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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  Love it so much...Im buying another one - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By DAHLLR - August 11 - 10:00 am

  This is the hands down best truck I have ever owned. Chevrolet did a very good job "beefing" up their trucks to compete better. I have had no problems with this truck at all. Best of all...the 4.8 liter engine with automatic transmission gets incredible gas milage (even better than our Blazer with 4.3 liter). I would definately recommend this truck.

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  2002 Trailblazer LT 4 wheel drive - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By NCCFI - August 11 - 10:00 am

  The Trailblazer rides very smooth and very quiet. It has plenty of power. I have had no problems at all with this vehicle. I previously drove a 1997 Blazer that I ordered new. I liked it, but the Trailblazer is far better.

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  Lots of small problems - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Ghost Rider 6 CE - August 11 - 10:00 am

  In about 18000 miles, this truck has been back to the dealers about 9 times for small things that should never have happened, in my opinion. Air leaks, rough idle, pulling to the right, surge, stumbling, fuel pump replacement, 2 computer reprogrammings, window replacement, spare tire lock improperly installed at build, DRL lamps burn out, steering box replacement, cold knock if use 10W30 oil, tappet noise if using 5W30 oil, etc. Worst part is dealers seem fairly incompetent. The customer has to do the troubleshooting for them and look up the tech bulletins too - they are too lazy or ignorant to do it.

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  A/C Problems - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By rgolf1960 - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Love the gas mileage (40mpg) but have had in the shop (4) times for A/C work in (2) yrs. Otherwise great work car.

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  Unreliable SUV - 1995 Chevrolet Blazer
  By NItia - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought this truck used in April 2001. Ever since, this truck has been nothing but TROUBLE! The EGR vavle went twice,the trucks main computer("brain") went,the fuel pump& tank went and needed to be replaced,all six fuses blew out,and those also needed to be replaced twice, plus I needed to add front and rear brakes amung MANY OTHER things that all failed in the matter of 1 year. Ive put well over $2500 worth of work on this truck and now my transmission is going, the car wont go past 5 mpr and the speedometer doesnt work sometimes. I cant wait to pay this off and get a new truck. I will NEVER buy a blazer again! Think before you do!!!!

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  Best car I have ever owned! - 2000 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Erik D - August 11 - 2:00 am

  Has a brute amount of power, great handling, comfortable seats (front ones anyway), and gets between 24-30 mpg on the highway. Youve gotta love that from an engine that is a 5.7L 350. This car is in its own class when it comes to looks, performance and price. The engines potential seems almost unlimited. There are setups out there where people are making over 700 HP, but still get 23 mpg on the highway with the a/c on. Drop the clutch at 1500 rpmÂ’s and youÂ’ll have a huge smile in about 5 seconds!

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  Classic Convertible, Great Car - 1993 Chevrolet Corvette
  By robin - August 11 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car gently used in 1995 with 19,000 miles on it. It now has 95,000 miles and I think all I have replaced on it is the water pump and a belt. Of course besides normal maintenance and tires being quite expensive, this car has been a total joy to own.

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  Rcommend Full Size SUV - 2001 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By mchenry - August 11 - 2:00 am

  The overall experience with my Tahoe has been outstanding, the power is excellent the ride is more like a luxury car than an SUV and the mileage while not so high is one of the best in its class and surprising for a big V8. I handled 3-4 ft of snow last winter in northern Michigan like it wasnt even there.

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  Just Got it.. - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Joe - August 10 - 8:50 am

  Just bought my 2009 Silverado and I have enjoyed it a lot so far. I had a Sierra previous to this truck and this truck is very quiet compared to my old one and this one even rides smoother. I am happy with the truck and hope it is as reliable as my old GM product.

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  92 lumina-great car - 1992 Chevrolet Lumina
  By babyshu - August 10 - 2:00 am

  my 92 lumina has been a really great car, very dependable, sometimes way over mileage for an ail change, but she has always gotten me there and back.we are just miles short from turning 240k miles and she still runs strong, all original parts.