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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  Frustrated - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By Frustrated - December 9 - 9:58 pm

  This van is nice to look at from the outside and has loads of room on the inside however, it has been nothing but a headache with problem after problem. Unfortunately, not enough to qualify as a lemon. We needed a new transmission at 30,000 miles and have been dealing with computer issues and the check engine light for way too long. It is almost like a money trap. I am just waiting for the money to trade it in and buy something else.

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  I hope ALL the Bugs are Gone!!! - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Steven - December 9 - 3:45 pm

  My wife & I bought a 04 Tahoe LS w/ the 5.3L. Almost instantly we noticed the vehicle clunking into gear while driving between 45-55 MPH. When we took the Tahoe to the dealer …1,600 miles … Renee & I found the car a faulty Rad which leak coolant into the tranny causing major damaging not limited to the torque converter. Anyway, thank God the dealer step up & provide an extended warrenty on the new transmission. Let hope everything goes smoothly now that the transmission is fixed!!!

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  Great Truck, Terrible MPG - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Tim - December 9 - 9:56 am

  I too am expericing the terrible mileage. 12 in city, 17 on HWY, V-6. Chevy must have been testing this truck downhill when posting the MPG. Great to drive and up high. Quiet, great audio sound, OnStar is a first for me and love it.

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  2007 Chevy Silverado - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Lee - December 9 - 8:56 am

  I previously owned a 2003 Chevy Silverado and traded it in for an 07 Texas edition. I have to say that Chevy finally did it. They made a great truck. The little things count. Very impressed with the new interior design. More room in the cab. Its like a cross between a Caddy and truck. Very nice!

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  Just purchased the brand new car - 2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By evans - December 8 - 11:54 pm

  Just purchased this car for 2 weeks. Powerful, quite engine and transmission. Wonderful exterior look. I drove an old Crysler car before. In comparison, this car is not as roomy, especially the space above and in front of drivers head, and feels a little bit light and flying on highway in windy days. In general this car is great!

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  Great Car for the Money! - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Josh - December 8 - 8:17 pm

  We bought this car new in 94, it has been a great car but recently got rid of it to get a two door. We put 98K great miles on it. We had minor repiars thoughout the life on the car. We had to replace the water pump which was something that always goes wrong with GM cars, nothing new, great ride, great handling, good gas mileage, pants is excellent ours was torch red, car held up great, not a dot or rust, 3.1 Liter engine is great. Never buy a GM 3.4 Liter engine sucked on this car.

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  Great SUV! - 1995 Chevrolet Suburban
  By cf - December 8 - 6:33 pm

  Have put over 140,000 miles on this SUV and it is going strong. Have had no major issues mechanically. Very dependable and functional.

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  like at first now concerned - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By family guy - December 8 - 4:17 pm

  Like the 25 mpg and the big gas tank. Did not like that the rear hatch handle broke at 3 yr mark, that I have to top off the antifreeze every month, that the power door and locks on the sliding doors stopped working, but I cleaned the contacts and it works again, need to clean twice a year. Biggest problem was the transmission at 67000 miles. Torque converter lock out caused vibrations like going over rumble stips, after driving 55+mph for >20 minutes, now the transmission sporaticlly slips when starting out on a grade. Estimate repair bill $3000 at dealer or $2000 at tranny shop. Since I wanted to tow a camper now, decided to trade it in for a large SUV. Tranny always had a hard shift.

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  Chevy Aveo Good on Gas Good For Life - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Jessica - December 8 - 3:23 pm

  I currently own a Chevy Aveo. The gas usage is excellent. Not to mention the incredible steering. Looks are deceiving, the Chevy Aveo looks small from the outside but on the inside its everything but. The interior is huge, spacious and best of all,comfy.

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  Hardware and chassis problem 2000 Blazer - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Allan Husband - December 8 - 11:46 am

  Purchased this 2000 Blazer in 12-2002 with 39800 miles. Have experience excessive chassis wear (idler arm replacement, lower ball joints replaced, and poor quality hardware (door hinges needed repair, passenger seat recliner release broke off. In addition, the turn signal, cruise, windshield wiper control on the steering column failed causing failure of the turn signals( a $250 repair). In addition, the brake rotors needed to be machine due to warping and the catalytic converter needed to be replaced. All of these repairs were made since I bought the vehicle. The current mileage is only 58000. This vehicle get absolutely no off-road, or commercial use.