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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  Bargain - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mjw - November 25 - 8:14 pm

  Purchased for college daughter but mom stole it away. Great value. Build quality not up to foreign standards but loaded with convenience and safety features. Gently ride, adequate handling. Not bad looking. Rear doors allow excess wind noise.

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  C6 with Z51 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Scott - November 25 - 7:39 pm

  I love the exterior styling and after a year the car still gets loads of positive comments at the gas station etc. I have done four track schools in the car and have been generally disappointed with the performance. The automatic transmission will shift at inopportune times and even with the traction control set in the "Performance" mode the car feels rather unbalanced when going through a off camber down hill which causes the tranny to hunt for a gear. The Z51 suspension along with the run flat tires gives a very harsh freeway ride which becomes punishing after about two hours on the road. The transmission puts out loads of heat and the center console can toast your right leg.

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  My 1998 Chevy Malibu - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Fran - November 25 - 4:54 pm

  For the most part, this car has been a great friend! Always reliable, & gets me from point A to point B. Not a fancy car, and nothing to really look at. But if you are looking for a vehicle that is well made, reliable, & can sit 4 to 5 persons at one time this is the vehicle for you!

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  Comfy, Roomy, Cool, but not Sexy - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By W. Moreno - November 24 - 9:53 pm

  People who ride in this car say things like, "I like riding in this. Its not a very good looking car, but its comfortable". The A/C here in LA is great. The ride is smooth, but not as quiet as Ive had it other cars this large. At 30,500 miles, after a 40 mile drive, the engine temp gauge went all the way to the top! It caught me off guard. I turned the heater on, but to no avail. I quickly pulled into a parking lot to check the radiator, and it was fine. Turns out the water pump went out. Thankfully, it was covered under warranty.

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  Super Reliable - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Michael MacLeod - November 24 - 4:35 pm

  Purchased 2 months ago with 186K (one owner) on it, but youd never know it. Body replaced head cover gasket, rear brakes & p.s. hoses. It runs great, gets 24-27 city. No trips yet but expect 35+. Im 6-3" and 270#, so its a bit cramped to get in (wish it was higher off ground) but comfortable once inside. Plenty of head and leg room - I can actually stretch my left leg (bad knee) all the way out!! (No can do on 80% of other cars.) Radio speaker blocked by my leg. Plenty of pickup for my needs, GEO Prizms have 1.6L not 1.8L, you can really tell the difference, and with better MPG! (29-36 EPA) Auto trans. shifts very smoothly. Only thing not working is dome light - I must do manually

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  Just what I needed. - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Robert D. Crawford - November 24 - 3:25 pm

  I am very pleased with this vehicle. I notice on the internet it did not get good reviews. I do not know why? Is is much better then the Ford Explorer. More power at start up and on Highway. Smooth ride-handles well- good springs. On the front ceiling has some good storage and the dial setting for garage doors and lights and temperature and direction. it has everything I need. I do not need fancy wood on the dash or any of the other things which are high priced and do nothing for what is important in a vehicle. It is simply great. I am very happy that I purchased this SUV.

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  Perfect! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By hayden - November 24 - 11:30 am

  Perfect truck, beats dodge and ford in every aspect

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  Is this it for Chevy? - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By RCS - November 24 - 7:10 am

  The driving experience is great when the car functions properly. Ownership of vehicle is embarrasing, because I am often on the side of the road while passerbys yell slanderous remarks because my 07 SS Impala is in the middle of the road dead. It is in the dealership as I write this. It has had two hard failures.The mileage on the car is 787 miles.

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  Z-71 best truck to buy - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By kdx - November 24 - 5:23 am

  My 2001 Chevrolet truck has been the best truck I have ever owned. I live in Kentucky and use my truck on and around my land, it goes great through mud and snow and has yet to fail me. In my opinion the Z-71 package is the best deal.

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  Not Happy - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Don - November 24 - 2:43 am

  Nothing but trouble for me. Not even 2 yrs old an have had a new exhaust put on, had oil from a transfer case drip on A/C lines. Case and lines all had to be replaced. Have had to replace both headlights. Also,the window trim is falling out of the rear window. Now the service engine soon light is on 4 days after a service. Once again back in the shop because they are not sure what it is. All this before 27,000 miles!!