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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  Worst Chevy Ever - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By x chevy owner - September 25 - 11:20 pm

  I bought and payed for this Silverado thinking it would be a nice truck since I paid over 20k for it. Very basic no extra nothing and the ride was really bad. It started wiggling at 50mph! My wagon had a better ride. I was so disgusted that I let them have it back! Another ex-Chevy owner.

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  Gm has the worst service department - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By DonH - September 19 - 2:00 am

  I brought the truck new and have put 20,000 miles on it. My onstar stop working, windsheild wipers wont shut off at times, airbag service light comes at times and the front end seems loose when curving right or going over bumps. Also, Ive been told the all gm vortec engines have piston slap and gm refuses to fix it. Ive been to the dealer 3 times and they cant seem to fix the problems. The dealer service department is the worst, no loaner car or ride to work, I get my truck back and it has grease and pen marks on my leather seats, it takes on average 4hrs to change the oil and worst of all the service tech told me dont worry about minor problems.

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  Disappointed - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By lbh - September 7 - 1:56 pm

  Traded my 05 Chevy crew cab, got 17mpg. Now I only get 14mpg mostly hwy with new truck! A/c vent makes weird noise! Stiffer ride than my 05, does not have rear a/c vents like my 05, turning radius is too wide! Does have nice features like side curtain airbags, parking assist, nice looking truck but, been very disappointed so far compared with my 05 crew cab!

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  I have 3 Tracker - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By salvatore - September 7 - 2:00 am

  I have 4 tracker a 1998 , a 2000 and a2001 and a 2001 I like them and would like ot get a new one in 2005

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  The Lil Car that could - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Leon127 - September 2 - 2:00 am

  This car was originally bought for my mom, and shes an older lady so she doesnt know too much about car maintenance. The engine in this car has ran 3 times with no oil AT ALL, i know it sounds impossible but its true. And i just did her tune up because her last one was at 60k miles.. the car is at 80k now. The engine in this car is extremely fuel efficient and reliable. This is an excellent first car.

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  Neat Truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Danny - August 30 - 6:46 am

  I bought the Xtreme package, it really gets a lot of looks. The truck has not had any real problems yet, and I now have 6500 miles on it. There is a ringing noise when the A/C is on. The dealer says the entire dash has to be removed to fix the noise. I really do not want the dash taken out, I am afraid the dash will rattle. The interior materials are very cheap. The truck is fun to drive. My intial MPG was almost 25 on the highway, but mileage has now dropped to about 20 MPG.

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  This car rocks !!! - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Americas Car - August 30 - 2:00 am

  Love the flashy looks, its so hot and the chicks just dig it !!! I feel like a young man all over again & I am 64. Not too many cars on the road faster, other than M3s & 911s I beat everyone. I get girls half my age in this sports car, I love it !

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  Will not buy again - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Craig - August 27 - 4:16 am

  Ive driven my Malibu for 7,500 miles now and if I could get out from under it without taking a bath it would be gone tomorrow. I drive 120 miles daily and this is the most uncomfortable car I have ever owned. The seat bases are far too short hitting me mid thigh and causing pain in my legs after only 20 minutes of driving. The electric power steering is a poor choice and needs more boost at highway speeds. An hour of driving and my hands are cramped. The suspension works great in town but on smooth blacktop it sets up a harmonic vibration at 45-65 mph that shakes the entire car...very poorly designed. Tranny does not shift into high without letting off the gas.

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  Always Something - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By SubCoolEnt - August 24 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for a couple years now. And i am overall unimpressed. Over the course of time i have had maybe 1 week worth of reliable trouble free cruising. I am 60K now, and every accessory i own on this car has given me trouble. Even the window washer projector is broke. Granted, Mechanically the engine is sound, except for the lousy brakes. But rewiring the entire interior because of some lame-broke loser thinks he should get paid more money for his job and that i should feel the wrath of his stupidity is aggrivating (can u tell?). My milage is close to 10mpg from its original 24, and i cant fix it. The V8 gets better milage. Never domestic again!

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  Getting fed up!! - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Jessica Cardona - August 23 - 2:00 am

  Had A/C problems since I took it off the lot!! Had to be brought back every summer since date of purchase for the A/C. Freon is coming through my vents!! Crack occured after 30,000 miles on the dashboard. Check engine light always comes on, but they cannot find anything wrong with it. (so they say)..Shutters on the highway after reaching 70mph. Sometimes it hesitates on startup. Hesitates a lot when not in motion. Pain in the butt to change headlight bulbs.