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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  Old vs New - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By OLD VS NEW - April 11 - 10:23 pm

  Like the look of the new Tahoe inside & out better than my 02, but I am not without issues. New vehicle has displacement on demand,but seems like it should have been geared to allow a 60 mph cruise in the 4 cyl. mode. So far fuel economy on new vehicle is worse than my 02. Will have to see how it does when taken on a trip. Rear visibility is not good (headrests on rear seats dont help.

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  Shouldve shopped around - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Happy Couple - April 11 - 2:00 am

  We bought the car new. Ride quality is extremely rough and the dashboard rattles CONSTANTLY. The front seats are uncomfortable and it has a cheesy stereo. Overall, the car is a good value considering the package options.

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  Buyer Beware...mileage is terrible! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By CHEMGIRL - April 9 - 11:00 am

  I purchased this vehicle for its versatilty since I live close to the mountains, and I wanted something with decent gas mileage. It has nice design and good features for the most part. The rear headrests are too high and cause a horrible blind spot, and the leather seats are a little cheap looking. It would be nice if the rear seat folded down flush with the rear cargo area. But my biggest complaint is the gas mileage. I am lucky to get 15 mpg! If I had to do it all over again, I would buy a Rav4 or an Escape. The mileage is very disappointing!

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  1997 Astro Conversion - 1998 Chevrolet Astro
  By macboy9999 - April 8 - 2:00 am

  I would not recomend this van to anyone. We have 60,000 miles as of 3/02. So far the air went out twice, the motor was replaced 6 months after purchase, the front tierods and bushings need to be replaced the gas guage does not work the brakes were replaced last year. The serpentine belt has been replaced a year ago and it still makes a loud noise. They say we need another new one. This van has been garaged since we bought it. My wife drives it 40 miles a day to the train station, so most of othe miles are highway. I purchased it new in 1997 for $28,900 It was the top of the line TV VCR ect. If you are looking to purchase an Astro I would say Dont!!!.

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  NEW TRUCK BAD TRANS - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By billy - April 7 - 2:53 pm

  I finally decided to buy my first full size truck and wanted to support Chevrolet. I have been driving Toyota FJ s with no issues ever. Now that I have bought a new 1500 and spent over 4k in upgrades to customize the overall plain truck. I have spent the last couple of trips over the holidays on the side of the road trying to cool down a hot trans. Now the dealer has had it for over a week and they are now saying a bad torque converter. I am so disappointed in buying my first full size truck and its now needing a new trans at 6k! I want my toyota back!!!

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  Lemon? - 2000 Chevrolet Astro
  By phoebe99 - April 7 - 3:00 am

  Bough new 2 years ago. It was in the shop every 2500 miles. Dealer consistantly claimed "We cant pull diagnostics on it." Broke down 1st time close to home (alternator @ 12000 mi). 2nd time on the way to Santa Barbara, the same day it left the dealership shop. The 3rd and final time I refused to drive it until dealer experienced loss of power. I kept telling them it was transmission, 1 wk later they still claimed it drove perfect for them and that same day the transmission blew on the freeway (30,000 mi). I was 8 mo pregnant with 2 kids in my car. Chevys 1-800 cust. service did nothing about all the problems so I traded it for a Nissan. Chevy should go out of business!!!

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  SS Mama - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Nisey - April 4 - 10:00 am

  I have to agree with you the enterior could use some work... like the dual air conditioning option low budget. Love the plain sleek look inside though! Over all I enjoy driving my Monte Carlo...only slightly miss me GT Pontiac.

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  S-10 - 1990 Chevrolet Blazer
  By MR. BILL - April 3 - 2:00 am

  GOOD CAR SERVRD US VERY WELL.

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  lots of problems - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By basebooboo - April 2 - 2:00 am

  My 2000 Chevy Impala LS has had nothing but problems . Engine cradle , stearing shaft bearing, brake rotors, side impact airbag.It all started at around 25000 miles. I have taken this car back to the dealer 9 times and it is still not performing the way it should. When riding on a road that is not quite perfect the front end feels loose and makes a slight popping noise. I thank myself for not buying this car because at the end of this lease I can walk away from a car that otherwise I would be stuck in. I dont have anything good to say about this car....

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  Very good suv when working - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By jun0719 - March 30 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this suv 10/2001 and while its fun to drive, powerful, very smooth, comfortable, and the look of the car is great, but unfortunately this is not a reliable vehicle. This car has been in the shop for a number of problems. Ive had problems with the air condition, radio, dash, power windows, fuel filter, fuel gauge, gas tank, and starting problems. I took a chance on purchasing an American car, and I would be reluctant to do so in the future.