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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  Edmunds Editors Dont Know - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By JimS - September 24 - 10:00 am

  My fiancee and I have truly enjoyed this car over the past year. It currently has about 71K miles on it (we bought it last year with 63K+ miles). The car handles well for a full size car. The engine is responsive and the interior is very well done. We like it so much that we are about to get another one, replacing a 1992 Cavalier.

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  LOTS OF GOODIES - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By BIG BARNMAN - September 24 - 10:00 am

  JUST GOT THE CAR AFTER HAVING A MINIVAN FOR 2 YEARS AND I AM VERY SUPRISED WITH THE RIDE AND COMFORT OF THE TRAILBLAZER. HAS A TON OF ROOM AND IT IS VERY VERSITAL WITH ALL THE FOLD DOWN SEATS. DRIVES EXTREMLEY QUIET WITH LOTS OF PICK UP.IT ALSO HAS JUST ABOUT EVERY GADGET I HAVE EVER SEEN IN A CAR.

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  2000 design, but 1970s quality - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Spike43 - September 24 - 10:00 am

  Im very satisfied with the size, solidness, ride, interior comfort, and the top-end power. On the down side, Im not impressed with the stereos sound, cheesy-looking dashboard and slow steering response. Im very disappointed with the low/mid engine response (flat spots/surges), poor glass quality, poor fitment of window trim (all 4 doors and sides of windshield).

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  A Really Good Van! - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By F Baldwin - September 24 - 2:00 am

  No problems through 6,000 miles to date. Excellent performance, a very satisfactory Van.

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  Excellent - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Anna Feldman - September 24 - 2:00 am

  It is an excellent vehicle and fun to drive. I generally bring 5 17-20 year old hockey players to their practice, and have plenty of room

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  Venture Stacks up to the competition - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Fred Beno - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I have owned mini vans since 1992 and with three children purchasing another mini van was a no brainer.I test drove the Town & Country, the Windstar, the Oddessy and the venture. I had no real complaints with any of them but I felt with all the incentives from General motors the venture was the best bang for the buck.

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  Great for kids or drywall - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By brushrrunabout - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Great for hauling kids or drywall. Will fit anything. Heated seat great and can fly by SUVs in the snow. Great milage for the size also. The DVD is great for long trips

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  Why I own a Venture - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By Barbara Hoekstra - September 24 - 2:00 am

  I own a 1998 LS Chev Venture. I love it. The mileage is excellent and it is a joy to drive. Driving on long trips is a pleasure. I would buy another one in a few years if I decide to sell it.

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  Wonderful Truck, Happy Owner - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Cool Rod - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is a homeowners dream come tru. Functions as a very nice comfortable car most of the time, but you can move a refrigerator or haul trash to the dump if you need to. Go to "chevyavalanchefunclub" on the web to find more than 8000 happy owners. Thats the best site for all sorts of Avalanche info. I would recommend this truck to anyone. Best turning radius of any crew cab, shortest wheelbase, longest bed of any crewcab except duelies. Parks like a car!

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  luv it - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By redtruck - September 24 - 2:00 am

  Drives & rides better than previous 89 GMC truck. Tows 3,000 trailer so well that I forget its there, until I have to stop....