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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  2012 Chevrolet Cruze - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Mario - April 27 - 1:06 am

  I love the Chevy cruze . 80.000 miles in 4 years with almost no big issues . nice looking car and good MPG

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  s-10 s should last till the end of time - 2002 Chevrolet S-10
  By 2kchevy - April 26 - 2:00 am

  If your looking to buy a truck to keep forever an s-10 is a good pick. Reability in 2.2l is a little more depenable than the 4.3l. The 2.2l s- 10 is close to the depenablity of a toyato. Any 2.2l should be good for your money either way. Parts are much cheaper on the domestic trucks!!

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  55K and no problems - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By palaperson - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I am sure that the problems that I see in the discussions are "fluke" OR that our state inpections are more rigorous than other states and, therefore, problems are spotted before they become more expensive. The only thing Ive had done is the front disc pads replacement in the 55,000 miles that I have owned this vehicle. I have had nothing but outstanding service from my dealership and I am still amazed at the comfort this Chevrolet provides. I was a former HONDA and TOYOTA fanatic, but now those cars are way overpriced for what you get!

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  Comfortability - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Jasmyn Rawls - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Needs more comfortable seats and locking glove compartment.

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  poortruck - 1997 Chevrolet Suburban
  By walkingman - April 26 - 2:00 am

  just this year i have spent over $2000 on this vehicle. stuff like the intake gasket due to the poor selection of antifreeze by gm.,the pitman arm, the power steering pump, the water pump, and rodding out the radiator. just today i have had to call a tow truck to come and get it. this time it is the transmission(bad news) i dont even tow stuff with this vehicle.

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  Thank Goodness for warrantees You need i - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By at - April 26 - 2:00 am

  I was very disappointed with this purchase, and because it lost value so quickly, I feel strange trading it in... I have taken this vehicle in about 8 times for front end work all under warrantee, but now im starting to wonder... 1. control arm in front (sqeak within the first 4k miles), 2. bushings in back (sqeaking on a new car?), 3. three sets of disc rotors (they warped under the weight of the vehicle), 4. engine mounts collapsed, 5. head gasket (coolant spilling into engine!), 6. rear electric window problem (did not fix), 7. unexpected bad handling in windy conditions, 8. front end shaking at Hwy speeds. I wish I had bought a HONDA ACCORD -- it still would be worth a few BUCKS!

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  1999 Tahoe LT - 1999 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Ancelet - April 26 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle has met all of our expectations. It is safe and reliable. We would recommend this vehicle to anyone in the market for a large SUV.

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  Pure Adreneline - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RLicursi - April 26 - 2:00 am

  Best sports car value for pure "Go Fast" adreneline rush. Others can only hope to measure up.

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  2006 Cobalt SS Supercharged – A fun toy! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By JonyyB - April 25 - 9:06 pm

  I had the car for one year now and 20,000 miles later, I love it as much as I did when I first drove one. So far, the car had only minor issues that were easily resolved by the dealer. Since the car is only in production 2005-2007, I am actually considering buying another one for my wife. This car is quick, fun, and brings excitement into any day! ItÂ’s a shame GM only kept the Supercharged Cobalt alive for 3 short years. I know I will keep mine for years to come.

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  I wish it had rims not plastic hub caps - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By diana - April 25 - 2:13 am

  Overall I really enjoy my new SUV but for the price I paid I should have gotten rims and not plastic hub caps. It makes the SUV look cheap. I have to pay the extra expense to put new rims and tires on it. Also one big flaw it has I had my vehicle for two days and my little sister who is 9 years old got into the back and shut the door and got her seat belt on. I heard some air and had my sister who is 33 who was sitting up front in the passenger seat check her door and then she looked in the side mirrow and noticed it was my sisters door, then I had realized that my new vehicle did not have the system for the doors, only the back hatch light up when a door is ajar. They need to fix that.