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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  Chevorlets flawed fuel sending unit - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By johny onenut - October 11 - 2:23 pm

  At 37000 miles, 1000 over warranty, the fuel gauge malfunctioned on mine, and every one elses I know who bought between 1999-2002. At 70,000 my brakes wore out. At 160,000 my ABS light has came on and will proably remain on. At 110,000 dash lights started to burn out. But overall, she has been a very reliable ride. Shes taken me from sea to shining sea many times, and I dread the day I have to turn her out to pasture. The 325 engine has run very, very well and shell still getting second gear rubber. What a great engine! 165,000 miles and still no oil burning.

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  My Cobalt - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By a. dicicco - October 11 - 3:30 am

  In general, I am happy with my Cobalt. Handling is good and the ride is decent. Would like to see a little more sound suppresion for road noise.

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  Inexpensive/Reliable 4x4 - 2000 Chevrolet Tracker
  By Troutking - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Ive owned my Tracker for almost 3 years now. No major problems to report. Good fuel mileage and does extremely well in snow. Just bought new "more aggressive" all-terrain tires (Original Tigerpaws are pretty wimpy). Plan on keeping it for a long time.

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  Good when running, sucks when not! - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By ChevyGirl - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Since purchasing the vehicle in 1999 I have had nothing but problems, replacing the transmission (twice),O2 sensors, EGR values, fuel injectors, major repairs to the frontend ... It has caused many of headaces over the years...however when running it is great, rides nice, comfy, lots of room for passengers and parcels.....

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  Good when running, sucks when not! - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By CHEVYGIRL - October 11 - 2:00 am

  Since purchasing the vehicle in 1999 I have had nothing but problems, replacing the transmission (twice),O2 sensors, EGR values, fuel injectors, major repairs to the frontend ... It has caused many of headaces over the years...however when running it is great, rides nice, comfy, lots of room for passengers and parcels.....

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  Best Truck ever - 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jjc839 - October 10 - 11:36 pm

  Owned since new, has 175,000km. Not a single problem ever, only money spent has been on regular maintenance. Has the 4.8 V8 which as a ton of power for this small truck and gets about 12l/100km.

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  Love My Silverado - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By history2 - October 10 - 10:44 pm

  I have a 2010 Silverado 1500 WT. Bought it with the 4.3 V6, black with black interior, power windows/locks/mirrors/cruise and keyless entry. Its a regular cab tho with not a lot of space behind the seat. It starts up and runs every morning. Ive had it since 9miles and now Im up to 9,000. No problems. Check the oil every 3k. Its quiet on the highway, pulling less than 2,000 rpms at 70 mph. It gets about 16 in town. That could be better but the truck does weigh over 2 tons. Great visibility at night. I wanted a reliable truck that could take me past 200k miles and Im on my way. I wanted the 4.3 V6. I had that motor before in another vehicle and i like it. Great Truck.

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  Crossover heaven on a budget - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By peter Harris - October 10 - 9:43 pm

  I am so happy I found the Chevy Equinox in my search. Great styling both inside and out! But I really love the XM satellite radio, The MP3 Player and the hands-free phone features. I get great gas mileage so far, and the machine is tight and high quality. Plus I am kind of psyched to have bought an American company product.

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  A Real Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By David C. - October 10 - 11:43 am

  This truck is all it can be. The comfort is better than expected. Reliability has been awesome.

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  Nice design, poor inside quality/build - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By talismanphl - October 10 - 3:26 am

  Ive had an 08 Malibu LS 4-cylinder sedan for a month as an insurance replacement rental. The car is somewhat elegant looking, with an attractive looking interior. The 2.4 four and automatic has enough power for most situations - Im averaging 24.5 mpg in mixed city/freeway driving. Interior is quiet and large, but materials used are poor - center console is cheap plastic and squeaks, the console lid was fixed once before but its loose again. The bottom of the drivers door panel is misaligned, squeaks on bumpy roads, and is made of ultra-cheap plastic. Windshield header leaked water in the car wash. Large trunk, but no rear center armrest - seats fold down instead.