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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  2005 Monte Carlo LT - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By keaporsch1 - July 5 - 7:13 am

  I have extremely enjoyed my Monte Carlo. It is powerful, reliable, durable, and stylish. It handles awesome in snow and ice. So far, the most expensive repair has been a replacement instrument cluster. Ive had nothing but good times with my Monte. I plan on keeping it forever.

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  Great S-10 - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By Rick B. - July 4 - 9:46 pm

  Bought new with 6 miles. TB V6 auto Red over Back. In 11 years, have replaced EGR (2 mo), A/C Comp., Evap., muffler. Thats it. Drives and handles great, rides great, fun to drive. The ABS is something else. Hard to brake & stop. Upgraded the rotors, calipers, drums and shoes to get it working properly. You can put a ton of stuff in this 1/2 ton and still have power and comfort. The worst thing about this truck was replacing the flasher for the turn signals. The engineer that placed the part is still laughing to this day!

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  Uplander 05 - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By d. postlethwaite - July 4 - 1:50 pm

  Enjoyable to operate though gas mileage is less than told. The horn does not work. Good view and ride.

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  Best Choice - 2006 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jwoz - July 4 - 11:32 am

  Did not expect to be driving this Z71 much but 4 roadtrips of over 1500 miles each over the last 7 months told me I made the right choice. Great looks, leather pkg is great and comfortable. Controls convenient. Fun to drive, soft with little to no noise. Used the 4WD for the 1st time while other family members spun their tires trying to climb a rock driveway. Routine dealership visits were suprisingly pleasant.

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  1 BAD 3LT C-6 - 2006 Chevrolet Corvette
  By 1BAD C6 - July 4 - 11:11 am

  Always wanted a Corvette. When the C6 came out to play I knew it was time to get one. From the test drive we were sold. Not many new cars off the assembly line have the performance, handling and comfort that the new corvettes have.We ordered ours with the Z-51 package. All my friends said it would ride rough. To theirs and our surprise it rides smoother than we expected. The creature features in the interior will keep you busy for a few hours trying to learn and remember. The exterior? What can you say? I call it Eye Candy. It looks so good!! Come on guys and gals we have 400 ponies to feed - dont expect to get 35 mpg. Remember you have to pay to play, OH what fun. We love it!!

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  Maximum Maxxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Saler2 - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Maxx 2 months now and have 6,000 miles on it, so this is an update review. The car is still a gem-- handles well, gets great gas mileage, and the engineering is suburb. I get comments from everyone about how they like the look of it and they love the green color. I like that its a trouble- free car with all the features the "better" cars have... at a great price. Im doing more round-town driving now, and the car performs as well as it did on the long vacation trip. This car has it all!!!

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  Kickin Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By jessirose - July 4 - 10:00 am

  I LOVE this vehicle. Its my first SUV and I chose it over the Trailblazer or Blazer because its more economical, has better gas mileage AND it has more head and leg room inside. It is unbelievable how much leg room you have in the back seats, easily enough to cross your legs and sit comfortably without touching the seat in front. Nice amount of rear trunk space for carrying cargo and seats go down easily to allow for even more cargo when not using the rear seats for passengers. I give it an A+ after shopping for several months and looking at many different SUVs. Its the most for my money AND has a peppy engine with lots of power.

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  silverado review - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By chrisb74 - July 4 - 10:00 am

  i bought this truck and i have to say it was the greatest move i could have made. it runs smoothly, the ride is comfortable, and to be frank...its just plain old sweet. i looked at other...the nissan titan was a close 2nd as well as the gmc sierra, but i am more than happy with the deal i was able to get.

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  Great truck! - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By KoTToN - July 4 - 10:00 am

  Great all around truck with a lot of muscle.

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  Almost a world beater - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Dave R - July 3 - 10:50 pm

  This would be a great vehicle, if it wasnt for one huge problem. The gas mileage is total crap. My first tank I ran thru it at 65 mph on the freeway checked 20.5 mpg. The second tank was the same. If this doesnt change for the better soon, I will trade it off. I only have 600 miles on it right now, but it must make a major improvement. Otherwise I love it!