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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  Still going strong - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By 92bravo - January 17 - 4:09 pm

  I have owned this car for 16 years. With regular maintenance, it has held up very well. I had to replace the infamous manifold gasket in 1998. The rear calipers, the water pump and the power steering pump. It gets excellent gas mileage. One tap of the gas and shes gone. The lawyers cheated the consumers on the brake repair settlement because they had no idea that these cars would still be around 18 years later. A great car overall. GM should return to this quality of vehicle.

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  Love the car but dissappointment sets in - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By tilson - January 16 - 7:29 am

  I love my car! Its a joy to drive. But at 55,000 miles I am having repetitive problems. Spent approx $1400 in repairs due the warranty is out in 2 years due to my required mileage. It is in the shop for the 3rd time for the same repairs. Traction service light keeps coming on, auto door lock failure, brake lights keep coming on when I am not pushing the brakes!! I have maintained this car with schedule maint. We keep our cars 10 or more years and have driven them in excess of 300,000 miles. Sadly I dont think this one will last 100,000. Repairs are expensive at the dealership. I am so disappointed. But do note that we also own a 2006 Silverado Truck and it has been a great vehicle!!

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  Not So Spectacular - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette
  By corvettefever96 - January 15 - 10:37 pm

  I bought this Corvette in 2004. It only had 38,000 miles on it at the time. I drive it about 4,000 miles a year. Honestly, its a very pretty car... I have people tell me all the time how beautiful it is. But... I dont think its a very reliable vehicle. Ive had the water pump replaced, transmission had a leak that got fixed. Now, I noticed that my oil pan gasket is leaking. Really, I dont think the vehicle is reliable. You would think that because its a "Corvette", it was built good. I dont think it was.

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  09 Cobalt LS Automatic - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Jim - January 15 - 8:11 pm

  Wanted a base coupe to replace an 04 Cavalier coupe automatic. Other than looks, not too much has changed. Same basic layout with a few more features. Nice car for way cheap money. End of year pricing and rebates put this less than the competition (Kia- Hyundai- Nissan-Focus). Only drawback - 6 year old design. Looks like a 10 to me. I might buy one more before the Cruze swings into production. (or they move the Cobalt tooling to Mexico)

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  Only Good for 5 Years - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Lynne - January 15 - 7:44 pm

  I loved this car when I bought it in 2004. It handled well in the snow. It was more like a truck, but it did the job. Unfortunately at about 65,000 miles, major things started to go wrong. The sway bar links,(which had to be replaced when I bought the car), had to be replaced- close to $900. Then, two head gaskets had to be replaced at about 69,000 miles- $850. Finally, the car began dying sporadically without explanation. There was an electrical problem, but Chevy would not acknowledge it. They began replacing things at random, only to have the car die again. Loved it at first, but traded it for a Subaru. Chevy claimed 70,000 miles was high mileage. I cant afford to own that type of car.

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  3 deer later... - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Mean Salmon - January 15 - 6:44 pm

  This was my 4th car, and I had a SUV before hand. I wanted something better on gas and found my Aveo. Its been a great car, although my friends give me a hard time about it, I can always remind them that I pay a fraction in gas and car payments that they do. Ive had it almost 3 years and have hit 3 deer (ahh life in the country). Glad to report most damage ever done was a dented hood and a cracked head light. By far the best car I have ever owned, its good on mileage and handles great.

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  Unfortunate Misconception - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By undone - January 15 - 1:03 pm

  Decent car with good engine. Unfortunately the theft system is a definite problem. I have had to replace the intake timing gaskets and am looking to replace the head gaskets. The cooling system has problems operating with the Dex-cool additive that is recommended under warranty. Decent gas mileage 22-27mpg mixed. I cannot say that I will buy this model again.

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  Still Fine after 2 Years - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By satisfiedowner - January 15 - 6:21 am

  Its been just over 2 years, 23k miles and the "newness" has worn off. Other than that nothing has changed (See my previous review "ok after 1 year"). Still very satisfied with this car. No problems. Peppy, tight and dependable. Looking forward to the next generation. Hope GM builds sensibly on this foundation.

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  More than Basic - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Burban Mom - January 14 - 1:11 pm

  "We have a 2wd 2500 5.7 liter engine. Wanted a base model, but you cant find them unless you buy a fleet vehicle. Found a lightly used contractors vehicle. Vinyl floors & cloth seats, but power windows & locks. The engine & trans have been very reliable. Its a nice, strong tow vehicle. The only real complaint I have is that the power equipment (which I didnt really want anyway) has given us trouble since it was 5 years old. The power locks dont work on 2 of the doors & have had to repair 3 of the windows (1 has stuck twice). This is a great utility truck & has tons of kid, cargo and dog room. We do love it, just wish the no frills trim levels were easier to find."

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  Do it now..... - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By CAC6Fan - January 13 - 3:05 pm

  If youve been waiting to buy one of these, do it now. The new C7 version will probably be smaller (maybe even a V6?), probably have less HP and will be a completely different vehicle. This car is a screamer. It will literally "snap" your head back with its acceleration. Roadabilitly is sharp, handling is precise and once you get on the fwy. mileage is more than acceptable (22mpg). The runflat GY tires make the ride a little stiff but you can replace those. All the other option packages are nice. Maintenance is a bit more cumbersome and expensive (needs synthetic oil and a special filter) but manageable. This car can be used as an every-day driver.