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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  Chevy did their homework - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Brian Krakovec - January 10 - 4:46 am

  Well designed. LT suspension is excellent. 17" tires give a solid feel. Engine extremely quiet.

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  Chevy Cobalt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By chevygirl20 - January 9 - 2:53 am

  I love this car, I feel so safe driving it! It is so cute and it hardly sounds like the engine is on, it is so quiet!

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  I Love my 2003 Chevy Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Jim Helms - January 9 - 2:00 am

  I 2003 Chevy Siverado ST extended cab with the 5300 Vortec engine. I have taken it on one road trip (1900 miles round trip) and drive it to and from work 5 days a week. My normal road vehicle is my 2001 Caddy Saville STS But I must admit, this 2003 truck is almost as comfortable and has allmost all of the same whistles and bells.

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  Good Truck, but... - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Mike - January 8 - 11:46 pm

  Bought in Feb 09. With 29 miles on it, it started having extended start problems. After 4 months and 5 trips to repair, they finally realized the fuel injectors were leaking and replaced all eight; seemed to fix the problem. Other than that very nice truck. Could be a little plusher inside and provide more storage, particularly in the rear seat area. Drives as good or better than my 09 Honda Pilot. Fuel economy not great, but hoping to improve. The brakes squeal quite a bit, but only after sitting for a day or two.

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  Worst vehicle Ive ever owned - 2010 Chevrolet Traverse
  By TRAVERSE IS a LEMON - January 8 - 5:07 pm

  Catalytic converters will go out, good chance will go through plugs and wires, front AC blower and a power steering pump. Vehicle was in the shop more then it was on the road. Uncomfortable, cheaply made and lots of mechanical issues. Would steer completely clear of a Traverse. Chevy fan my entire life and will never buy another.

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  Chevrolet finally did it right - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Zack - January 8 - 4:40 pm

  I have always been a Chevy lover, but have recently owned a Ford. I research every big purchase to death. Once I sat in the car, I fell in love with it. This is coming from a guy used to driving pickups. It gets great feul milage and is very confortable for long trips. It is extremly quiet. I get comments all the time on it.

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  Fun Car & Great looking too! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Fun Ride - January 8 - 8:13 am

  I love this car. For those who are short (Im 5 1")I think it is great with the power seats. The smaller windows are great as well, the visor actually works for me in this car than any other car I have ever owned. Storage is wonderful, this is great to hide all those little things you would like to have in the car. The price is right for what you get.

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  My HHR - 2007 Chevrolet HHR
  By jo - January 7 - 10:26 pm

  I wanted to get rid of my gas guzzling SUV, but needed the room of a station wagon and this was it! I am 6 tall and found this to have the perfect legroom and headroom I was looking for. Plus it had all the features I wanted at a very reasonable price. I wasnt looking to be the first one off the line at the light (you wont win any races) but the HHR runs, travels, and handles well. Ive been in the automotive business (mechanical and body shop) for 26 years and I am quite pleased with my purchase of the High Roof.

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  Siverado the sierra slayer - 2006 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Top Dawg Silverado - January 7 - 4:43 pm

  I Love my Silverado. It drives like a dream , excellent power, nice cornering. Also the fuel economy is a lot better than I had expected.

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  Great Car for the Money - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By T Aodd - January 7 - 3:43 pm

  After a year and a half of driving this car, I have mostly good things to say about this car. GM seems to have improved their build quality over the past few years of Monte Carlos. I have had no mechanical problems whatsoever. I love the strong pulling V6, decent gas mileage, and the 8 speaker audio system.