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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  Good Transportation - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By DK - July 26 - 12:25 pm

  Perfect choice for someone looking for a small car, basic transportation. Decent sound, great on gas, decent room for a small car. Reliable as all outdoors, I loved it.

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  Solid and dependable - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By 4 Dr LT 4WD - July 26 - 7:40 am

  This truck is a vast improvement over the 2001 GMC Jimmy I traded in. The engine is smooth, quiet, and strong. The ride is firm and comfortable, even on long trips.

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  Cheaply Built - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jess_wells - July 25 - 11:26 pm

  We purchased this vehicle almost a year ago, and weve replaced the brakes twice. Neither sun visor stays up and the plastic mirror cover is broken on both sun visors. There is a rattling noise under the dash board that rattles loudly between 40 and 55 mph. The car has a difficult time starting, and we often have to turn the key three or four times to get the car to start. The dealer denies there is a problem with the way the car starts, and they say they can not fix the sun visors. We have a three day appointment to get the noise "looked at", but the dealer will most likely need to keep the car additional days to tear into the dash board, if they admit they can hear the sound.

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  No Other Beast - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SICKZ06 - July 25 - 4:41 pm

  Absolutely the best bang for your buck. Considering the fact its competetion are thousands away. Porsche and Dodge are still great cars, but for all it is worth the Vette Z06 is the true American Sports Car. A legend still adding rights!

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  Liked my Venture Better - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By bamman - July 25 - 1:39 pm

  Overall I like to appearance of the Uplander but the reliability of this vehicle is horrible. Ive had the rotors replaced twice, new tires, the lights (internal & external) flicker constantly and their is a constant buzz in the windshield (I have a friend with the same van and the same buzz). My Venture was a nicer vehicle.

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  Not very solid - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By fish - July 25 - 10:00 am

  I got my 2006 LT2 ext. cab silverado in april of 2010. It was very clean with only 35,000 miles on it.Now its October and I have replaced both front rotors after they warped, the passenger side window on the back door was replaced because it leaked air. They did a very poor job of that. Now the other side is leaking. The front end knocks I think its the rack and pinion so it is going back for that too. It also has a rattle in the dash, sounds like the instrument panel. Otherwise its GREAT.

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  Home Run! - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By cyper2002 - July 25 - 10:00 am

  I was hesitant about purchasing a Chevy, but I hope this car continues to impress! I have to say I really hope people start taking a look because this car blows the Corolla and Civic out of the water. Not sure about Chevy reliability, but I am impressed with the fit an finish of the car. Hopefully what seems to be great build quality will translate into great long term reliability and decent resale value.

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  Poor quality - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By rt - July 24 - 9:16 pm

  In the first 22,000 miles I had to take this truck back to the dealer 9 times. I am constantly having problems with the windshield wipers, and various squeaks and rattles from the dash. Had to have the transmission reprogramed because it was clunking, the bed repainted because it was peeling, the steering shaft fixed becuase it was knocking, and many minor repairs, like the cigarette lighter not working. However, if the truck did not have these problems I would have been very satisfied with it. But based on the experience I have had I would not get another Chevy.

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  Great Truck so far - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Pat Patterson - July 24 - 7:00 pm

  I traded in my 2005 GMC 2WD Crew which was a great truck. Couldnt resist the rebates and incentives GM was giving on the 08s besides Id been wanting a 4WD. So far a real nice truck. Ive read where the new truck is worlds better than the old but I cant tell it. Both are great handling, comfortable and well built. I wasnt sold on the looks of the 2008 model but its growing on me, especially in Ruby red. The interior is very nice and comfortable and it also has the dual climate zones which we loved in the old truck. The XM radio feature is a nice change and I like knowing OnStar is there for emergencies. My insurance premium went down also.

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  My HHR - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By JR Brown - July 24 - 7:00 am

  I have not had a bit of trouble with this vehicle. I just get lots of attention. The only problem so far was a flat tire and it was hard to find that size in stock in Cincinnati