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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  Great Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By caseyredfox - August 13 - 11:18 pm

  I bought my Chevy Colorado in 2004 with 3 miles on it and now 7 years later have 116XXX and climbing, I have driven my truck like I stole it since the day I bought it. I have added a few performance things to the engine but have never done any major overhauls yet. Main thing with these trucks is to do the maintenance as scheduled, and they do have problems with the blower motors but that is an easy fix.

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  Excellent vehicle.. questionable mileage - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By evg2 - August 13 - 3:16 pm

  The vehicle has been an excellent purchase. I have had mine for 15 months now and enjoy its comfortable ride. Previously, we had both a Dodge caravan and Nissan Altima. We needed a vehicle that could store more than the Altima and get better gas mileage than the Caravan. Of the many models I researched in this range, the Equinox had the features and qualities we liked the most for our needs. The only complaint we have was the slightly exaggerated MPG rating where it advertised up to 600 miles on a single tank. I have not gotten above 475 miles on a 18.8 gallon tank. it places the Avg MPG at about 26. This is much better than the Caravan. But, it is not anywhere near the "up to 600 miles".

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  Great Van - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By nascar2448 - August 12 - 11:20 pm

  Well I have owned the van for a few years and it has held up great. I have 4 kids and it is very roomy and it is amazing on gas for the size of the vehicle. It may be unbelievable but it has 319000+ miles on it. And as far as I know it has never been rebuilt but other than routine maint. it does not have many problems i have to replace the shift cable and get the a/c fixed but all in all it is well worth the money spent. And in this economy the gas mileage is good getting 23-26 city and 28 -31 hwy. I have the 25 gal. optional tank and can get over 600 miles to a tank. All I have to say is GOOD JOB GM.

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  okay car - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By yaris4 - August 12 - 9:38 pm

  This car is average at best. bought brand new in 2003 has 180K on odometer. Automatic Z24 in canada model. Car drives well, with smooth automatic transmission. Gas mileage is average. Have had to replace driver side auto window motor 3 times. Other than that regular maintenance.

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  Love this Car - 2011 Chevrolet Malibu
  By lbillups1 - August 12 - 8:54 pm

  Bought my Malibu in January of this year. There is nothing about it that I do not like. Base model, Summit White exterior. Fantastic gas mileage. I try to focus on my driving habits and make an effort to use cruise control when possible and as result I was able to achieve 39.4 miles per gallon on a recent round-trip to Columbus OH from Indianapolis. Goal was not to exceed 65 MPH. Weekly fill-ups (40% city, 60% highway) always average 27-28 MPG. The car looks sharp inside and out. Chevy created a real winner.

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  1st American car since 1994 - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By colosteve - August 12 - 7:24 pm

  Was a loyal GM guy, but had some issues and bought foreign vehicles for a long time. This Cruze was what brought me back. We were looking to improve MPG and traded my truck for it. Test drove lots of other cars and came back the the Cruze. Chevy really seems to have hit a home run this time. The car is mostly driven by the wife (she loves it), we were both impressed on the test drive...when for a second and took it home. Style, comfort and economy were what we were looking for and this beat the competition hands down. A lot of bang for the buck. Leather, On Star, back-up sensors, remots start all for $23K. You did good GM...maybe Im back as a loyal GM guy again?

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  Prime Example Of American Trucks! - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By heavychevy99 - August 11 - 2:30 am

  This is my 2nd go round with a tahoe. My first was a 97 and was an excellent rig! My current tahoe is a 99 and basicly reflects the 97 i had but has a few more cool options, Heated seats, Rear AC for the kiddos, This rig is hard to beat for the money spent. I paid $3800 for this 99 and it has 170K on it and still going strong. The Engine performs excellent, has great power and tows my 7000lb boat all the time. I read a few reviews of people bashing the transmissions in these tahoes but if you take care if it it will return the favor ( I.E. DO NOT TOW HEAVY LOADS IN OVER DRIVE! ) and treat it to a nice trans cooler and it will last forever. All in all this is an excellent SUV for the money!

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  awesome when it starts - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By goin2bluoval - August 10 - 4:39 pm

  My 2008 cobalt sport sedan looks great...I get 37 to 52 mpg inst...this car has a ignition problem that GM ignores. Summer days are worse for this car, you can turn the key constantly, over an over or leave it until the steering column cools off, then it will start...thus, this is not a family car. Its only for going staight to work and back. Do not buy a cobalt. Auto trans.

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  Disappointed - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By meer - August 10 - 12:22 pm

  Bought car for wife. The front seat bolsters are too high, uncomfortable on long ride. Ok, for smaller wife. Gas mileage is only 24 mpg. Service manager actually said it would get better after break in period, (car is 7 mos old). The tire pressure fluctuates way to much. Im always putting in air, Service mgr said this normal due to weather. Also had rear quarter panel pop loose from wheel well. Overall Im disappointed in the car. We went from a Chrysler Concord with 194,000 miles on it a 3.5 V 6 that got 27 miles to the gal on trips. GM needs to readdress their business goals. I wanted to buy American but got burned.

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  Love it...but oh my! - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By garihee - August 9 - 7:48 pm

  Love this car for its great lines, 350, availability of aftermarket parts and its ability to move in the snow. Unfortunately, were on our 4th transmission this one a warranty replacement for the new one we put in when the second one went south. The next time it eats a set of rotors Im going to spend some real money and buy a pair that should last. Theres also a sensor in the power steering that goes sour routinely and makes for some exciting wheel play on snow and ice and is in fact, a serious liability. Anyway, glad to have mine and no intention of letting it go its one of tomorrows classics!