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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  Test Drove them all , Impala won! - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By sammy(alias mario) - August 13 - 2:00 am

  When I when to buy my next car I researched the internet extensively and test drove just about all the cometitors (Accord, Camry,Passat, Intrigue, Altima, Avalon, Sable, Intrepid). The Impala won my wife and my votes for comfort , power, handling , features and room to spare. Plus it has 87% U.S./Canadian parts content. Not to mention 5 star frontal and 4 star side impact ratings.

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  Duramax - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By sam - August 12 - 6:23 am

  Get the diesel/Allison combo! I have experienced 23-27 mpg cruising at 70 mph, 16-17 city. Even factoring in the higher price of diesel, the cost per mile has been less, and with unlimited power and towing ability. Only annoyances have been rattling steering column and body squeaks and rattles. Otherwise truck has been very reliable. Comfortable and with very good brakes and handling.

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  Xochitls Review - 1999 Chevrolet S-10
  By Ofelia Arellano - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Have been satisfied with performance.

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  My Chevy - 1995 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Katherine Jolly - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I love my chevy. It runs great at 112K miles and still gets 26 miles to the gallon in the city. I have had no major problems with this car. Great pick-up and a comfortable ride.

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  My 1991 Caprice - 1991 Chevrolet Caprice
  By Caprice Fan - August 12 - 2:00 am

  Sold in 1998, traded in for a 1998 Tahoe. Driven to North Carolina from Michigan twice. Towed a pop-up camper through the Smokey Mountains in low- gear without breaking a sweat. Put a lot of use on it.

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  Low Mileage Transmission Failure - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By Janet - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I recently purchased my 99 Chevy Venture after much research on the internet and after test driving many different manufacturers minivans. I have been very happy with this vehicle until my transmission abruptly broke. The vehicle only had 40,000 miles and I was advised that this was one of the top of the line transmissions built to last at least 100,000. The only findings were "mechanical breakdown". The repair shop advised that this was probably due to faulty workmanship when the car was put together.

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  Fast z24 - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Tom P - August 12 - 2:00 am

  This car has been Good to me. No problems 2.4l has the best power of any 4cyl I have driven.Great shifting trans,shifts hard no lag.

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  Love my Aveo - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Stoll - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I just bought it only have 1000 mile on it. Lots of room on the inside. Get lots of looks when I drive around town since it is a new design by GM a lot of people have never seen one. GM is not doing any adds on TV has lot of pick-up hold the road on a windy day all in all quite surprised it isnt Cavleir thank god

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  My Monte Carlo - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By nana of 3 - August 12 - 2:00 am

  I always loved the new Monte Carlo since they came out and was determined to have one so I got one

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  Love my Malibu - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Pris - August 12 - 2:00 am

  This is the second review I give now that Ive owned it 2 1/2 months longer than the first review on 12/14/03. I absolutely love the car. I was interested in an Impala until I saw the Malibu. I have a very small problem with the seats but this has gotten better. I would definitely recommend the Malibu.