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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  EXCELLENT DRIVING MACHINE - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By JEFF1 - November 21 - 2:00 am

  Edmunds say this car is disappointing. Not true, I own V8 power cars before and this car out perform most of them and I only has the 3.4 V6. This car is better than Ford, Chrysler, Toyata, Honda, Nissan and Acura. I haven lost a race against them yet. The only thing about the Chevrolet Impala 3.4V6 its a little slow in the first gear bur after that it will kick your ass. Stop giving the consumers bad information.

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  Great Truck Overall...Love It ! - 2007 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By AlanDaleJr - November 20 - 5:30 pm

  Have NO problems with this truck, except for one. Goodyear tires it came with OEM, are a death threat to who ever is in the truck when ground is wet. I would like to see the CEO of goodyear drive with them on wet ground STAY AWAY from these tires, change them ASAP if you have them. I put General Grabbers on 200% better.

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  2001 Corvette 6 Speed Convertible - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Tom Merkel - November 20 - 1:38 pm

  Have had this car for almost 5 years repairs have been minimal almost always is something that wore out . handling of this car is GREAT acceleration is GREAT I am wanting to replace Stereo and Bose speakers with something bluetooth but as for as changing anything else no that will not happen. If you have a chance to own one of these magnificent machines do it. I plan on leaving it to my son and would like him to pass it along so my grandson/granddaughter can drive same car I drove. This is an amazing car

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  Great Truck - 2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Joe - November 20 - 5:53 am

  I have always been a Ford guy, but when shopping for the F250 versus Silverado 2500, I thought the Chevy had a better ride, a nicer interior, a the dealer was very aggressive in terms of pricing. Mileage has been OK so far, well within my expectations. Also, very pleased with the looks of the truck.

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  Corvette Ready - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Laser1 - November 17 - 11:00 am

  Corvettes are fragile so be sure to find a quality repair shop that specializes in fixing them because youre going to need it. However, for status, looks and pleasurable drives or participating in Clubs or car shows, this is your ticket. Make sure you have a garage also, these cars are best kept garaged and under cover, almost like a baby.

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  2005 Chevy Cobalt LT - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By FloridaKusa - November 16 - 10:00 pm

  This is a very dependable car with a smooth ride. It has stylish features and comes with a nice selection of features.

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  What A Vehicle - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Jeff R - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I have owner many different makes of Trucks and SUVs over the years. This is my first Chevy . I couldnt be happier! Drives like a luxury car and power to boot.

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  bad engines - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By elazno - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Just got a letter from Chevrolet - "not a recall",it says "letter to make you aware that some 2002 model year Chevrolet TrailBlazer model vehicles may experience a cracking of an engine cylinder bore liner. This will cause engine noise, poor performance, and/or stalls with no engine re-start." They are extending the warranty coverage for this problem to 7 years 100,000 miles. Dont know how I feel about keeping a car that is likely to leave me stranded. I am trading mine before people find out about this problem, as this will kill the trade-in value! Too bad, I love this vehicle and would have kept it for years!

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  Great! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By mosepda - November 16 - 10:00 am

  Just got it and love it...The foreign SUVs just look wayyyy to overdone and almost clownish...This is a truck/ SUV the way it was meant to look and be.

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  Congrads To Chevy - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Chevyrocksboododge - November 16 - 10:00 am

  I am verry impressed with the Silverado, because when I think of truck I think of Chevy Silverado I support this opinion with a Complaint to DODGE, your A/C stinks, supporting this with the fact that I bought 2 vehicles from The Chrysler Corp. and 1-2 years later the A/C died and i was stuck in 95 Degree K.C. heat. The reason I bought a CHEVY!!!!!