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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  This car is a lemon - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By shilow - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Right from the start there have been problems with this car. The engine has been remounted 3 times due to a design defect that causes the engine to not fit properly into the vehicle. This makes the front end vibate constantly, especially when idling. It is not considered a safety problem by GM. But it can cause other parts to fail or break from the vibrations. Also the coolant system has had constant problems and many replacements. It is now leaking due to a rotted head gasket. Dealer repairs have been unsatisfactory. I would not recommend this car or any other GM vehicle to anyone.

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  Very good car! - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Amanda Smith - October 30 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for 3 years now and when I purchased it, it was 2 years old. My car has not given me many problems except for my dash cracked already. I never had any other except for oil changes and tires. I would recommend this car to any one who wants a cheap sports car!

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  Good fun car - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By DaveZ28 - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Its fast, its fun. The bad part is that the interior looks and feels cheap, it doesnt handle that good (yeah I had higher expectations) and its had its problems. Dont buy this if youre worried about fuel economy. I dont drive it hard and it gets worse mileage than what GM stated it would get.

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  The 2500 is SOOO Much ~FASTER~ - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Loreen - October 30 - 2:00 am

  I could NOT tell you how much I LOVE my truck! I tryed the smaller Avalanche 1500 first and really like it, but the 2500 just blew me away!! I could not sign the papers fast enough to get this baby in the garage. I cant imagine driving anything else. By far the coolest truck on the road. ( as far as Im concerned) It Rocks~

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  2003 Suburban LS - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Ourban - October 30 - 2:00 am

  Its been a great vehicle. Its comfortable, and has good power, could be better and get better mileage. Stling is great, and the room is awesome for people and storage.

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  Great performance and comfort - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By RW - October 29 - 9:36 pm

  I bought my SS a year ago and couldnt be happier with it. It is fun to drive, comfortable and gets great fuel economy to boot! I average over 30mpg on the highway and usually get around 26mpg overall.

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  Great Car! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Drew D. - October 29 - 10:16 am

  After shopping around with the other US made car dealers, we decided on the LTZ. For the features, you could not find a better deal. Plus, we are pretty much Chevy fans. We made a great choice. Being overseas, we rode in Audi, Mercedes and Volvo cars with our friends, and unless you really want to spend $40+K for a foreign made car, the LTZ is the way to go. It is a great ride and the MPGs are great. We are averaging about 32 MPG. Plus, the Pioneer sound system in the LTZ is fabulous. Chevy definitely has made a winner.

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  Bluez Cruze - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Caleb Allen - October 29 - 10:00 am

  I purchased my Cruze last month, trading in a Toyota Sequoia. I needed a car that would provide the same quality ride with better MPG. I have to say, its wonderful! Sure, I lost a lot of space, but Chevy really set standards high with the interior styling. Very quiet on highway and in town, and engine noise only comes when really punching. Not as quick as youd expect, but for a daily driver you have adequate power. Reliability up to the powers that be, I only have 500 miles on her so far. But the 100,000 PT, and 3/36 warranties give me peace of mind. Good buy.

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  Great car for the price - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Eric - October 29 - 9:43 am

  I have had mine since the end of June, and this is a great car for the price. Handles great, quick, great sound system. The controls are easy to use. The rear spoiler does take some getting used to, but really complements the car. Im 63, and it is a very comfortable car. Although, the seats might be a little tight for some people.

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  Its Worth It - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By big "T" - October 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought my "certified used venture" in March of 2001 with 56,000 miles on it. I love the car, but must insist that the cheap plastic parts cause me some problems from time to time. Both of my headlight lenses fell off - each was $300 or so to replace. Also had problems twice with the passenger side sliding door - thankfully under warranty. The car now has 97,000 miles on it, and we put on about 20- 25,000 every year travelling and camping. Couldnt ask for a better camping companion.