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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  2000 chevy express van LS 3500 - 2000 Chevrolet Express
  By Billthedrummer - February 21 - 2:00 am

  This van serves the purposes I bought it for. It drives smooth and pulls my 19 FT bow rider boat better than my old 92 F250. The clearance inside is higher than my truck was with a cap on it. All the seats remove easily so I can load up with music equipment. I can even leave seats in and bring the band along with me. It has the 5.7 litre motor so I have no problems on hills. I use it to take the garbage to the dump too. The garbage cans will fit standing up in the back with the lids on. I havent owned it for very long so I cant tell you all the many uses.

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  MY chevy - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By kimoea - February 21 - 2:00 am

  My car is very fun to drive. I think it should have had a different spoiler desing.Other than that it is a great car. I put my own sound system in it and it "ROCKS"

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  Good car for the money - 1999 Chevrolet Malibu
  By maxlibbee - February 21 - 2:00 am

  I have a 1999 Malibu LS. Had to spend $1600 on some stuff at $28,000 including brakes which annoyed me. Car has good pep, and gets clsoe to 30 mog on highway. It cathes around 22 mpg around town. I also had to replace altenator at 38k which also annoyed me. Cost another $500 at dealer. I have two teenagers, I have taught to drive using this car. It has been fine

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  Standard 4 Door SUV - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By GlennPearl - February 21 - 2:00 am

  This car has been very good, except for two features. When I bought the car in 199, I checked the radiator 6 months later and there appeared to be a brown mudlike substance inside. Nothing like the usual green clear liquid I am used to. A radiotor shop tried to drain and fix, but the mud comes back. It has overheated in very hot tempatures. The other problem is the joints, they appear to make noise when backing out of a drive way. Nobody can fix that either. Other than that I enjoy the vehicle. Cheverlet has not backed this vehicle well. They refuse to fix the two things wrong, which makes me wonder on the next purchase who will back their vehicle.

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  Dream Machine - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RGH - February 21 - 2:00 am

  Driving the 2002 Corvette 6 spd Convertible is the best automotive experience I have ever had the priviledge to experience.Exhilirating acceleration, tight cornering, smooth ride and exceptional feel in a visual package shared by only a few of the elite sports cars in the world. Add to that the fun of Corvette forums, clubs, road rallies, aftermarket equipment, clothing and plenty of helpful advice and one purchases a complete recreational package that no other car can compare with. It is truly awesome.

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  I would rate this SUVs reliability Zero - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By zepres - February 21 - 12:50 am

  Loved this SUV until the rack & pinion drive gear started to leak oil at 2000 miles. Dealer fixed it. Then at 5000 miles, transmission leaked oil. My ride is still in the shop today. Very disappointed with GM. No wonder we cannot compete with foreign car makers.

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  Safety on winter and price by diler.no follow up o - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By Irma g - February 20 - 1:44 pm

  Me encanta mi carro pero primero me hisieron fraude al comprarlo con un costo de 40mil dolares y deja un cbslt2006 del año me quede con el para no aruinar mi credito....el carro es economico ayuda mucho para mudansa pero para tiempo de nieve se resbala mucho la palanca de cambios es la 2 vez que la cambio para abrur las ventanas siento que es un peligro y distraccion el espacio de los acientos de enfrente muy juntos la pintura se arruina pronto y aun estiy esperando mi cita del recall

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  Impala SS - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By rcap - February 20 - 2:00 am

  The seats are uncomfortable and lack support. If you can find Bonneville leather seats buy them and replace. Other than that it is quite a car. Not as quick as my Corvette Z06 -- BUT turns alot more heads and gets more notice!

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  Disappointed in "THE GENERAL" - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By nickcon104 - February 20 - 2:00 am

  I have owned my s-10 Stepside for 4 years and have had overall a good experience with my truck. The build quality is starting to show its age. The drivers door is sagging, the rear tail lights and brake lights decided to short out. The rubber window molding on the door comes loose and flaps around at high speeds. Truck is reliable and sporty looking and the interior is comfortable. I am in the market for a new vehicle but as much as I would like to stay w/a Chevy, I dont think I want to plunk down my hard earned $$ for another GM product :-(

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  no more venturing for us - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By twk - February 20 - 2:00 am

  1st 2 years were fine with this vehicle, soon as the 36,000 warr. wore off problems started on regular basis. have had electrical issues with the wiring, problem with the power windows and the gasket problem everyone else has mentioned..& little things like the rear hatch handle breaking off GM should stand behind its product. it is very poor quality. i can not believe how many people i know that have had the same problems! the gasket should have been a recall..and many people have had the wiring problem too. i can not afford a hefty car payment, coupled with repair bill after repair bill. no more chevy for me. traded in venture today, at a loss.