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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  Built well, but Beware... - 1990 Chevrolet Caprice
  By 87classic - March 12 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car off an older uncle in my family who pampered this car and rarely drove it. As of this date it has only 180000KMs and the problems with it are increasing by the day. BEWARE! i have the 307 W/OD engine in this car, it gets a mere 12MPG (THATS RIGHT!) and sucks down oil like you wouldnt believe. I take VERY good care of this car and the engine just seems to want to quit on me. We think its the valve guide seals, or the carburetor float is letting in too much gas and diluting the oil, or possible the piston rings are gone...however its not worth my $$ to get it fixed ($700-1200 job)

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  wish Id bought a Toyota - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dissapointed dave - March 12 - 2:00 am

  One of the poorest vehicle buys I have made: Brakes are terrible, replaced engine due to remote oil filter failure. Electrical problems plauge it. 15 mpg is nothing to write home about. Sways side to side too much. Interior rattles due to poor fit & finish. Plastic trim on exterior falling apart, door hinges broke on driver and passenger side. CD player died. Would not recommend to others.

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  Another GM lemon - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 3500
  By Matt Bell - March 5 - 4:50 pm

  Has electrical problems. Intermittantly wont start. Also has transmission problems when slowed down under heavy load, I lose gears. Appears the torque converter runs away. GM cant fix electrical problem. I filed and was awarded a lemon law buy back. GM is miserable to deal with and has been dragging their feet every step of the way. Would not recommend any Chevrolet truck to anyone. Personally will never purchase another one. I am already out $6000.00+ and still waiting for GM to buy the vehicle back from me per the arbitrators decision.

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  Junk - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Gummersbach - March 4 - 2:00 am

  Worse vehicle I have ever owned. Major electrical issues, including multiple alternators, etc. I must carry around a box of fuses to re-energize the dash every couple weeks after the fuse blows. If I do not replace it, the battery drains and I have a dead vehicle. A total nightmare.

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  a boring car - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Tombennett - March 2 - 2:00 am

  bought for 6 grand with only 27k at 5 yrs old. good power from reliable engine, nice styling, back seat is huge, but at expense of front room. I had to replace rotors, and brakes are not the best in general. No other repairs in 3+ years. Handles like a beached whale, though. If the seats were not so mushy, and the interior not so cheap plastic-ey, I would like it a lot better. But, with a wax job, and those alloy wheels, it looks damn sharp in the driveway. And, with the money i saved driving boring cars like this, I live in a half million dollar house. Not so bad for a school teacher

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  Not too great... - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By brandon30263 - March 1 - 2:00 am

  I have owned this 2003 S-10 for 8 months, Ive had it in the service shop over 9 times... Tranmission shifts really hard, and big delay when slowing down, then speeding up.

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  Buyer Beware! - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Alias Username - March 1 - 2:00 am

  Dont buy one. The Dex-Cool Antifreeze that is required if you dont want to void the warranty causes premature engine failure by eroding the seals at around 60,000 miles. If you dont get the extended warranty this damage will cost you thousands for a new motor! The front wheel bearings also tend to go bad early. Check consumer websites before you buy.

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  never again - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By dave 1 - February 24 - 2:00 am

  just replace manifold gaskets again.$1100. did it last year too.$834. Thank god for the Hertz extended warranty. Problem after problem. The ignition key "chip" went bad last year...towing and electrical investigation...$379 turn signal shot $201 Im buying a Honda Civic next.

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  Isnt there a lemon law? - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By eakwave - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I have had to fix or replace the air conditioning, brakes, clutch, head gasket, and two valves before I even hit 50,000 miles. Of course, most of this happened about six hours after the warranty was up so it all came out of pocket. Gotta love Chevy.

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  stay away! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By davehatescavaliers - February 23 - 2:00 am

  after being ripped off in 2001 for $3000 more than the car was even worth, its been one problem after another with this little piece of you- know-what. im considering replacing it with a 12 year old accord with 108,000 miles if that tells you anything. that honda will be a real step up.