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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  Love my Malibu! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Donna Marie - July 19 - 10:00 am

  I love driving my Malibu! I traded a Malibu 2002 LS for this Malibu. The Chevy Malibu line has improved immensely! My new Malibu is an excellent handling automobile. I enjoy driving it every time I get behind the wheel! As a bonus, I receive many compliments on the design ....I am really very happy that I own this car!

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  impala ss - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By CCHHUUUKK - July 19 - 10:00 am

  get about 19 miles per gal in a suburban/city environment---28 miles to the gal. hwy.

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  I love this car cant stay out of it - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By jered90 - July 18 - 11:12 pm

  I love this car i bought mine is may of 2011 for my birthday it had 106,000 miles on it and now it has 109,290 this one of the best car i have ever own it has lots of room and is so smooth for anybody wanting to buy one GET IT it is a dark grey with the grey hubcaps love it.

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  1st SUV - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Happy Owner - July 18 - 7:03 pm

  This is my 1st SUV and I am glad of the choice I made. The Equinox is very roomy and my family just loves it.

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  GM has finally done it! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Don - July 18 - 12:40 pm

  Smooth quiet ride. Exceptional fuel milage. I test drove the Toyota Camry and Buick LaCrosse. Both nice cars, but Impala beats them both hands down. Thank you GM for finally producing a car a that can compete in every way shape and form with the Toyota Camry. Keep it up and youll have a customer for life. We all knew you could do it, and you have with the all newly designed 06 Impala.

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  Great truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By LIZARDGIZZARD - July 18 - 3:43 am

  I have owned my 1500 for about a year now and can report only good news. I have had no issues and the truck is very reliable. I purchased the truck with all the goodies to include, 5.3 v- 8 flexfuel, dvd, leather, the works. All still work well, I only wish the 5.3 had a little more power or I should have gotten the 6.0 v-8. But when gas was 4 bucks a gallon I was glad for the 5.3. I only wish I held out for the 6 speed auto. The 4 speed is nicely matched, but there are times when an other gear would greatly help expolite the power of the 5.3.

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  Cobalt is an awesome car! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jim - July 18 - 3:00 am

  I love my Cobalt. I never thought that I would like a smaller car, but it has much more leg room and head room than I expected. It also has electric steering which is the best steering I have ever driven with. It handles very nice and is definetly much nicer than the outdated Cavalier.

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  Better than I figured it would be - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By robert henry - July 17 - 2:00 am

  Best performing car I have ever owned.3.4 engine is ok and it gets 30 mpg.Seats are not that great but ok.Handling is nutral with no bad traits.I have never reached the limit of this car at above average speeds.It starts and goes and I have had no problems other than a bad tire, Even the tires are covered by the factory but I paid for my replacement rather than mess with them. Great paint, There are no bad things to say about this car

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  Disagree W/ Edmunds Review - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Hershey - July 17 - 2:00 am

  The 03 is the best. Not sure why Edmunds feels this car is old. If you look from a pract point it rcvd new fascias,eng in 03,trans is new design. The int. not as cheap as you say,as for the rest of the car, just so much you can do when something works. Why is it that when imports changes fascias Edmunds hails as comp redesign,when U.S. manf does it is insgnfcnt,car is still old design? Elantra is worse,I drove both. Only feature that beats Cav is the 100k war,doesnt help resale. If you read the small print you cant sell it out of your family doesnt help resale. Do a REAL test,drive each w/30k. You find why the CAV CONS RATING is high.

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  2003 chev cavalier 2dr there GREAT!!!!! - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By nutshouse - July 17 - 2:00 am

  I REALLY LOVE THE WAY THIS CAR DRIVES,IT,S EXACTLY WHAT WAS LOOKING FOR,I DID;NT EVEN DRIVE THE CAR BEFORE I BOUGHT IT,BECAUSE IT LOOKED SO GOOD! EVERYTHING WORKS GREAT,GOOD STEREO SOUND REALLY DRIVES VERY WELL,HANDLES GREAT,I HAVE NOTHING BUT GREAT THINGS TO SAY ABOUT THIS CAR!!!!!!