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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  04CLUNKER - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pavermanter - January 25 - 2:00 am

  overall i really like this truck, i am alongtime ford man. the only thing keeping this truck from being a "10" is the "CLUNKING" shifts that is so popular GM trys to say this is normal, but we all know that is bologna!! They really should stand behind their 29,000 dollar vehicles!

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  American all the way - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By rich - January 24 - 9:10 pm

  Solid and dependable. Ive checked out other trucks. I usually drive 30,000 miles a year, and use my truck for my mobile office and pull a horse trailer maybe 3,000 miles a year. The imports just do not have the comfort, ride, and power to satisfy my needs. This truck looks and feels like a truck and not a plastic replica.

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  Good car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ed - January 24 - 5:00 pm

  Only problems are door grip rattle, defroster noise, terrible tires Great on gas, fun to drive, more roomy than you would think, very comfortable for a small car, large trunk

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  Im surprised is not a Camry! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jjstokes - January 24 - 1:46 pm

  This vehicle is a great purchase. I use to only drive Toyota or Honda. Know that I am driving a Malibu, I am pretty impressed. The only but I would say about this vehicle is that I should of have gotten a large engine.

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  Awesome truck - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By RAy - January 24 - 11:42 am

  I have owned 17 vehicles, most of them trucks, and this is by far the best. The ride is excellent and it handles like a dream. It is a very quiet ride and has a lot of power. Huals a ton of pellets with no problem and back is very easy to convert. I would recommend to anyone.

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  Real world... - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By john1428 - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Havent owned it long enough for eval, but had one for 10 years and 140,000 trouble free miles, and this one is much better in initial quality. This is a great day-to-day commuter car, does a better job of providing real-world transportation than my last car, which cost $10,000 more. Outstanding deal with rebate, lots of car for the money, great looks.

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  My Cool Truck oops SUV - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By maddog_coyote - January 24 - 10:00 am

  Love the Avalanche. Have had it since March this year. Regularly convert it for large items from Home Depot! Going camping often...its just great.

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  Great engine - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By dmclem - January 24 - 10:00 am

  So far so good. Weve put 6,000 miles on it with no problems. Steering is a little soft leaving the driver wanting more road feedback. Build quality is good and frame is solid. The engine is powerful and responsive - it blows away the competition.

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  As good as it gets !!!!!!!!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By TenderButt - January 24 - 10:00 am

  I just traded in my cadillac for a Z71 4WD 1500 LT. Wow what a truck! I test drove the ford lariat, dodge, and the Tundra, essentially the chevy kicks thier butts hands down. I drove it from SF to Reno and back. Now I know what it means to feel the force. This truck has loads of power, it is easy to drive, and rides essentially like a cadillac. It rides solid like my porsche which I am thinking of selling so I can buy another chevy for myself since my wife will not let me drive it, it is her truck now.

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  a great car! - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By ryan sarver - January 24 - 4:36 am

  175k miles and still going strong, has only ever had normal maintenance, this is my 2nd cavalier, my first one was a 03, I was young and dumb and was running close to 100mph, hit a phone box, went thru a fence, hit 2 trees then backed the car out of the woods and walked away unharmed, I can not complain with this car I love it