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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  Interior Design Flaws - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sophia - April 28 - 3:22 pm

  Interior shiny chrome features near gear shift and dash area blind the driver during daytime driving. Matte silver would be a safer design option. Radio buttons on steering wheel should be on LEFT side, since most people utilize their right hand to do other things besides drive (talk on phone, drink beverage, get items from passenger seat, etc)

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  The LS is a Very Good Value - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Scott - April 28 - 2:52 pm

  Got the 4cyl. LS. Although the LS is the base trim the car is well equipped. I spend a lot of time on the interstate driving to work. The Malibu excels in this type of driving: it is very quit and gets good gas mileage. I have 35000 on my Malibu and have had zero problems. The OEM tires are still good. The driver seat has a small wear spot wher my wallet sits in my back pants pocket. For the money, this is a very good value. I need a reliable and pleasant vehicle to drive 90 miles everyday to work. The Malibu fits the bill.

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  Impala LS base model - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ryan - April 28 - 1:05 pm

  I bought my Impala LS feb 2009 with 33,000 miles as a used rental car, the car now in april 10 it has nearly 60,000 miles. The car drives just as a large GM car should - smooth and quiet. The car has better road holding abilities than some older large GM cars Ive owned. Some say the handiling of an Impala is poor but I can go around any turn at or slightly above the posted speed limit with out any issues. If you take recreational or business trips you will like this car alot. Fully loaded with 4 adults and gear I was 200lbs over max weight (about 1,200 lbs) and got 27mpg on a 150 mile sight seeing/camping trip through the hills of NY and PA. Its a good commuter car also with25- 28mpg avg

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  2005 Chevy Tahoe 4x4 - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Blueinboro - April 28 - 12:15 pm

  Biggest reliability issues have been with the Encoder Motor for the transmission. Net search shows these are problematic with all Tahoe 4 wheel drive vehicles They are expensive to replace and need replacing every 2-3 years.

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  A good car for the price - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By calcote - April 27 - 5:56 pm

  The Chevy Impala is a very nice car. It has many nice features. The fuel economy is pretty bad on this car. It gets only about 21 mpg in rural areas. The style of the interior and exterior is very nice and the car is very roomy. It is a very reliable car that looks very nice. The cars is very quiet, comfortable, and has a very fair price.

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  07 HHR LT - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By RSS - April 27 - 3:05 pm

  Were very excited when we purchased this vehicle. It looks good, fun to drive and gets good gas mileage. The fun ends after about 60,000 miles. Would suggest you trade it in at the 36,000 mile mark. The cost for repairs after that will make you wish you never bought the car.

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  Great Buy! New or Used! - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By TK - April 26 - 11:05 am

  Bought a 2006 C6 Convertible used with 45k miles. Love driving this car more and more every time I take her out. Acceleration is very strong and handling is great. The power of this car should be respected but at the same time it is a wonderful daily driver that does not jerk you around. Ride quality is much better than expected but I can do without the noise from the Navigation system it sounds like a DVD / CD is constantly adjusting. Great over all value!

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  Poor comfort driver front seat - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Moose - April 25 - 11:18 pm

  The car has great styling, and alot of good options for the money. Both myself and wife are having prolems with the driver side seat and haedrest. We are just not confortable. We like the looks and ride of this car.

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  Overall, a good car - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Gary - April 25 - 9:50 pm

  My wife loves this car! It has been a good car up to now. Good mileage on the highway and easy to handle.

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  Left in despair - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Clayton Hawk - April 25 - 11:57 am

  This is the second time within 90 days I have experienced problems with the console or gear safety switch locking up and not able to change into any gear. How inconvenent is this. I say it has been very upsetting. This has left me and my family stranded and needing the car towed and billed to my insurance.