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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  Camaros SS - 1999 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Dave Doughty - May 24 - 2:00 am

  Best modern day muscle car/daily driver period! Nothing can match the performance and enjoyablity without spending at least $50,000-$60,000. I would be lost without this car!!!

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  1995 Z28 - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By super83Z - May 24 - 2:00 am

  The car is awesome! It gets 17 MPGs around town and 24 on the highway. All this from a "gas guzzling" V-8. People need to get with the times. It gets better mileage than some 4-cylinders. The car is comfortable and beautiful. Nothing has broken with 70K on the clock tranny still shifts perfect and engine purrs like a kitten.

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  Just drive it to believe it - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By RKienhofer - May 23 - 9:36 am

  Love it,j ust got it on 10/01 and cant believe the quiet ride, how tight it feels, and all the goodies it has for a small car at $20,000 bucks. Got the auto and 174 horses, all the power plus 30 mpg and the review on cornering, I didnt buy an Indy car.

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  One year review with second Volt - 2015 Chevrolet Volt
  By Brian - May 23 - 9:15 am

  This is my second Volt after owning a red 2012 Volt for 3 and a half years, 50K miles, and no issues. The 2015 is almost identical, everything works as expected. Some people dont like the capacitive buttons on the dash, but I dont mind, they wear very well. The car itself wears very well, maintains its appearance as long as you give it proper attention. Like most people, I usually go over a thousand miles on a tank of gas, most of the time more. My work location has a charging station so no additional cost in electricity at home, nice perk. If you are worried about reliability, dont be, the car goes forever, battery will probably last over 200K miles, and electric motor I read is good for 600K miles. Safety is also top notch (5 stars).

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  Great Car!! - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tdaddy - May 23 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car in 1998, with the mileage at 134,000 miles. The car now has 230,000 miles on it and it still runs great. The power of the 2.2 is amazing and I have no problems keeping up with the newer cars. Although alternators seem to be a reacuring problem, and brakes but all around its a real great car. Right now I have to look at a new transmision problems, and im curiouse to see if anyone else has had shifting problems with the Automatic transmission, the car wont shift to drive, and i feel it might be a common problem with that year

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  SOOO Fast! - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bertrand - May 23 - 2:00 am

  I have driven many cars before recently buying my Z06 - AMG C32, Lexus SC430, BMWs and others - but nothing under $70K can compare to the performance of the Z06 - 0-60 in 3.9, 1/4 mile in low 12s, 1G lat. pull - one cannot truly understand the power of this car on full boil without trying it for themselves - simply obliterates anything out there.

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  Best value for a single person - 2016 Chevrolet Spark
  By David - May 22 - 7:51 pm

  The most economical automobile I could find. -- Dealer was very accommodating -- gave me top dollar for my beat-up trade-in and ate the MV fees. Car is easy to maneuver & to park, holds the road well in the rain. Small size helps avoid accidents -- when I swerved to avoid a deer I missed the guard rail by an inch; would have scraped it in a wider car. Rear storage is small, but perfect for grocery bags -- they cant fall over. Cruise control and blue tooth are very convenient features. Front passenger seat is quite comfortable. Rear not so much, but I rarely if ever have more than one passenger. Fuel economy less than advertised, but still decent. MUCH less expensive than competitors Yaris, Fit, Mini & Fiat.

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  Great Car - 1996 Chevrolet Corsica
  By kev1387 - May 22 - 2:00 am

  This car is perfect for the beginner or anyone. This car is very reliable and is still holding up and going stron g at 104,000 miles.

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  Love my S10 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By BugMan - May 22 - 2:00 am

  Bought it for commercial pest control vehicle, used around town and regularly haul 800 pounds and it handles the load no problem. Zero factory defects and more than I expected. The four cylinder engine isnt a hot rod, but it gets the job done. Very comfortable seats and the ride is fantastic, more like a car than truck. Very good Interstate road vehicle and nimble around town. Air Conditioner works fantastic. I dont understand the reviews saying it looks cheap inside, it looks good to me. I drove all the small trucks and got the best deal on the Chevy plus I liked it more. I drove other brands for 40 years and this is my first Chevy truck. Guarantee it wont be my last. I love it.

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  this car is great - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Big John - May 22 - 2:00 am

  i love my camaro