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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  New toy - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By erik d - April 11 - 11:17 am

  If the Colorado was like this, I would have bought a new truck! Ive only had this truck a week, and am already impressed. When passing, I found that the 190 hp launches you to 90 mph faster than youd expect for a 4x4. Its high mileage, but most of the major components I was worried about were just rebuilt/replaced at almost 100,000 miles, so it sounds like it lasted well. It was well maintained, so I have no complaints. The fuel economy is about what Id expect from a 4x4, but the ride is much better than any 4 wheel drive Id owned. For the price (well under blue book!!), you cant beat the value this truck proves it has left in it.

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  A nice car for the money - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Stephen - April 10 - 9:13 pm

  I purchased this car used from a friend with 6,000 miles on the clock. It looks great (torch red with 2000 chrome wheels, black gut and top).It runs well and people give me a lot of thumbs up on the road. The stock engine has plenty of ponies for the average person. Just a hoot to drive.

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  A nice truck - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Stephen - April 10 - 8:51 pm

  I purchased this truck new and it has been very good. The fuel economy on the highway is about 19mpg. The truck has run flawlesly since day one. If I had to find one fault it is that the pistons are slightly noisy when cold for 20 or so seconds, but the engine runs so well otherwise it is easy to ignore that small shortcoming

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  Mechanical nightmare - 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kathleen - April 10 - 3:55 pm

  I bought this car new and have had many mechanical problems. Excessive oil consumption lead to major repairs. Just replaced the cam actuators due to oil sludge even though I never skip an oil change. GM denied my request for reimbursement. I am not keeping the car and will never own a Chevrolet.

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  Shes A Keeper - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By tonkatruk - April 10 - 1:20 pm

  Ive owned my crew Z71 for a little over 2 years now, havent experienced problem one to date. Its funny because my wife has a Sequoia that she just had to have, purchased it before I bought my truck. 9 times out of 10 if shes running out for an errand she grabs my keys! With a daughter just beginning to drive guess whos vehicle she constantly wants to take as well. I may be needing to buy another one here in the near future, hope they put one out soon with a 6 cylinder, that would make my day. Im getting about 21.7 MPG on the highway with a full crew in it, not too bad for a crew pick-up. Love the Z71 stance, feels big ... without the cost of driving big. Kudos to Chevy on this one.

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  Very Versatile! - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jim - April 10 - 10:50 am

  We love this multi-purpose truck! It accomodates us on our camping trips, hauling the kids bikes, and provides a very comfortable ride around town and on long distance trips. (We do have some concerns about the quality of GMs workmanship tho)

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  Serves Its Purpose - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By John Maddon - April 10 - 10:00 am

  This serves its purpose for me. I needed a commuter car to get me downtown, so I could stop putting 100 miles a day on my expensive full size pickup truck. Not to mention the money I was spening on gas. The Aveo more than doubled my gas mileage and thus the gas savings is covering the car payment. This has been a great second vehicle for me. Lots of room, runs smooth and quit for a small economy car and it still has lots of pep.

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  Brand New Malibu Maxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By amyjo248 - April 10 - 10:00 am

  I waited 3 months for the Maxx to be launched and love the cool features! I wasnt sure about driving a mid size sedan after a convertible but it is a lot of fun to drive - a perfect choice. My son loves the moon roof over the back seat and likes to recline the seat on long rides. I like that he has the legroom and doesnt kick me fidgeting to get comfortable.

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  SS - Flashback to Younger Years - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Rex Racer - April 10 - 10:00 am

  As a middle aged American male, I have fond memories of my teen aged years. Growing up with Mustangs, Camaros, and Firebirds (Corvettes were not in our price range), I always admire the 2- door sport/performance cars. Earlier this year, I aquired a Monte Carlo SS Supercharged vehicle. Although it doesnt have the rumble of my past vehicles, it has the same get-up-and-go with greatly improved dependability. Thanks Chevy!

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  Vibration problems - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By historyman - April 10 - 10:00 am

  Ever since purchacing my Colorado I have had vibration problems with this truck. You may wish to go to this website where others are experiencing the same with the 2dr reg cab z85 models as well as others. http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulleti n/showthread.php?p=2159504