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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  SMOOTH RUNNING - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By JOHN - August 7 - 8:22 am

  Great little pickup for light hauling. Drives smooth & straight with excellent brakes. Manual transmission is fine. My 4 cyl gets 23 mpg. I do have trouble with the emmision pump (so the computer says) system but it does not effect the running of the unit.

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  LS - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By igotanewcar - August 7 - 3:31 am

  I just picked up my fist new car. Picked it up with 100 miles on it and drove 1000 miles to Florida and it ran great. It averaged 35+mpg and that was running 70 mph on interstate. The downside is it runs at 3250rpm running 70 mph seems high but it is not normal driving for me. I normally drive 55 on the highway going to work and should do much better on mpg. LS package has no air, cd, or cruse. It would be nice but for the price I wont complain. 12000 list price - 1000 rebate and - 4500 cash4clunkers = $6500 before tax, title, license. My dad bought a mazda brand new in 1978 for $6700 hard to imagine 30 years later same price for better vehicle.

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  1998 Z28 - 1998 Chevrolet Camaro
  By 1998 Z28 - August 6 - 11:19 pm

  I am the original owner of this Z28 manual 6-speed since 5/98. It has been great and very reliable. Rear wheel drive is the best, front-drive vehicles have too many repairs. I still have not replaced the clutch, the A/C compressor a couple of times, the transmission syncros may be going but need to shift nicely. May buy the new Camaro after the illicit markups are gone. The LS1 is the greatest motor.

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  Mixed review from our household! - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Air Force wife - August 6 - 7:08 pm

  Bought this to replace hubbys 10-year old Chrysler Sebring convertible. Hubby is 64" & fits well in the car. He loves everything about it. I am a bit pickier. Overall, it drives well, is mostly comfy (front head rests annoying), & has great storage for our 2 small kids w/car seats & a stroller in back. I drive a 2004 Toyota RAV4 (base model) & there are things my RAV has that this doesnt, like cup holders that adjust (this car has lots of cup holders, but only 2 hold a 20 oz. bottle), stereo controls on the steering wheel, & a cargo cover. Spare tire & jack cost $75 extra on the Chevy! Would still buy again because we couldnt afford anything more. Cargo space is worth it.

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  Wow! What A Car - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By crspurch - August 6 - 1:09 pm

  Well, this is my third corvette, first a C3 - 1980, next a C4 - 1992 and now this C5. It is incredible, the improvement over the C4 is staggering. The car is a monster and handles like a dream. I wanted a convertible, but I thought I wanted a C6 because of the higher HP. However, after driving both, I decided on the C5 (2004) because I thought the interior was much nicer and roomier. I really felt the C6 interior was "cheapened" compared to the C5. Some have complained about "noise" from the run- flats, but I dont experience that problem. All in all, dollar for dollar, this is an awesome car!

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  Great Car - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By NYGLT56 - August 6 - 10:54 am

  Bought my 06 Impala with 36,000mi on it in 2007. Since then I have put 46,000mi on it. It has never been in the shop for repairs. I average 29 mpg on the highway and 22 in the city. I can some times get up to 31 on the highway and thats great form the 3.9L engine it has.

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  Why I Like - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Aveo Girl - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I bought a small car because of the gas mileage ratings. This car is fun to drive as well.

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  Perfect - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Sabrina Campbell - August 6 - 10:00 am

  My favorite car was always camaro and since that model was no longer in the making i had to find another car and i tried the supercharged ss and i was amazed and from now long until they stop making them i will own only that amke and model always a chevy lover and always will be the car is perfect as a sports car and still yet a family car i have 2 young boys and a tall husband i could not ask for a better car and still aint ready for the vans and suvs and never will be i hope you like your as much as i love mine ..

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  GM got it right on the c6 - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By hilgie - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I have not owned an american car for 25 years. I have owned an Acura NSX, Lexus SC 430, BMWs, etc. I am proud to say that GM should be proud of their acheivement in the C6. Good build quality, great design and execution. The vette flat out beats the NSX in every area- handling, acceleration, speed. Even beats it in fun to drive factor. I was looking at a Porche 911, but after driving the new C6, there was no reason to spend the extra money. Great Car. I only have 900 miles on it so reliability is still an unknown.

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  What a car - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Paul Woods - August 6 - 10:00 am

  I have driven many exotics in my day..Ferrari, Porsche, Lamborghini,etc. Ordered the car in March based solely on the early pictures and reviews. Was I ever surprised! Unbelievable power, head turning looks, nice ride from the new Goodyear EMTs. My car is an early one (#1995) and the build quality is every bit as good as others costing many thousand more. Z51 and six speed manual is the way to go. If this isnt the automotive buy of a lifetime, I dont know what is. Thank you Chevrolet, it really is an American Revolution.