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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  Nice Vehicle - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By rick - July 1 - 12:42 pm

  I always wanted a Tahoe, and luck was on my side at my local dealer. An older getleman traded a 1996 Tahoe in for a new one. The vechicle only had 36,000 actual miles! It has been a very good and pleasant experience so far. The mileage is about 17mpg which is pretty good. The only big problem was a miss it developed. It took the dealer several days to find the problem which turned out to be a bad plug and wire. The computer stated it was a misfire and the plug was the last thing checked. It runs fine now and is a joy to drive.

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  Chevy 1500 - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Drew - July 1 - 10:00 am

  I bought this Chevy 2000 in may or so and right away my tranny was shifting odd and seemed to have a slip got a flush and better now but not all there. The knocking is terrible when started when cold and needs to sit higher and needs more leaf springs in it cant haul hardly anything without sagging. Love the power and ride but bad gas mileage. Not trying to complain just saying how the truck is. Great power fun truck just dunno if its the one for me

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  The car that I dreamed of in 1965 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Lance - July 1 - 1:42 am

  Im not easy to please, and this car is not perfect, but I love it! I owned my 1st Vette in 2000, another in 2001, and yet another in 2004. All were great cars that never needed repairs. This 2005 rides and drives much better. The Z-51 pkg seems to have fixed the issue that I had with the other 3 dragging the ground at any bump. They had no clearance. Its still low, but drags much less. Ive had a service issue. The steering vibrates when turning the wheel at rest. Even backing out of the garage causes an annoying sound and the vibration. The dealer tells me that this is a inherent problem that they, as yet, have no fix to correct.G M needs to address this. But, I love my Vette

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  Enjoyable - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Happy - July 1 - 1:40 am

  A fun and very enjoyable car for traveling distance trips and local. I have not had any problems with my Monte Carlo, nor any of my GM vehicles. It runs very quiet at all speed levels and is very durable in all conditions.

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  GM got this one right! - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By oklahomamalibu - June 30 - 9:06 pm

  I have only had the car a week, but I am impressed! I was looking at Altima and Sonata, but when I drove the Malibu, it was no contest. I cant believe the difference between this car and the 2007. Unbelievably quiet and comfortable. Interior is very nice - as good as many cars costing much more. I have filled up twice and got 30mpg and 31mpg with mostly highway commute miles. Plenty of power for me. Exterior styling is beautiful. Clean lines, great looks, everything goes together well. With so many standard features, I couldnt believe the price. The last GM product I bought was in 1988. Im glad to see GM is back in the game - and winning the game in my opinion.

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  OK! Wouldnt buy again! - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By MJB - June 30 - 3:47 pm

  My Malibu has experienced all of the problems that are outlined below! I found out today that a leaking water pump has caused a lot of my issues with the serpentine belt and belt pulley wheels going bad not to mention the dissapearing coolant. My 1&2 fan speeds dont work either, I will have to try the resistor fix! Aside from these nagging issues the car is OK, but I would likely buy a more reliable car next time!

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  Bossmans Choice Best Yet - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Bossman - June 30 - 11:46 am

  This is the best vehicle Ive ever owned. Rides better than my Caddy. Love the ability to convert to a full size truck bed. The steering linkage makes a clicking noise.

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  Gotta love a big SUV - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jared Packer - June 30 - 6:59 am

  i absolutly love my Suburban! It has handled everything I could throw at it from mudding (its a 2wd) to looking cool at the local burger joint! When I first got my Burb, I was wanting to get a Chevy C1500 extended cab truck, but after an hour of driving my Suburban, I was so glad I didnt!

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 1995 Chevrolet Camaro
  By KSCamaro - June 30 - 3:49 am

  Most reliable car I ever owned. I bought it used (8k) and has been my daily driver ever since. It has endured hot summers and cold winters in KS. T-top is still water-tight and no interior problems at all. In 9 years I replaced the clutch at 122k, a window motor, and recently O2 sensors, water pump, and optispark cap & rotor(155k). Still runs like a beast and doesnt use any oil. Took it to the dealer today and it is $2k to fix (exhaust leak on both sides..one side broken bolt in head from warped manifold). Also needs new struts & shocks ($750). Combined, cant justify the expense on a car worth $5-6k retail. So ends a great 9 years. I am trading it in on my next car.

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  A Good Value to Date - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By spudislander - June 30 - 1:17 am

  I purchased my Cavalier new in 2004. I felt the GM discount price incentive was too good to pass up. I used part of the discount to purchase 160,000 km powertrain warranty. I now have 30,000 kms on the car, have had no problems and am quite satisfied with my purchase for the money.