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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  Astro Number 2 - 2003 Chevrolet Astro
  By TN dog mom - February 9 - 6:42 pm

  Pack it up pile the dogs in and away we go all across the USA --- most of the time Im travelling alone and rely heavily on the reliability and durability, good performance of this van! The roomy interior is just right for all the paraphrenalia that needs to accompany us on our adventures. This is my 2nd Astro ..... my trade-in Astro had 260,000 miles on it and was still going strong! I am looking forward to putting 260,000 on this one too!

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  Overall Good Small Suv - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By scarnips - February 9 - 3:29 pm

  I bought this suv used a year and a half ago with 53,000 miles. Ive had no problems so far. I have the ZR2 package and the truck is great in the snow. It handles well off-road for a smaller SUV. Minor problems are the factory speakers and plastic. The rear window latch squeaks from wear on the the latch bar, but if you wrap the latch bar with some tape it goes away. Gas mileage is not the best but its an SUV not a Toyota. Overall Im pleased with the Blazer.

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  We Will See How Good It Is!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Robert Lamason - February 9 - 11:23 am

  So far the Malibu Max has been a good car to drive. It seems to have quite a bit of get up and go. The rear view is not so great, but it will do. The car rides good for a car. Priced right with the discounts and easy to deal with the dealership in my case as I will not hassel over price and I did not have to, which is one very good reason I liked the deal!!! Hope the car holds up well as I have not purchase a new car for many years.

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  Great Car - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JiggaWhat - February 9 - 3:46 am

  Im a busy grad student and bought my Malibu for the overall value. I have leather seats (should be heated) A Sunroof, CD player, and rear spoiler. The engine has just enough pep to it to get by. However, GM did have a problem with the front rotors which i had to fix after only putting on an addition 10,000 miles from 35,000 - not fun for $300. Another flaw was the blower fan not working on settings 1 and 2 but you can replace the part yourself and it only cost 25 bucks at a parts shop. (this is a common problem with GM) Besides that no problems, so check the rotors and ask if the blower fan has been fixed and you should be in the clear. I highly recommend this car. Low Price, Great Value!!!

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  Great bang for the buck - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By darrell hovermale - February 8 - 9:30 pm

  I purchased this car for a short commute to work, however I have taken it on vacation, and it performed quite well. Sometimes I think the high- falutin car critics,are just a bit too critical of American cars. My Cavalier is reliable, peppy, and a good looking car. Im happy with it, and I dont care what anyone else says. My next vehicle will probably be a Chevrolet.

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  Dream come true - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By avalanchehill - February 8 - 7:11 pm

  Its the best driving vehicle Ive ever owned. You can take 5 people up front and haul all of the luggage in the dry. You can haul a 4x8 sheet of plywood or other materials if needed in the dry .It has two tool boxs that you can use for what ever ,I use mine for a fishing rod and equipment ,umbrella tie downs ,even a extra pair of shoes . Being able to take the panels off of the bed is great ,you can take two panels off and haul a stove or refrigerator ,you dont have to take all of the panels out and you have a bag to store them in .

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  Metro Fits Driveway - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By Jason P - February 8 - 6:29 pm

  We have a tight driveway that dictates a narrow car. Although we could afford any car, we are quite pleased with our second Metro. We sold our first to a coworker who has logged another 100k on the 3 banger. This new one with the 4 cyl engine has some nice punch. Good head & leg room, nimble, easy on gas. We bought this from a dealer for $6k with 39k miles. So far, no major problems. This is a very good car for the money with Suzuki engineering. A nicely built, tight car.

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  Love my C5 - 2000 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Bob Kaplan - February 8 - 6:11 pm

  Second C5 I have owned. Fifth Corvette I have owned. Best so far. Fast and smooth.

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  Average Owners Review - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Hello - February 8 - 5:59 pm

  Just bought this Chevy 2 weeks ago. I deem it the best value you can get at the price I paid -$12,000 with 15500 miles as a former rental. It feels like a big comfy couch inside, like the 90 Lumina. Dummy gauges are abundant because of their "message center" that tells you just about everything you need to know. Big trunk, big bench seat, great stuff. Consumer Reports called the interior "borderline offensive" because of all the plastic, but I say theres nothing better looking and smelling than Armor-All on plastic pieces. If you are entirely utilitarian like me, get this nice family car. The only minus I have is that you need to step on the gas pedal a second before you really want to go

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  Strong Player in a small package - 2005 Chevrolet Astro
  By Tom W. - February 8 - 10:45 am

  I was pleasantly pleased with the towing ability, with a 21 Sports Boat. The 4.3 liter engine seems bullet-proof. I would bet it would take an additional $ 15,000.00 worth of vehicle to do what the Astro does. The style seems current, sure the design is dated. The engineering is still proven, basic, simple and reliable. Fuel economy is better than expected. Just a strong little work horse.