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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  Tahoe - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Fridriksson - November 2 - 2:00 am

  Extremely fun to drive, the sound system and entertainment system are wonderful.

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  chevy suv - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By chevy suv - November 2 - 2:00 am

  This suv handles great. The driver feels that he is driving on a higher level. I tested other suv on the market, and this was the one that got my interest. I would recoment this suv.

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  yeah S10! - 1995 Chevrolet S-10
  By jaydb28 - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I have a 1995 S10 vin Z with 159000 miles. I love this truck. It flat out hauls (great for burnouts), and can carry a lot a weight for such small truck. So far had to replace brakes once, rear shocks, alternator, starter, and the catalytic converter, but that is to be expected with such high mileage. Cat-back exhaust and a superchip really improve the power of these things!

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  OH MY GOD! - 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By nocarnow - November 1 - 2:00 am

  I have put several aftermarket modifications on my car, thats about all i love about it. Driving it the other day and the tranny went on me!! Left me stuck on Route 90, a major interstate. You know Chevys little phrase, "well be there?" Ya, theyll be there when you need to buy a new car and are going to giive them $22,000! Then they will GLADLY be there. It rides like a go-cart by the way. However I never had any problems with the alternator or the water pump.

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  avalanche instead of standard pick up - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Ted D. - November 1 - 2:00 am

  what a great vehicle....love it, works great but did have an issue with the service at the dealership.

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  bad brakes - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By cfaller - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Very poor front brakes, they go out of round every 20,000 miles. Need better quality material in the brakes, same problem on my 2000 Malibu.

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  The best TrailBlazer Ever! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Zeke Bronson - November 1 - 2:00 am

  Ive had 3 TrailBlazers since they were restyled in 2002. This 2004 2wd TrailBlazer LT is the best ever. The 4.2L engine w/3.42 rear gets great fuel mileage on the highway ... 21+ mpg. Thats really good since most of my driving is highway. The seats are comfortable, and I have not been back to the dealership since I bought it. I love this TrailBlazer, and may keep it another year and get a 2006 model.

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  2000 Chev Blazer 4-DR LS - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Glensab - October 31 - 1:00 am

  Good fuel economy for a mid-sized SUV. V6 is a bit underpowered for its 5000- lb towing rating. Avoid premium or standard suspension as handling is sub- par. Recommend upgrading to touring suspension and going with a vehicle that has the OEM towing package as it handles much better. Few quality/reliability issues experienced in 85K miles.

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  Average Price, Average Quality - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By nmgraduate - October 30 - 4:43 pm

  Over the past few years the only problem that I have experienced was with the cd player not reading discs. The Silverado is a dependable vehicle I would recommend.

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  Great little car - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By John M Dunlap - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Have not owned the car for long but so far it is doing a great job. We live deep in the woods over rough gravel roads and it has a fine ride and handles the mud well. Just got thru taking the car on a 1900 mile trip. Rode very well and on the return trip drove 815 miles on day and wasnt beat. Very surprised at the build quality and overall performance