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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  Lots of room, thats it - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Kevin - June 27 - 4:54 am

  Love the room. That’s all. Man, this thing has been expensive to maintain. At 110,000, had to put an $800 fuel pump in it while on vacation. The ac/heat blower motor only works on high now. Mechanics say a $40.00 sensor is bad, but since it requires the removal of the dash... labor alone is $450.00. Power locks usually don’t work. Left rear window only rolls down half way. Passenger seat heater comes on and off.

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  My TrailBlazer is a piece of crap - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Chris T - June 26 - 2:34 pm

  At first I loved it - smooth ride, good size. But weve had nothing but troubles: 3 transmissions in 50,000 miles, electrical problems, computer issues, problems with the fuel injectors. Its been in and out of the repair shop for the last 6 months, and the last time we only had it home for 12 hours before it wouldnt start again. Too bad too, because I loved driving my TB, but the reliability stinks.

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  Change the brakes and check the oil - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By wdowns9 - June 26 - 10:00 am

  Replaced brakes 3 times in the first 15000 miles, had rotors turned twice once at GMs expsense. The next time the dealer refused to do anything so I went to another. They turned the rotors for me..no charge. Transmission went out at 41000, major overhaul no replacement. Went out again at 44000 no replacement. Dealer replaced my rotors, brakes and did a bunch of other technical bulletin work without any problems. Car runs well but Im always suspect of the transmission after its two previous failures.

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  Good truck but problems - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500
  By mars - June 25 - 9:00 am

  Overall the truck has been good. But 5 injectors and drivers seat adjust mech (under warranty, but still truck is down) instrument panel cluster is a joke. Whole companies are devoted to rebuilding IPC on all makes. So once again truck is down while you get to pay $500 for a rebuilt defective IPC. (GM has announced they will pay for this but we have seen no money). OnStar was good for unlocking doors and diagnosing ground faults on several glow plugs. Once the "free" runs out it is easier to hide an extra key. OSs peace of mind comes at a cost. If you can afford an expensive truck then be prepared for expensive upkeep. It is a good and powerful work truck

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  Follow up to my 5/26/2007 review - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Chris - June 22 - 4:45 am

  Soon after I submitted my first review on this forum my Colorado developed a cylinder head/valve train issue. Its going back to the dealer for a cylinder head/valve replacement next week. Apparently this has developed into a common problem for the I4 and I5 motors. The notion of having my engine torn apart this early on hasnt done much for my owner experience and to make things worse GM wont extend my drive warranty. For GM to continue to have these kinds of quality problems is very frustrating to me. Id prefer to support the American manufacturers but Im not sure I can afford to nor even want to anymore.

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  Yuk - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jimbo - June 21 - 2:56 pm

  Ive had nothing but problems with wind noise coming from the rear windows. Ive taken the truck back to the dealer several times and they cant fix it. I also had 3 out of 4 speakers blow.

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  Dont buy a 2003 or 2004 model!!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By nomoreGM2day - June 17 - 1:50 am

  Chevy has a problem with the cluster panel in the 2003 and 2004 models. They do not stand behind their work and are not willing to do anything about it. My dealer replaces 1 or 2 a month....this is a serious problem and not just with the Trailblazer, but ALL makes and models of Chevys. GM needs to find a way to keep their loyal customers happy. (GM owner since the early 80s).

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  Unexpected Airbag Deployment - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Frustrated - June 13 - 10:27 pm

  This is my 46th Chevrolet that I have owned. Options WoW, loaded to the max. Smooth driving and handling. Power to weight ratio in the drain. I have driven 11,000 miles in 5 months. Window sticker advertises 16 city 21 highway, the best I have acheived is 11.9, dealer now tell me thats normal. Today while driving on a bumpy road at appr.25 mph both side airbags deployed. Not sure how this is going to work out, but I am going to try and go back to a crew cab 1500 Z-71 Chevy truck. I have had 11 repairs with this Avalanche and I have lost faith in it. This is my first regretable Chevrolet purchase. I have loved the Vettes and trucks that I have owned. The floorboard creaks when turning also.

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  A Couple of Problems - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By LP - June 10 - 11:15 pm

  I have had my car for about 2 1/2 years, its been pretty dependable for the price, but I have had some issues with the gauges. My RPM gauge stopped working first, followed by my fuel gauge, and now my speedometer is starting to work on-and-off like the others did before they stopped working. I havent bothered to get them fixed because Im about to trade it in, but I wasnt too happy about that. However, its a great starter car.

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  07 2500 LT Update - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Dave - June 6 - 4:13 pm

  I have had the 07 Burb for 7 months now. It is my 3rd Suburban. If you need to tow forget the 2500. The hitch height is 23" vs the previous 15" and is a pain to set up. It is clear that the new Burb was designed for the ladies and the 2500 should have been dropped. The factory NAV system is so limited that I use my Garmin portable and shut it off. GM was obsessed with form and style rather than function on the 07 2500. The 6.0 engine is whimpy for a serious tow vehicle. Id sell today if I wouldnt lose my behind on the deal. I only have 6K on the odometer rather than the 12K to 14K I put on my previous Burbs in the same time.