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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  consumer review - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Darryl Shumway - November 24 - 10:00 am

  The stereo is the only thing that has given me problems but when I take it to the dealership takes care of it and all is good again. For the price you get more options for less with the Chevrolet. Fun to drive.

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  chev silverado - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By rrcleve - November 24 - 10:00 am

  very reliable, no problems to date. getting better mileage than rating, 22 on the hiway. very comfortable.

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  Absolutely FUN to drive! - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By MsDebtUSA - November 24 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE my Chevy Prizm. It is so much fun to drive and manuer in and out of traffic. Its also very reliable. Ive had my car for two years and it has given me NO problems at all. And though it is not the most stylish car on the road, it is more economical than its identical sister, the Toyota Corrolla. In fact, I almost laugh whenever I see someone in a Corrolla because I bet they paid about $2,000 more for their car than I did for mine, yet the cars are IDENTICAL. I would defintely buy this car again.

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  Great Truck - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By AzJones - November 23 - 2:03 pm

  Good power (no problems keeping up with traffic)... Decent mileage (around 14.5 - 15.5 mpgs) ... Reasonably comfortable for a heavy hauler ... Definitely love the manual trans (use 1st gear for first 500 miles ... after that use only when towing). Additionally, I like the styling, though Dodge and Ford look good also. In my opinion, you cant go wrong with any of the big 3s 2500 series trucks ... Test drive em all and decide which one you think you look best in. Suggested options are locking diff, sliding rear window, snow plow prep (gives more powerful alternator), on/off road tires, towing pkg, and extra battery (not for starting but any accessories). Hope this helps some folks

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  The great American comeback - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mike - November 23 - 12:33 pm

  Americans can now be proud that our industry is coming back to providing the customer with an outstanding automobile. Awesome ride, steering, interior and best of all GAS Mileage!Will never buy a foreign vehicle as long as I live as a real American! Thank you General Motors!

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  Best car!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By J Skogg - November 23 - 7:06 am

  Best vehicle I have ever owned. Great in snow and wet weather. Sporty look, but also great for a family vehicle. Trunk is big and fold down seats come in handy.

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  2002 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 - 2002 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Jonathan Colon - November 23 - 2:00 am

  This car is simply amazing. Unbelievably lightning fast, intense power, state of the art Corvette muscle car engine. This car with its V8 gets better gas milage, than my 6 cylinder Acura. The last of a fine breed of muscle cars. I wouldnt trade this car for any other in the world. Unlimited potential with the wide array of after- market parts. I love this car.

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  What a great fun car! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Lauri Camplese - November 22 - 7:13 pm

  I bought my HHR last year, and love everything about it. It is great on gas, and has a lot of room to haul things around. I bought it since I have 2 kids that play soccer, and it was voted the safest car on the road, in fact my insurance went down over $600 for the year! If that isnt reason enough to buy it then let me add that it is comfortable and roomy on the inside. The outside style is awesome, I love when people stop me in parking lots to ask me about the performance and things like that. Trust me, I would not want to drive anything else.

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  I love my cavalier!!! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By LannUNCC - November 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Cavalier brand new,almost 2 years ago and I have not had any problems with it. The main reasons behind me buying a Cavalier is the price, the look, and the quality. The prices is very reasonable, even for a young person like myself. Its a really nice looking car, has a very sporty look...a definite eye catcher for young people. And I couldnt ask for a more dependable car.

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  Cobalt - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Marge - November 21 - 9:46 pm

  I have owned a Chevy Cobalt for 4 months now. I have 2500 miles on it. I really enjoy driving this car. It handles well. It has good pick-up and is easy to drive. My daughter also likes to drive my new Cobalt. Everyone whos sees it likes the way it looks. It ia laser blue metalic. It is comfortable in the front and back. The features are great. You can program up to 36 staions on the radio. The driver information center is cool. Lots of good info available on it, miles per gal, oil life percentage, 2 trip odomoters, fuel range, outside temp and a couple of other things too. Highway driving I get 32-34 MPG. The rear seats fold down so you can get larger things in the trunk.