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 Impala - Quite the surprise! - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ray Cannefax - October 22 - 10:00 am

  Affter looking at a number of European sedans, I was astonished what the Impala offered for the money. Ive not owned an American sedan since the early 70s and have driven SUVs (GMC) for the past eight years. I began looking at the 5 series and E class when a friend suggested the Impala. Its not quite as tight or zippy and the doors dont sound as solid when I close them, but in respect to value for the dollar it was a no-brainer. I could buy two for the price of one 5 series or E class. So I bought an Impala and have been very satisfied with the product.

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  Chevy Cobalt, a true value - 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Nick - October 21 - 10:30 pm

  For the money, the power, build, and fuel economy it is just as good if not better than any import. Kudos to GM for this vehicle. And as a former Honda, BMW, Mercedes owner Im not just saying that. GM is again an entry level leader.

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  Really happy we went for the Volt - 2013 Chevrolet Volt
  By Yolanda - October 21 - 5:03 pm

  I bought a used 2013 Volt 3 months ago and drive it every day for errands, running the kids around, etc. Im super happy with how it works as far as the electric charging, hybrid engine etc. The way it charges is just as advertised. The time to charge is spot-on for the different amperages. At a full charge it shows a 38 mile range on electric (EDIT: that was in the winter; in summer its 48-50 miles). When its cold out (30s) it shows about 33 miles. It also runs the engine for about the first 5 minutes "due to temperature," so it does use a little gas when its cold out (< a gallon). Also when its cold I have to run the heater to be comfortable, which decreases the electric range even more. Thats no big deal though, just sharing my experiences with cold weather in case anyones curious. As far as driving it, I test-drove a Prius and a Leaf to compare, and enjoyed driving the Volt the most. The visibility is fine. The pickup is totally sufficient. The switchover from electric to gas is unnoticeable. The only thing that bugs me about this car is the design of the center stack, which has the climate, music, and other controls. I find it to be unnecessarily involved and not intuitive. After 3 months I still have to look kind of closely in order to do what I want, and it seems to take too many button presses to accomplish what I need, which is too bad when youre also driving the car. The only problem Ive had with it so far is on one drive, the screen wouldnt turn on (so no climate or music). Looking online, I see this is an occasional problem with the Volt, and can often be solved by turning the car off and on again, though thats the one and only time it has happened to me so far (Edit: after 10 months, this has never happened again). Anyway, in summary, Id highly recommend the car for someone who wants to use electricity to power their car but also wants the flexibility of having a backup engine, and a compact car. EDIT Aug 2017: Weve now owned the car for 10 months. Still love using/driving it. We had to take it in to the shop because of a brake fluid leak, to the tune of $1,600, which was annoying. According to the internet its something that happens to Volts here and there. Id owned Hondas for years before the Volt and almost never had to take them in to be repaired. I was expecting/dreading something like this with an American car. Anyway, hopefully we dont get repair bills like this too often.

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  2005 Chevy Malibu - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Mary - October 21 - 8:46 am

  Ive had my new car only 3 weeks and have drivne it about 1,000 miles. Gas mileage is not what I expected, but I think the reason is Ive only driven in the city. Maybe itll change for the better on the highway. From driving a mini-van for many years, this mid-size is not bad. I can get in and out from tight spaces, and it maneuvers very well. Side view mirrors are not easy to adjust (for me). You cant see cars as they get close to pass you. Had a close call.

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  outstanding vehichle - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By joemarks - October 19 - 10:00 am

  could not be more happy with this truck. insige is great for family and yet not to large for individual driving.plenty of pick up and great styling.

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  Great car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By todi - October 19 - 10:00 am

  Love the car, great handling ability, comfortable, smooth, reasonably quiet, an absolutely fun car to drive and take a trip in. Has all the basic conveniences you need. Automatic trans. shifts well, has enough zip out on the road, althought not as much as larger more powerful cars, but very adequate. A joy to own. Would buy another one without question.

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  Great truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Stepwedge67 - October 19 - 10:00 am

  Ive waited all year to buy this truck. Well worth the wait, its a lot of fun to drive. Plenty of power and the best look on the road of any truck in its class.

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  Chevrolet Equinox - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Kayte - October 19 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is fun to drive and overall great. It would be terrific for it to receive better gas mileage.

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  Awesome - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Alan Schmidt - October 18 - 10:30 pm

  I have only had my 2006 Impala SS for four days, but wow! The enjoyment of driving a brand new, totally resdeigned car with a V8 that sounds like a lion purring is awesome. The recognition and attention that others have given are great too! This car is a winner and so understated. No problems so far, the dealership has been great and I couldn;t have had a better buying experience. Every day I wake up like its Christmas morning and I cant wait to drive it!

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  So far so good - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By so far so good - October 17 - 6:16 pm

  So far so good. The vehicle is a sporty looking fun to drive car. It handles very well. Very roomy with a very stylish instrument panel. I like the conversion from metric and english. changes the speedo and the readings between metric and english. Heating system is fast and powerful. Dual zone is nice. The trunk space is incredibly large. I wish that the side view mirrors were a bit larger and closer to the windows.The car handles remarkable well.