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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  Selling ASAP - 2001 Chevrolet Malibu
  By mearaina - May 20 - 11:40 pm

  We bought this car 16 months ago with 33,700 miles on it and have had nothing but problems. First, the key would stick in the car, then it was fixed, then the car wouldnt start, then it wouldnt turn off. The transmission leaked, the turn signals/hazard lights stopped working, and now the car wont start on a semi- regular basis. I am not impressed, it only has 45,000 miles on it.

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  1997 4dr LS - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By joek - May 20 - 9:38 pm

  Havent had a bad experience other than one of the cooling fan wires shorted out and had to be replaced. Reliable, excellent on gas and runs good. I woulndt recommend it as a family car, but its cheap and easy to maintain and works really well as general transportation.

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  very comfortable for long rides - 2002 Chevrolet Venture
  By Joyce - May 20 - 12:14 pm

  I bought this car after driving an Outback to Chicago and knowing I couldnt drive it for long rides. So I bought this and 3 weeks later drove to Denver, 1700 miles. Since then Ive driven it 4 times to Denver and twice to Dallas. Its extremely comfortable, reasonable gas mileage, and a huge cargo space. Id buy another one if they still made them.

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  Commuter? This is your Car! - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Aveothustic - May 20 - 11:41 am

  A solid good looking "Puddle jumper". I commute 105 Km.(65 mi.) per day. Have read complaiants about it being slow and unable to keep up on the highway. Not true! Does well on our expressways. A sustained 120KPH.(75 MPH) is no problem, and I still have pedal left. I have had other "small cars"...no competition. The load capacity with seats in HB forward is impressive. Passenger room in the rear is amazing. I love GM products, and although it is an import, it still carries the Chevy "Bow Tie", and merits the GM service. Good enough for me, and the gas mileage at todays prices...great!

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  The Avalanche is awesome! - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By PinayCaramel - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I have an avalanche, and I love it!

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  p - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By blazer0981 - May 20 - 10:00 am

  I love my Chevy Suburban. It gets me where I need to go. Not as fast as my 1991 GMC Syclone, though.

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  Awesome! - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jpradman - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Fantastic vehicle! This is a great road machine. Love the utility, comfort and power!

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  Awesome - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Jiminy - May 20 - 10:00 am

  This car is awesome. I can crush everything. In comfort.

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  very nice - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By jaye - May 20 - 10:00 am

  love it,glad to own it,love the color i choosed,cant waite to see what else they come up with

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  Suburban Z-71 - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By David Barnum - May 20 - 10:00 am

  Excellent features, excellent value, real nice looking and fun to drive machine. The vehicles comfort and towing capacity are superior to anything else.