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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  Review - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Roger Nutter - July 30 - 2:00 am

  great car...our second SUBURBAN...this is a diesel and is too loud for me though the ride is good.

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  the best - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By scooter - July 30 - 2:00 am

  the avalanche north face is the best!! the chicks dig it and the guys wish they had one.

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  BEST CAR YET! - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By HUFFU2 - July 30 - 2:00 am

  WE HAVE OWNED MANY CARS IN THE PAST 20 YEARS...BUT THIS CAR & STYLE IS THE BEST YET! COMFORTABLE INTERIOR, NICE LOOKING EXTERIOR, AND MANY COMMENTS MADE TO US SINCE WE BOUGHT THIS CAR.

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  2007 Silverado Crew Cab Review - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By silverado22 - July 30 - 1:10 am

  This is the first GM vehicle that I have owned where I have not had to bring it back to the dealer to get anything fixed. I have over 12K miles in less than 6 months of driving, averaging 18 mpg. The air conditioning is powerful and cold. My only complaint is there is too much badging of the vehicle. After removing all of the silly 4x4 stickers, huge Chevy Bowtie, Silverado and GM badging, I can now appreciate the quality of the paint on my truck.

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  New 2008 Malibu LT1 - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dan Curran - July 29 - 6:46 pm

  This is my third Malibu purchased since 2001 and I will honestly say it is the best one by far. Time will tell the whole story but Chevrolet appears to have scored a whole-in-one this time around.

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  Trailblazer - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By BabyRanger - July 29 - 6:46 am

  So far, My Trailblazer has been great. I love the way it rides, accelerates, and handles. Its very quiet inside, has plenty of room, the seats are comfortable, and its easy to maneuver in traffic. The takeoff power is awesome. It will get up and go.

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  Lame-mobile - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By kmduym - July 29 - 5:54 am

  My husband and I purchased this car just over a year ago. We should have kept shopping. This vehicle is incredibly boring. From the exterior, it looks promising as a cute, responsible hatchback from an American-made car company. We had visions of fuel economy cresting 30mpg. We have held consistent at 21mpg. I would understand the low mpgs if the 6-cylinder could actually haul -- but it drives like a dog. Furthermore, the handling is so poor, with an overbearing torque-steer that sends you into a.) oncoming traffic or b.) the ditch. Not worth the money. Boring to drive. Cheaply made (rreeaallllyy cheaply made). A true disappointment.

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  HHR is fun and economical - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Todd McGonagle - July 29 - 4:33 am

  This is the first new car I have ever had and Im glad I bought one. It has plenty of space inside. It has a fun retro classic look. It gets all the mileage it claims to get, and even more if you drive slower than 65 on level ground. The automatic transmission is responsive and the little 4 banger is plenty of power for this car. If the engine were bigger it obviously wouldnt get that all important 30 MPG! For an inexpensive vehicle, I cant say enough positive things about it. I highly recommend the HHR if you like the utility of wagons, coupled with a car based body style. I hope Chevrolet will offer a 2 door panel delivery version of this car in the future.

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  Not very reliable - 1996 Chevrolet S-10
  By tdkool - July 29 - 2:00 am

  I bought this basic model (auto trans) two years ago as a utility vehicle and Ive put 20k miles on it- still low miles (72k) but Im starting to see some of the same issues as mentioned in other posts. (tranny, leaky fluids, etc). I dont rely on it further than 50 miles from home. Horrible mileage and no punch at all.

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  2000 Impala LS problems - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By Norbert Berninger - July 29 - 2:00 am

  This 2000 Impala LS has been trouble since I brought it. Almost every month in the garage. Front suspension completely replaced, Brakes,rotors, pads at 15,000. I purchased car with 15,000 miles. It is advisable to buy extended warranty.