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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  I LOVE MY TAHOE - 1996 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Go4everFst - January 6 - 2:00 am

  I could not be more happy with my 96 2Dr Sport. I have a DVD player and a system that Snoop Dog would say turn that down. but i could not have asked for a better truck.

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  good vehicle - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By kve754 - January 6 - 2:00 am

  Very good performance so far. Few trips to dealer to fix climate control and audio. Overall very dependable and an excellent value for the money if you want to keep the vehicle for longer period

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  Good Car - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Jeff3396 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  This is an overall good car

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  love that car!!!!!!!! - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By rick smothermon - January 5 - 2:00 am

  perfect car for older couple!

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  A balance of performance and economy - 1990 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By unknownZ24 - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Mine has 250,000km but runs like new. The compression is still almost perfect,and it starts first go. A little bit of water under the hood, and some body rust, but thats what ontario winters do. Ive had no major problems.

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  Solid Venture - 1998 Chevrolet Venture
  By markusnow - January 5 - 2:00 am

  Only standard maintenance items ever needed so far. Very reliable in our experience.

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  Red Rocket - - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dave B - Canada - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I own an 87 Corvette - only 30,000 miles on it - runs like a new car, performs like a race car. Chev was right at the top of their game. ITs a joy to work on, modify and lots of stuff to buy to make it even better... cheap to buy used, and cheap to modify to stellar levels [compared to other high po cars]. No problems, except the alarm system.

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  fun to drive and very reliable.... - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By aozdemir - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my first car, this 95 Beretta, last summer. Although I replaced many items, I am happy to drive it. Back left part of the body is wrecked but I am not concerned because of the quality engine noise . This makes you feel you are in a great American car.

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  GM knows how to build a truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Drum Dawg - January 2 - 8:10 am

  This truck has been fantastic! I test drove many different vehicles before deciding on the Chevy. My wife and I do lots of research before even going to look at vehicles and really cant believe someone would purchase anything but a Chevy(GMC). The engine (5.3L) is really good on gas and provides loads of horsepower. The ride feels very firm and the trucks standard features are great! My buddys Ridgeline (that he bought a week before my purchase) is a lesser truck in all areas. He regrets his purchase after riding in mine. I havent used to roadside assistance but am happy to have it. My advice... Before buying anything else- go drive a Chevy and you will buy it. Best truck ever! This truck is perfect in all areas. Make sure you buy the 5.3 L so you can get great gas mileage and still smoke the tires. Buy the level of truck that you want. The LT1 package was good for me. Rails are a good investment.

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  keep your 4th gen... - 1992 Chevrolet Camaro
  By zerogsx - January 2 - 2:00 am

  Torque monster L98. Mine was a Heritage Edition Z28, Bright Red with Black stripes. One of the more timeless designs to ever come from an auto styling studio- though Im not crazy about the hi-rise F40-style rear spoiler of 91-92. It was my daily driver for years and it only needed tires and a small oil leak fix covered under warrantee. No rattles/squeaks at all with subframe connectors and no t- tops. IÂ’ve owned a total of 5 third generation FBodies and loved them all. Traded it in for a 96 Z28/SS 6-speed and regret every second of it (but I needed a manual transmission!).