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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  Not what its cracked up to be - 1996 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Scrubb - March 21 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this car new. Immediately the interior trim started to rattle, which I cant stand. Soon after, the interior trim started to fall apart including the center armrest lid, seat trim and finally the seat itself. I found that the paint job chipped and scratched very easily. It didnt seem thick enough. The muffler began a strange and bothersome rattling at only 25k. The head gasket failed at about 50k and the water pump failed at about 55k.

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  Lemon 2x - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By JPPP - March 18 - 2:31 pm

  First had a 2000 bad trans - lemon lawed it Currently my 5 month old 2002 Venture is in the shop for trans problems

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  S10 Xtreme - Extremly frustrating - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Delfim - March 17 - 7:30 pm

  S10 Xtreme has the worst quality I have ever seen on a car. A mosquito is enough to break the body paiting. The suspension makes noises since first the day Ive got the car from the dealer (0 miles).

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  Worst Car Ive Owned - NO MORE GMS - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By lastGM - March 17 - 2:00 am

  Bought this car new - nothing but problems: ABS, Fuel leak under hood, transmission problems... I will NEVER buy another GM car.

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  Someone please buy this vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By Ex bow tie boy - March 3 - 3:39 pm

  The tires need constant attention I am always having to put air in them. Acceleration is bad, handling is bad, and even though I purchased the vehicle for a $1000 under invoice, I am still upside down on trade in value. Basic transportation at best. I just bought my wife a Honda Accord and it is like going from the space shuttle to a horse and buggy. This may be my last Chevy.

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  Sub sux - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ivan Paynter - March 2 - 9:56 am

  Nothing but problems since day one.!! My 1997 Suburban which is a beautiful Truck, BUT: I have "Invested" twice the value just to keep it running for these past five years. Its a timed obsolesces disaster. I believe Chevy engineered this vehicle to breakdown and allow for greater return on their bottom line, via parts and labor. Knowing what I know now, I would NOT buy another!

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  I do not recommend this car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Lisa - February 27 - 12:10 am

  At first I liked this car but now it is my worst nightmare. I have had numerous problems with the ignition. The key does not turn back. First I was told it was the ignition switch, then it was the solenoid both were replaced. The ignition switch was replaced twice. The solenoid was replaced once. I was also told that the gear shifter cabled needed adjusted. That still didnt fix the problem. The last time I took it in they replace the shifter assembly. Hopefully this will work but Im not holding my breath. If you ask me you shouldnt put a car on the market if youre not sure that it works. This car is poorly built and I think all of them should be pulled off and not sold anymore.

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  Junk - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Junker - February 23 - 9:53 am

  Been in the shop 8 times. Ruined 4 Serpentine belts, One Altenation, One Idler pulley, Engine Misfires, Tranny bucks and jerks, clutch pedal dosent return all the way all the time.

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  Do not buy a trailblazer!!!! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hector Adan - February 18 - 10:00 am

  In the past year Its seen the dealers service department 5 times and today its going on 6 because the left brake light went out on a truck thats 1 year and 3 months old.We bought the truck NEW! The first 2 times were because the key would get stuck in the ignition. Then they "FIXED IT" Then it happened a 2nd time. After that the driver door handle trim was falling off. About 2 months later the rubber trim around the license plate started to go underneath the plastic part. Then recently the A/C wouldnt kick on untill I turned off the A/C and turned it back on. The dealer said something had broken inside but they were able to fix it. Well see.

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  Very Disappointed...Recall? - 2006 Chevrolet Equinox
  By VERY DISAPPOINTED - February 8 - 9:16 pm

  Bought my 2006 fully loaded Equinox lt on Nov 8 2005. Less then 2 weeks later with 178 on odometer, the car is at the dealership for repairs. There is an overwhelming smell of gasoline. I have been told that a new fuel line and canister has to be installed. However, they do not know when they will arrive as they are a new design. This leads me to believe a recall is in the works! I cannot believe that they expected me to continue driving this car, especially when their mechanic told me the gas vapors could ignite! I must use a portable oxygen tank due to a medical condition and I did not think that was a good idea! They are paying for a car rental until the new designed parts arrive.