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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  1995 IMPALA SS - 1995 Chevrolet Impala
  By Michael Barrett - June 25 - 2:00 am

  My 95 SS is my every day car with 127K miles. Ive helped its performance and handling with SLP headers ADR cat back 2.5 inch pipes (loud) Bilstien shocks cold air intake MS6A electronic ignition 275-40 ZR tires 160 thermostat and beefier wires. Horse power is up from the original 260 to near 300. Ill soon be upgrading the 3.08 rear end to 3.42. I LOVE driving my 95 Impala SS. Its one of the better things Chevy did, and one of the dumber things they did when they dropped the Caprice therefore eliminating the 94-96 Impala SS.

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  1995 Impala - 1995 Chevrolet Impala
  By dhyde1 - June 25 - 2:00 am

  I havent had many problems with my SS. I did have to change the water pump at 63,425 miles. I keep getting a whole in my drivers seat on the left side of seat. I changed the seat once I dont think im going to fix it again. I had to fix my brakes twice and the belt once thats it. Its a nice car.

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  Tahoe is the best!! - 2002 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By ARDELCY - June 25 - 2:00 am

  TAHOE HAS A SMOOTH RIDE. PLENTY OF LEG ROOM FRONT AND 2ND SEAT.

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  Monthly problems! - 2011 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jm - June 25 - 12:58 am

  @28,000miles, brake problems,power windows replace and every 8,000miles replace front rotors and pads. @50,000mi.transmission replace. @70.000 power steering pump replace. Constance road noise thru bottom of rear doors. Popping noise when turn right on gravel roads. Price too high for this car.

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  fun and safe - 2001 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By chris kuellenberg - June 24 - 10:00 am

  I had purchased my monte carlo ss about 3 months ago. I am a car salesman and know everything about the vehicle, so i knew it was a great car, but i got hit by a truck on the drivers side door last week and i am really sore but really impressed by the car. i was hit at 50mph and have no injuries other then soreness. I will buy another one i love that car.

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  Shouldve Bought 99 Acura Integra GS-R - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By JMC-19 - June 24 - 10:00 am

  The first thing that comes to mind when i think about my cavalier is, clutch....the clutch in my ls sport grabs so high and feels like its already starting to go (and i know how to drive a stick).The other thing that comes to mind is brakes. I just rolled 3000 mi and my front rotors feel like they need to be cut. I will give Chevy a hand for the new ecotec engine though, because it is a lot smoother and quieter than my old 2.2L. And good luck if you change your oil at home, b/c you have to take the intake tube and air box cover off to get to the filter! But the filter is very nice , b/c you only have to drop into a cylinder.

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  I love my cavalier - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kater8ter - June 24 - 2:00 am

  This car is very reliable and makes a great first car.

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  Great Value! - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By John Hendrickson - June 24 - 2:00 am

  The truck I bought was really a compromise between my wife and I, she wanted an SUV - I wanted a pickup bed. Adding a shell gave us both what we wanted. We have a larger cargo area than most SUVs, the short rear doors open wide, which makes it nice when putting a baby in a carseat with a car parked next to you. It came standard with items like a bedliner, mats, CD & cass radio and even luxury items like remote entry and foglights. The compass/temp. is handy also, and the 4x4 is awesome. The design of the truck is clean, the layout is thought out and the initial quality has been supurb! We needed more room for the carseat - weve gotten that and more!

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  Low Cost, Reliable Commuter - 2000 Chevrolet Metro
  By Hereld Stuart - June 24 - 2:00 am

  I average about 45 mpg, commuting on highway, some mountainous road, and some stop&go commuting. I have about 100,000 miles on my 2000 Metro, with no mechanical problems whatsoever. I replace the oil/filter every 5k miles, and have replaced the plugs, the manual transaxle fluid, the brake pads, and the tires once each, every thing else is original. It handles very well under all conditions (except for high winds). Acceleration is not great, especially with air conditioning on, but its acceptable.

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 2002 Chevrolet Prizm
  By sambosky - June 24 - 2:00 am

  I just purchased another Geo Prism last week. I had a 1996 Geo Prism and it went 80,512 miles and I only had to change the oil and purchased a set of tires. There was nothing wrong with the car when I sold it. They just made an offer for the car when combined with the 750.00 dealers rebate and GMs 3,000.00 rebate and my 3,151.00 GM card rebate...well it was just to good to pass up. If the 2002 prism is as good as the 1996....well Ill be a happy camper until 2008 when I wish they were still building them. Sam It was by far the most reliable car Ive ever owned. The