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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  Great truck - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mike - March 16 - 8:04 pm

  I owned an 2000 S10 blazer LT before this one, what an improvement. 100 more horsepower and better mileage. Build quality is vastly improved, no rattles. Rides smoother. Better handling.

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  Good Quiet Car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Tom - March 16 - 7:36 pm

  This is my first car, and wow I LOVE IT! It has the most comfortable ride, and the Cobalt is very quiet but also fast at the same time. I recommend if you are looking for a nice car to drive, that you get a Chevy Cobalt

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  How fast the 2000 Malibu drives - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By raqual keller - March 16 - 6:55 pm

  It drives fast. It has a great engine. The interior is beautiful, white leather seats. I like the entire car. Exterior is excellent. I drove the car from Louisiana to Chicago. This car took me many places. I loved it and my children love it also.

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  Bad tranny - 1997 Chevrolet Blazer
  By darbycole - March 16 - 2:37 pm

  i like this vehicle besides the fact that the tranny in it stinks. ive heard alot of bad things about Blazer trannies and now I can relate as my tranny went out last month. Otherwise a nice SUV. Plenty of power and a comfortable ride overall.

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  This truck can achieve 30mpg combo C/Hwy - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mark - March 16 - 2:06 pm

  This is a good looking truck. I like how its on the smaller side. This allows for better mileage. I drive about 25% CITY and 75% highway and was getting a combined mileage of about 26 mpg. I then added a bed cover and increased the tire pressure to 40psi and now get almost 30mpg combined city/hwy mileage driving gently. Not bad considering this is a pickup truck. I would guess the highway mileage by itself might be as high as 35mpg. The only negative thing Ive experienced so far is that occasionally the idle sticks at about 2800rpm even after its warmed up. I can remedy this by turning it off and restarting it. Overall I am very happy with it. Too soon to brag about its reliability though.

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  Bitter-Sweet - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By deeman7777 - March 16 - 6:10 am

  This car is very nice from the exterior! GM did a great job designing this SUV. I am sorely dissapointed however with the car them longer I own it. So far its been in the shop 4 times. Faults from warped front discs (brakes) to a bad rear diff. to an electrical problem to a bad sensor in the engine. I have come to HATE the interior. Granted this is the LS version and only a measly $20,000, but how about a map light...or any light near the RV mirror!!! WTF was GM thinking. The ONLY interior light (beside the light in the trunk) is on the ceiling between the front and back seat. You are out of luck if you need to read a map in the dark. Also no hanger hooks for dry cleaning. Wake up GM!

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  Batmobile - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Charles R Smith - March 16 - 1:07 am

  This is a great car to drive! It is just beautiful and purrs like a big cat. The feeling of controlled power is such a kick. Being a convertible it is as close to flying as you can get outside of a motorcycle. This one is all black and makes me want to get into a Batman outfit and fight evil doers.

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  Tahoe LT is tops - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ALAN - March 16 - 12:16 am

  You might have to give up gas economy, but the pleasure of driving is worth it. Its roomy, comfortable, and actually handles well for a big rig. The NAV system along with DVD is great. And the ease of push button fold up mid row seats is a great option. Wife feels safe driving it.

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  Colorado in Michigan - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Rose - March 15 - 1:40 pm

  I like the looks, the height, and the handling. I can seat 5 people and, by putting a fiberglass tonneau cover on the bed, I have the greatest "trunk". No putting down seats to haul stuff. During my first snow storm experience, the four-wheel drive functioned great. However,without a rear window defroster, the rear window and back side windows fogged/iced up and my outside mirrors were covered by falling snow, so to me, this is a safety concern. I went to my GM dealer, as well as 5 off-market businesses, looking for a rear window defroster, but no one makes it.

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  2006 Uplander LS Reg wheelbase - 2006 Chevrolet Uplander
  By kennyo - March 15 - 10:50 am

  Ive got 2000 miles on my 2006 Uplander and I havent had any problems at all. I think that this is a really good value minivan. The reports of the 3.5 liter being under powered are probably a little exaggerated. Compared to a SUV or a car maybe, but the 3.3 in my wifes Sienna is equally sluggish and probably worse off the line than my Uplander. I wish their were a few more cup holders and storage compartments, but other than that the initial quality has been perfect. I think alot of the bugs in the 2005 models have been worked out in the 2006s. Handling is pretty good for a minivan, steering and braking response is great. Im averaging between 19 and 20 MPG around town.