downshifts. With 2017 being the last model year for this modern day V8, RWD muscle car and fewer than 15,000 of these cars imported to the U.S. since the 2014s first came over, the opportunity to own a unique piece of Chevy history is running out. Im very happy that I was able to pick one up and use it as my daily driver.

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  Rear still hurts - 2002 Chevrolet Blazer
  By chevro-neveragain - May 25 - 1:01 am

  Bad purchase! Car looked great with a 3 year warranty, and nice black paint job. It has been a money pit ever since that first day. Ive had everything replaced ranging from rear wiper pump, to the drivers side door motor, u-joint, both front wheel hubs. The rear trim panel, is fried up. The drivers side seat doesnt work right, rear seat doesnt fold down, handle broke. Water from front windshield leak sitting under passenger side carpet. Loose steering. The car honestly feels like it is going to fall apart when I drive it. Although, its really realible.....for the mechanic.

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  Fits both small and large drivers - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By ILAveo - May 24 - 9:12 pm

  The low cost of ownership in this hatchback is what initiallly attracted us. The main thing that finally sold us was that both my wife (53", 125 lb) and I (62", 220 lb) could find reasonably comfortable driving positions. Many other small cars do a poor job of accomodating those of us who arent about the standard 58". It is surprisingly roomy inside--there is actually enough headroom to for me to sit up in the backseat. The Aveos performance and mileage, while adequate, could be better, but you cant have everything at this price point.

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  189k and still going... what a tank - 2000 Chevrolet Suburban
  By mountainman68 - May 24 - 2:29 pm

  My 2000 Suburban is a 3/4ton 4x4 LT and gets me anywhere I want to go. Ive been through snow 4 feet deep. The 6.0L vortec really pulls through. Ive been up 7% grades 100 times. It has seen the backwoods, towed 11k trailers, and has been through deep mud and water on hunting season. I bought this truck with 16k on it and it now has nearly 190k with nothing more than belts, tires, and 2 sets of brakes replaced. I pull out trucks all the time up by our cabin in mariposa pines, our toyhauler on the beach, and i love the feeling of owning a huge american tank.

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  Love it - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By John - May 24 - 11:23 am

  I love this truck. I drove it off the lot with 7 miles on it. 5000 miles later and not a problem. This truck will go anywhere. I even pulled a 4wd truck out of a mud hole. (after I drove arround him!)

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  Sure beats walking!! - 2016 Chevrolet Spark
  By James Siesfeld - May 23 - 11:51 pm

  If you have ever had to walk any distance because you had no other choice than walking, you will understand the value of the Spark. The Spark fills an important spot in todays transportation needs for economical and environmentally friendly means of getting around where mass transit lets us down. Go Spark!

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  Dependable - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By Virginian - May 23 - 12:11 pm

  Bought the truck with 5K miles on it from a young couple having their first baby. I have almost 140K on it and it has been the most depenable daily driver I have owned. I knew about the potential ball joint problems and had grease inserts put in. I replaced the shocks at 50K,not because they were bad. Light trucks tend to fish tail over gravel and wash boards and I wanted better stability. I had the rotors turned and new pads put on at 75K, and the lower balls joints replaced at 135K. At 104K I changed the plugs, plug wires, flushed the radiator, replaced the lube in the transmission and rear end. Other than normal maintenance nothing else has failed. Oh, I replaced the battery.