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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  Happy owner and trading for a new one - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By bashappy - May 12 - 2:00 am

  best fun all purpose truck, car, rv, on the road, drives great. Have a new one on the way. This truck dose it all for me. I pull a large 21 ft. boat never had a problem with towing.

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  2002 LTZ reliability unknown - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By E Maz - May 12 - 2:00 am

  There is very little storage space for the driver and front seat passanger. Electrical outlets conflict with the cupholder locations and the cupholders are very small. Front center console is mounted too far rearward and is not easily accessable to the driver.

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  50 Years of History - 2018 Chevrolet Camaro
  By sefrapa010@icloud.com - May 11 - 12:57 pm

  It is a sports car. You definitely need the rear, side safety adder given the limited sight lines for the driver. It is low to the ground so getting in and out is tough for the senior crowd (me) but to drive it is to love it.

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  Has its Days - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By Bilke - May 11 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Beretta so that says a lot. I bought a Z26 new and a coupe used. It has over 125,000 miles and it still runs pretty good. The handling is great. My Z26 was very fast. My coupe is just so-so.

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  02 chev 15 pass van - 2002 Chevrolet Express
  By sternberg547 - May 11 - 2:00 am

  excellent driveability, no stability problems, no mechanical problems. ownership has exceeded expectations as of 28000mi. my highest reccomendation.

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  Love Da Monte! - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By G. Ruckdeschel - May 10 - 10:53 pm

  If you like power, style and turning heads on the road, this is your car. I have the laser blue metalic with the silvertone and on a clear sunny day I get countless compliments on my car. 303 horses gives you the power when needed, but the ride is smooth.

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  Had my last Ford - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By macvette - May 10 - 8:26 pm

  The last 3 trucks I have bought have been Fords. I used to drive Chevys but for some reason I bought a few Fords. The last was 07 F250 4x4 and that was the worst riding truck I have ever owned, anyway I bought the 1500 LTZ and so far I am very happy. The ride and drive are extremely good for my application. The fuel management I dont understand, sitting at a red light it runs on all cyclinders, I thought this would be a great time to save fuel. Overall I am pleased so far, but have less than 1000 miles.

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  Its a Chevy and I love it! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Paul - May 10 - 6:33 am

  Good ride on long trips, very comfortable. Set the cruise control and sail away! The only thing missing is "auto-pilot". Takes hills great. Lumbar support was a very good idea!

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  Few problems with proper matenance - 1992 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By pacofish - May 10 - 2:00 am

  I am a Mechanic. I have had this car since it was new I have to do almost notinig to keep this car running. This car gets a fast pass from the emissions test.

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  Good 4x4 - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By P-Ditty - May 10 - 2:00 am

  Have to watch the ball joints and the oil cooler lines but my dad has a 2x4 that has 179,000 miles on the 4.3 motor and it still runs great.