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 my burban - 1993 Chevrolet Suburban
  By kevin - September 17 - 11:13 pm

  Brougth it 2 years ago. It has a 454ci. Best truck Ive ever had. Strong. We get lots of snow in the winter. This is by far the safest truck Ive ever had. Wish every one of my friends would have one

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  Disappointed in PA - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Hope - September 17 - 6:37 pm

  Purchased what I thought was going to be my dream car. Loved the interior and it handled wonderfully. 5 days after purchased the car started with a fuel issue. Once I fill it with gas it stalls, chokes, and will not restart for numerous minutes. Once it lunged forward and then stalled out in rush hour traffic. Had the fuel sensor replaced, luckily by the dealership, however 3 months later I am still having this ongoing problem and the dealership says its my problem. Another issue is the car does not start on the first turn. This has been occurring more and more. Just waiting for the Malibu to leave me sitting. Chevy aware however not standing behind their good name.

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  Whats with the driver side window? - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Hecktor - September 17 - 5:50 pm

  I bought a 94 Prizm new and love it. So when my brother in law died, I bought his 98 Prizm. The 98 had power windows. The drivers side window broke, so my wife had it repaired, and it broke again. My paralegal has a 2000 Prizm with power windows, and her drivers side window broke as well. My 94 had manual windows, so no problem there. I love the car, but its hell at the drive through windows at the bank and McDonalds.

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  Reliable but falling apart - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Jeanne - September 17 - 3:15 pm

  I thought I was buying a good car, but it is built poorly. I have air leaking in my door, the leather on the seat is defective and the side molding is falling off. I should say falling off, because the dealer fixed the molding but destroyed the paint on the door. Ill buy foreign from now on!

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  Brake Issue! - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By long12u - September 17 - 2:22 pm

  I traded in an 06 HHR LT2 for this 08 SS and really am pleased with everything but the problem with the brakes! GM took a problematic brake system known as Optimized Hydraulic Braking or OHB for short! This system causes no boost to the brake system on initial start-up after sitting for a few hours! At the present GM has a couple of service bulletins one of which calls for a software update that lowers engine RPMs to make it easier to stop (not pulling through brake application) before the vacuum is built back up, the other simply advises the tech "no part replacement or software updates". See NHTSA investigations and KickingTires 2008 Chevy HHR before purchasing. Also check Saturn Sky!

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  My Cobalt Rocks! - 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By HoosierDiva - September 17 - 7:16 am

  Its a small car! Handles beautifully, the Ecotrac whines a bit more than I like, but I love it! Having a compartment that is more easily accessed by the driver, yet secure would be helpful. the tray under the Emerg brake doesnt corral things well and they end up on the floor (not safe for drivers to fetch). XM may be a keeper and I feel much safer with the OnStar...some people may feel its big brotherish but if big brother wants to keep tabs on my grocery store runs...he can help load and unload them! ....the dishwasher too! ...can drive me to work too!!

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  Good used car - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Dave B - September 16 - 3:30 pm

  I love the overall gas mileage. The 4 cyclinder has good pep. I have noticed the sun roof rattles? Squeeks every now and then along with the brakes as well at times. I commute 80 miles a day and find it to be a comfortable ride. I always look forward to driving since I bought the vehicle. No regrets thus far.

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  Electriclal Problem - 2007 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By not to happy - September 16 - 11:26 am

  I love the look of the car, and the fact that I can go out to dinner with fricends, and the next day toss lumber in the back. That is what I liked most about this SUV. But I have had issues with the Nav. system and a loud popping noise that shoots through the speakers, and you never know when but then the nav and dash systems blinks off and then comes back on (for now).

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  2LT 2.4 Fully Loaded - 2008 Chevrolet HHR
  By MAP Science - September 15 - 11:36 pm

  It has been a great car with a few minor problems. At 14,000 miles it would make a pop sound when speeding up and slowing down. Sounded like slack between two parts in the power train somewhere. Dealer could find no problem? Now with 20,000 on it the pop is louder. The front passenger hub assembly is being replaced. The steering has begun to clunk when turning the wheel and the intermediate steering shaft has been replaced. Sunroof glass is on order to be replaced. When opening the sunroof it drags the underside of the roof and makes cut marks in the glass.

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  Simple but Solid - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By FirstNewTruck - September 15 - 4:43 pm

  It isnt decked out with all sorts of bells and whistles, so if thats what youre looking for this might not be your truck. But it is sharp looking on the road, suprisingly roomy Crew Cab (my three kids car seats fit in the back), pretty good power train, and so far the reliability has been really good . All in all Im pretty satisfied with it. I bought the Z85 since its mostly being used for commuting to work, and I have no complaints. I have the Z85 w/ I5, Crew w/4WD.