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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  A Bit Disappointing - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Joyce - June 4 - 6:16 pm

  The turning ratio on this vehicle is awful. The interior design to operate windows and exterior windows is awkward. The fuel mileage is terrible; we are so surprised that we got hoodwinked into buying this vehicle using a beautiful Cadillac as a tradein. What a ripoff; were contemplating unloading it prior to the smartbuy expiration.

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  Great Rig - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By bw626 - June 4 - 9:46 am

  This is a nice rig, it looks good and is very powerful. The interior is roomy and comfortable for long trips. I pulled a 73 Cougar in my trailer with it and got only 6 MPG, but hey, its a truck, dont expect Prius gas mileage. This is the best truck out there and there is nothing I would change about it, except I wish I got leather in mine.

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  Perfect - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By William - June 4 - 2:06 am

  Bought this car used in 2013 with 14K and its been perfect ever since. Now just hitting 50K and have had absolutely zero issues with anything. Its comfortable driving to the store and its comfortable driving for hours on a road trip. GM seems to have a bad rep with reliability but I dont see why, this car is great.

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  Bad bumpers on back - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By mike - June 4 - 1:40 am

  The bumper on back of this truck is plastic in the middle went to plug my camper lights in and it bent down so far my plug hit the bottom part of the bumper this is not built like a rock this is a truck needs a good bumper on back.

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  2004 Malibu LT 4-door sedan - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Robert Yelinek - June 3 - 10:00 pm

  Original automatic transmission was bad. GM replaced with a 5 year warranty. No other complaints. If you live in a cold climate, remote start is a dream, clearing windows and warming car in 4-5 minutes. Plenty of interior space, lots of zip, good economy Would buy again. With incentives, a great auto for under $21,000

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  Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Dexter - June 3 - 9:30 pm

  My Silverado performs very well. After two years of ownership, no problems to note. Great power with the 5.3. A six speed trany would have been nice, but four speed is tried and true. No problems pulling our 6000 lb boat. Locking rear dif. is the best on the market. Overall a very nice and capable truck.

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  Enjoyable, Satisfied - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By m - June 3 - 8:14 pm

  Very easy to drive car. The Aveo is cheap to own and operate. But, its handling, stopping distance, forgiving road manners, and solid ergnomics truly shine. Stopping distances are short. The drivers cockpit is well laid out. Generous headroom, a commanding view, well laid out controls, well tuned steering with McPherson struts, reasonably comfortable seats and solid extras like the card holder, cupholders and overall design make this a very easy, and pleasant car to drive. Even the layout of the oil pan and filter are designed to be owner-friendly. Do yourself a favor and swap out the factory issued front tires, for better rubber. Performance will improve.

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  Love my Silverado - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By carguyincomox - June 2 - 9:54 pm

  Moved to BC and knew I needed a truck to tow our trailer. I looked at them all but ended with the Chevy. It was model year end and I missed 1 option the sunroof...but I guess I will live. I have nothing bad to say about my truck all is good - 1 suggestion, see if we can make the rear bench recline a bit for the kids on long drives. We had an SUV before and they miss that feature.

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  My Review - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By IH - June 2 - 11:32 am

  I have been a fan of Chevy all my life. The TrailBlazer is comfort, style, class, and power all wraped into one big Chevy. I would definitely say that this is one of the most fun filled SUVs I have ever owned. The power of the TrailBlazer is unmatched by any other SUV I have ever owned. I would totally recommend a TrailBlazer anyday over an Explorer to anyone!

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  Very Nice Car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By TrishaLynn - June 2 - 2:00 am

  I took this car for a test drive, and I enjoyed driving it so much that I had to have it. It is comfortable to sit in, has great gas mileage, and is very roomy.