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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  Review - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Rick Wilder - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Second corvette in 4 years, owned a 1999, loved the car, had one issue w/ electrical system, which dealer took care of. Sold after two years for the same price we paid for it.

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  Great Truck - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Joe454 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I purchased this truck after extensive research. It proved to be excellent in the snow, far better than my old truck (1992 GMC Sierra 2500 Ext. Cab 4x4), especially with the push-button auto 4 wheel drive, which always kicked in properly. Nurse the gas pedal and youll get decent (for a truck) gas milage with the 5.3L V8-- between 14 and 18 mpg on average. This is phenomenal compared with my old truck (9 to 10 mpg on a 7.4L 454 V8).

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  great - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By pvfd320 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I love the truck!

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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Chris Greenfield - December 31 - 2:00 am

  This truck will go anywhere with a small lift kit. It will pull to no end and just keeps on running as you beat it all up. Great Truck!

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  The suv of the century - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Nas - December 31 - 2:00 am

  its a very attractive car inside and out, very reliable

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  2003LS v 2004LT - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Annamarie - December 31 - 2:00 am

  The complete front seat & compartment s/u on the 2003 model was 100% better, including lighting,ashtray,drink holders,etc. Also, front seat was NOT 100% bucket[Much better I think] 2003 had 3 DC Sockets; 2004~~two only.

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  Trudk - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By realtrucks - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Great truck. No auto track buzz out of floor slight on 4 wheel stick and fan noise out of headliner, probably from dash. Will take to dealer for these, but these are the only ones. Great in the snow, pavement, dirt, and ice. I live up high in the mountains and it is always reliable.

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  9000 miles - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By NFRich - December 31 - 1:30 am

  Got rid of it! It got the worst gas mileage of any of the Silverados I have owned. Never got anything more than 15, even on the highway. It was a 4x4 Z71 and rode terrible. Did like the way it handled though. So happy to see it go!

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  Great running vehicle - 1994 Chevrolet Corsica
  By Patricia Reed - December 30 - 9:59 pm

  Runs well. Rarely experience any kind of problems. Regular maintanance keeps it going

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  2nd time Malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Paul - December 30 - 6:40 pm

  This Malibu is surprisingly comfortable. It is very spirited on the road and a great value in comparison to similar cars. The standard features are amazing and include full power,traction control,ABS,an excellent stereo, adjustable pedals and a 200 hp six.