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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  My long blac Kat - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By JaxxKat - September 28 - 10:00 am

  I took my first Corvette home from Kerbeck in Atlantic city on a rainy day,that was good luck cause I didnt run it too hard.Ive had a few great sports cars but none have had the raw power and road holding as this ZO6 Corvette. The brakes are awesome too. So far ive had only one little problem that the dealer fixed.Its fun too own a Corvette..

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  corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By chrissyd - September 28 - 10:00 am

  My corvette is the best. Its handles well in the rain considering its manual and it just it an all together gorgeous car.. not to mention how fast I can get it to go!!!!

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  vette rocks - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bigcat - September 28 - 10:00 am

  put the top down and kick it for the cruise of a lifetime.

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  the perfect vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By supercharged63 - September 28 - 10:00 am

  corvettes are the greatest cars ever made never to be outdone by any reasonably priced sports car, i need not say anymore.

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  Unreal - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By PattyMacDaddy8 - September 28 - 10:00 am

  My Z06 has to be the fastest most aerodynamic car i have ever owned. The power is unreal and will be even better when the C6 ZO6 is released, it is supposed to have like 50 more ponies and a lot less weight.

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  TrailBlazer disappoints - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By unclebug - September 28 - 10:00 am

  This inline six should get much better gas mileage. With all city driving I am lucky to get 12 mpg. Very disapointing!

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  Work to be done - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By patrick sullivan - September 27 - 1:13 am

  Overall not bad. I really cant get past the blind spots. Drive is nice. The plastic on the inside needs to go.

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  Longest Ive owned a vehicle - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Beetle - September 26 - 11:03 pm

  This is the 3rd Chevy truck Ive owned and by far the best!! i opted for the Duramax/Allison 4x4. i have pulled trailers and used as a vacation vehicle loaded to the gills. Great performance and comfort. I did install a ARE intake and a Magnaflow 5" stainless turbo back. I am receiving about 23 mpg @ 75mph a/c on.. can you imagine Akron,Oh to Cooperstown NY on 3/4 tank of fuel. Probably drive this till anique plates are installed. Cant miss. (Traded LT for LS model for diesel option. NO Regrets. Truck is almost 7 years old and i have not even replaced a single light bulb anywhere.

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  What a looker! - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By ssrhhr - September 26 - 6:03 pm

  I have waited on the HHR !! The dealer got this on Tuesday pm, I saw on Wednesday am and the rest is history. Everywhere I went this vehicle drew stares, smiles, and looks of wow! I had people with a lot of smiles and thumbs up. This is an awesome little ride. The 2.2L has plenty of pep on the freeway and great fuel economy. I have only driven 250 miles but it is on the mark at 30 mpg. For the money it is a great value and is loaded with much more than I was expecting. Dont miss this one, it is one of the best retro designs yet.

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  New car had problem - 2006 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By blackext - September 26 - 12:26 pm

  At 1000 miles we had car trouble. A few ground wire bolts connected to the engine throttle body sensor were not completely screwed tight. So far, no engine damage, but this says a lot about the poor, careless quality of build. This was not a result of a defective part, but a result of a negligant, careless assembly worker. What kind of standards are set in place for quality assurance at GM? Also needed an alignment from the moment we pulled off the lot.