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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  All I Wanted - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By gmo - March 26 - 2:00 am

  Great power/ Towing and plently or room.

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  Handles great - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Shelley - March 25 - 8:10 pm

  The car handles great. Interior handles pets feet and sticky kids well. There is enough lighting. Storage is all around. Roomy back seats. The cargo area is pretty neat too. Love the hatch back. Having electric windows is a great plus. Everything is close for easy reach.

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  The coolest car - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Car Lover - March 25 - 4:43 pm

  This is one nice car. Its cheaper than all those exotic cars, but performs just as well. The design is great, looks hot and is the ultimate dream machine. Its also a convertible, which is a nice feature in summer or for a road trip.

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  So far, so good - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By dcfdrescue - March 25 - 10:56 am

  Purchased 07 1500 Crew Cab Ltz VMax 4X4 late Aug, have 1500 miles on it so far and I love it. The ride is very smooth and interior comfort is good. Fit quality of interior is excellent and body panels, bumper etc. is also good. I have owned Jeep Grand Cherokees for the past 4 vehicles and decided after seeing the new body style to go with the 1500. I am very pleased with this truck so far. Wish gas mileage was better but I did buy a pick up truck so what did I expect. I wish the active fuel management would stay in V4 mode longer. I have a large dog and child and still have enough room in the back of the truck for them and toys. Would recommend the Lt2 for anyone looking for a nice non SUV

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  Who Needs an SUV? - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By derberg - March 25 - 8:26 am

  We bought our Maxx because its light enough (3,600 lbs.) to tow behind our motorhome. Its also quick, versatile, roomy and economical (23 to 36 mpg, according to the optimistic readout). At 26K miles it had brake rotors turned and the steering rack replaced under warranty. Those are the only problems so far. The Maxx is an excellent alternative to heavy, thirsty SUVs, but Chevy hardly advertised it at all. The new Malibu should have a hatchback version but doesnt because GM spent $billions on crossover SUVs and now must sell them. Itll take Toyota with its Camry-based (I think) Venza hatchback, coming late this year, to sell the concept. We Maxx folks will then look pretty smart.

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  Good Basic Truck - 1991 Chevrolet S-10
  By mowman777 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  I was quite pleased with my purchase of the truck. I put a hard 140K miles on it. I towed a trailer regularly and even with the 4 cyl engine had no problems. Great truck for the price.

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  Engine Problems - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Haji - March 25 - 2:00 am

  After driving sedans exclusively for the past 15 years, this was an enjoyable aquisition. We were looking for a second car and decided to try a Mini SUV - fits the profile well. Only issue was an Engine problem where by the only way to start the tracker was to pump the gas and then it would be rough running for the first minute. Turned out to be a temp sensor as part of the injector system. Had it fixed and worked fine since but the problem has come back at least twice since. I bumped into one person with another 2004 Tracker ZR2 and surprise they are having the same problem... GM please fix it.

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  City SUV - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By ericbythebay - March 25 - 2:00 am

  I live in the City by the Bay and gota tell ya this little SUV climbs those hills and is a snap to park! Very comfortable ride for small truck like vehicle. Full of options for the price! and when it snows in SF (chuckle chuckle) I will have 4 wheel drive! Fun vehicle and great little grocery getter...Not a huge SUV vehicle, but rugged...

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  Nothing Like It On The Road - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By harley02 - March 25 - 2:00 am

  This is one great truck/suv/vehicle. You get the best of all worlds. Very comfortable ride. My only issue is with the plastic clading...it scratches easy, which really sticks out. The only alternative is to order one w/o the clading, but then it looks strange..catch 22. BE AWARE..On-Star will cause issues if you plan to install an after market stereo system. The On-Star is tied to the stock stereo and if you replace the stock deck..no more On-Star. There are converters ($100) to keep On-Star. I wish dealer had told me prior to purchase regarding On_Star issue. Bottom line...great truck!!

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  Great Combination! - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By qtplavy - March 25 - 2:00 am

  I love the smooth ride, comfortable, roomy of the truck. Good power, brakes. Stick with the road real good. The engine is kinda heavy first 500 miles. Offer almost the same quality as Cadillac with 10k less.