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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  a boring car - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Tombennett - March 2 - 2:00 am

  bought for 6 grand with only 27k at 5 yrs old. good power from reliable engine, nice styling, back seat is huge, but at expense of front room. I had to replace rotors, and brakes are not the best in general. No other repairs in 3+ years. Handles like a beached whale, though. If the seats were not so mushy, and the interior not so cheap plastic-ey, I would like it a lot better. But, with a wax job, and those alloy wheels, it looks damn sharp in the driveway. And, with the money i saved driving boring cars like this, I live in a half million dollar house. Not so bad for a school teacher

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  Got it right - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By great99 - March 2 - 2:00 am

  I have never owned a car that mixes ride, handeling and horsepower into a vehicle you could drive every day if you wanted and at the price this sells for. On top of that it is a blast to drive and I get better gas mileage than my daily driver 6 cyl.

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  192K and Still Truckin - 1995 Chevrolet Caprice
  By KCmajones - March 2 - 2:00 am

  About 2 years ago I was looking at a lot of old cop cars to buy and by luck, my friends older brother was looking to sell his caprice he had bought through ebay a few years prior (he bought a one way plane ticket to NJ and drove it back to Detroit!) because he needed a truck. So I bought the 95 ex-NJ state police Caprice from him. I paid $3,000 for it and it had 165K miles. Ive had to replace the starter, front shocks (heavy engine), ignition cap, wires, and fuel filter (about $1600 total). I just recently hit 192K miles and the engine (original miles) runs clean. The only downside to this car is the lees than stellar gas mileage.

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  My Biggin is a good one!! - 1994 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Howard hodges - March 2 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has twice pulled a 5,000lbs Ford truck and dual wheeled trailer across the United States. The 350 Chevy engine to this day does not use oil or smoke, it is a little weaker as a result of the miles but a replacement will take care of the problem allowing me to drive this vehicle well into the 2010 time frame. I am planning on removing the rear seat and putting bucket seats and a center console with storage and audio equipment. Replace the engine and electronic system with and upgrade along with a supercharger, and look out Fords and Dodge the Biggin will be at it again. Thanks Chevrolet for building such a great vehicle.

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  96 chevy s-10 - 1996 Chevrolet Blazer
  By memphistiger - March 2 - 2:00 am

  would recommend this vehicle for a first-time driver (high school kid). after 7 years and 90,000 miles, it is still in great condition.

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  Fun to drive - 2002 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Matt1965 - March 2 - 2:00 am

  Good milage for a 4wd. I avg 24-25mpg. Interior is a little cramped for long trips, plastic scratches easily & leaves white marks.

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  1 year and I still love this truck - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By joshb2j - March 2 - 2:00 am

  Almost weekly I am reminded of why I bought this truck--versatility with comfort and plenty of passengar and storage room. We comfortably travel with a family of four and there is a ton of room to store bags, strollers, and the like. Fuel economy blows, especially when gas is like $1.75 and you have a 35 gallon tank, but I would recommend this truck to anyone who wants an SUV and the flexibility to haul things in a truck bed. Love it, Love it, Love it.

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  Ways to improve gas mileage and comfort - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By crossroads50 - March 2 - 2:00 am

  For those of you who are complaining about gas mileage please listen up. The first 36,000 were with all stock parts. Now that the original warranty is up I have added a flowmaster exhaust kit with dual cat tips and a K&N Fuel injection performance kit which increase my gas mileage, 3 to 4 mpg. Remember to keep your feul injection system clean ( every 15,000 or so for the avalanche ) Like with any vehicle keep up on your maintenance and your vehicle will work better for you. Im happy I chose the 2002 Z71 Avalache over the suburban and the cadillac suv.

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  UP TIPP - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By ROBER7 - March 2 - 2:00 am

  THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT TRUCK. VERY COMFORTABLE RIDE. ONLY PROBLEM IS THAT IS HEAVY ON GAS IN CITY DRIVING

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  Its been a great car - 2003 Chevrolet Malibu
  By HappyLS - March 2 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car based on the great price I got $16,100 for v6, sunroof, leather etc. I was a little hessitant based on some reviews. Im happy to say its been a great car. Its met or surpassed all my expectation. The V6 is smooth and powerfull, breaks well. Good build quality. Could use some better tires. For the price of something like a Honda Civic I got alot more car and performance.