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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  My third AWD Astro - 2004 Chevrolet Astro
  By Iowaped - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Love the AWD.Prefer over 4WD.Its the only minivan that my labrador fits in. Would like more leg room up front, available DVD roof mount and moonroof would be nice. Back seat a monster to remove. Need to modify power window switches. My cat closed the window on my neighbors hand!

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  Im driving a cloud!! - 2004 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Teresa :) - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I absolutely LOVE my White Chevy Tracker!!! It drives like a dream, and Im VERY comfortable in my sweet leather seats!! It was truely love at first sight!! Needless to say, the 0.0% financing (the entire 60 months) and the $1,500. cash back rebate was a blessing!! KUDOS TO CHEVROLET for making my dreams come true!!!

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  What a piece of garbage. - 2000 Chevrolet Venture
  By sturmiller - February 23 - 2:00 am

  10,000 miles- new transmission hood pops open spontaneously- takes mos. to fix. TWO front brake jobs- with rotors 40,000 intake gasket blows. ($1200 repair) 44,000 wheel cylinders blow out 46,000 seat belt sensor and air bag breaks ($350 repair) 47,500 steering pump blows and so do both wires. $700 repair Motor for rear wiper dies ($400 repair) DONT BUY GM. They make junk. Whole websites full of complaints from unhappy consumers. This car is the WORST. Spend more, get better..

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  Lovin every minute - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By atlglflvr - February 23 - 2:00 am

  I did not consider the Avalanche when considering a truck. My daughter actually suggested I look at one and boy am I glad I did. This is a great multi-purpose vehicle and would recommend it to anyone looking for an SUV but wanting the versatility of a truck.

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  my third burban - 2004 Chevrolet Suburban
  By uglydogface - February 23 - 2:00 am

  Its a great truck. I will never go back to a car. My wife has a lexus 470 which has a nicer interior but the burban handles just as well. Im trying this one with stabilitrak.....well see how it performs

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  So far, so good - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Von NICKLEBERRY - February 22 - 11:03 pm

  Handles good, nice sounds, OnStar, gas mileage, looks smaller than what it is, trunk space sunroof, tire size. Smoothness!

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  6 months with my LT2 Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By George - February 22 - 6:33 pm

  I bought this car September 30th and drove 5200 miles so far. A good friend bought the Honda EX-L and the Malibu interior is quieter. The onboard computer told me my right rear tire was low, 19 lbs, and when I got home and check it was exactly right. This is something the Honda does not offer as well. The competitors do offer 18 gallon tanks and perhaps a bit better MPG but not enough to trade the pros of this car in for. If I could do it all over I would have bought the Malibu in the 4 cylinder engine due to GM not increasing the gas tank size when increasing the engine size. This is a major oversite on GMs part, in my honest opinion.

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  Hurray for Domestic! - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Red - February 22 - 10:20 am

  This is the first domestic car Ive purchased. Before this, I was in Honda Civics and VW Jettas. My wife was interested in this car for the increased room for our family. At first I was turned off. Im so very pleasantly surprised. Bought it with 30k, now has 62k. Interior styling is very functional and surprisingly stylish. Exterior is about as sporty as you can get for a four door hatch outside the Audi. Rides like a very substantial car. There is a crazy amount of space inside, so much more than youd think from the outside. My friends are also surprised and we enjoy tooling around in it. Im excited that Chevrolet made this car, its a boon for domestic automobiles.

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  Great Transportation - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Roger_223 - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I bought the car from someone who serviced it regularly and took good care of it. I take good care of it and the car takes good care of me. A great value. Maintenance has been minimal and no major repairs or problems.

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  Nothing ROCS your body like an F-Body! - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 3rd Gen F-Body Lover - February 22 - 2:00 am

  I just got my 92 Camaro RS w/Z28 handling pkg Bright red w/Flame Red Interior, on the 2nd of January 2004 (what a way to start the new year huh?). Ive always wanted to own a Camaro. And was blessed with my car. I absolutely lover her shes awesome. The styling is fly, 20 bucks is a FILL UP using 93 Premium! Nothing like cruising with the t-tops off! Ive heard for years HOW reliable Camaros and T/As were...Ive NEVER had to add a drop of oil to the car and Ive had it for nearly 2 months! (I had the crankcase filled with Valvoline MaxLife the next week of ownership)