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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  Major bang for the buck! - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tman - February 3 - 5:33 pm

  For the money these cars cost, they provide an incredible value for the performance car buyer. It has amazing acceleration, corners like it is on rails, gets 30MPG on the highway, has no rattles or squeeks, has great visual impact, has a very comfortable ride and seats, lots of gee-whiz technology like a head up display, and is just a very rock solid car.

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  Lo and behold - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By nomorechevies - February 2 - 11:13 pm

  I bought this car because I got a deal. Im on this site looking for a new car and felt I owed it to anyone thinking about a Malibu to say dont do it! I was surprised to see that everyone on here has had similar problems. Head gaskets, coolant goes down without a leak, heat/AC only works on the third or fourth setting- first two burnt out, went thru wheel bearings left and right, I have put more money into this car than I paid for it! I thought I just got a lemon, apparently so did everyone else who bought it. It was comfy, pretty good on gas, and nice to drive. When it was actually running. Or not in the garage with 5 mechanics around it who couldnt pin what was wrong with it.

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  04 Impala LS - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Rick - February 2 - 4:36 pm

  My 04 Impala LS has performed great. I have taken it on long trips and gotten around 30 MPG at interstate speeds. I have no complaints and would buy another Chevy Impala again.

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  Ouch - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By JA - February 2 - 12:23 pm

  I was pretty pleased with my Colorado until recently. I purchased it new 2.5 years ago. Great ride. Great gas mileage. Good in the snow. The starter had to be replaced after 6 months. My check engine light recently came on. Took it to the dealership. They tell me a cylinder needs replaced. $3,000+. Whoa! Of course the warranty has expired too. This shouldnt happen. The truck isnt that old and I hear of others with the same problem.

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  Nice Truck! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By 07 LTZ - February 2 - 11:06 am

  I love this truck. The ride is luxury smooth and quiet. The inside is first class on LTZ. The Bose system is great. Cruise and stereo controls on steering wheel are nice. The 20" wheels look great. I get 18 mpg mixed driving and 18 on interstate at 70 with plenty of power and a nice exhaust sound under heavy throttle. Chevy has designed and built one nice truck.

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  Great Deal - 2001 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Kat - February 2 - 9:56 am

  My husband and I downgraded from a Dodge Ram, and love our little Tracker. Its a plain model, but its 4WD capabilities are awesome. Since its so light, it actually outshines many larger 4WDs. Nothing fancy in ours to break such as power windows. CD player and radio work great. Have had to take off heat shield, bolts came undone and it rattled something terrible. We bought it for his commute to work, and the gas mileage is pretty decent! Turning radius is super small, and it zips around everywhere we need to go. I have no worries about our motor its the same as a geo prisim, and I know those are spectatular. While its not a luxury SUV by any means, it is fun, functional, and reliable!

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  The best car ever - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JP7 - February 1 - 6:20 pm

  The car is amazing to drive fast, tight ,and never lets you down. Its suprisingly comfortable and has great gas mileage. GM has stood behind this vehicle and serviced it remarkably well. The people who built it had an incredible work ethic I havent seen in a long time. Museum delivery was awsome. The handling at high speeds is also excellent. I just cant believe they put together a winner .

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  Too many electrical problems - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Bob - February 1 - 4:25 pm

  Too many electrical problems. Turn signal intermittant, noisy steering column, horn blows constant, removed horn fuse to stop horn. Dealership, Chevrolet should be accountable for these problems. This was a GM certified program car. This is first GM purchased and the way I look at it, will be the last! Buy American products and get junk for your money. Not good business procedure! This was a good looking car.

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  Comfortable ride with good power - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By BrewTownDan - February 1 - 1:16 pm

  One of the most comfortable riding SUVs Ive ridden/driven. Handles very well, but the 4WD is lacking if youre really in the thick of things. Definitely opt for the locking rear differential if youre going to test its limits. The interior is a bit drab could definitely use some sprucing up. However, the large controls are very user-friendly. The numerous rear storage compartments are useful. Actual workmanship of the vehicle is ok, but after only 4 years of ownership, door moldings are working their way loose and rust is developing from the inside-out along the bottoms of the doors. Taillight lenses and license plate lights also let in far too much moisture.

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  Great For Students! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By foxxy - January 31 - 3:29 pm

  I bought my 97 Cavalier sedan from a good friend of mine. It had a little body damage when I bought it but nothing major. They had put a new O2 sensor on it but other than that had no major issues with it. So far the only thing Ive had to do to it was put a new water pump on today. Im a college student and I highly reccomend them to anyone looking for an inexpensice way to get around. Despite below freezing temps, mine has started up almost the first time every time. Its really a great car as long as theyre well taken care of. They may not be the fanciest or the fastest car out there, but theyre dependable and great fuel mileage. They really have a lot of potential. I love mine to death!