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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  Good design, Poor quality - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By JImbo - August 31 - 11:08 am

  Have had 08 Malibu for 2 years. Fun to drive and ride, but overall quality poor. Problems so far include left front bearing, right front axle, trans seal, wiper motor, computer program, numerous rattles, and the latest is leak in back floorboard that non can find. Good design, but very poor quality. 2nd Chevy with quality problems, will never own another. Car has been in the shop 5 times in 2 years.

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  My HoopTee - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By Stas - August 30 - 8:42 pm

  Bought her brand new and 10 yrs later still cant kill it. This van has never failed my family or me. Was my wifes daily driver for the first 7 yrs and has been the household beater since. Wiper motor, blower, suspension, steering wheel, radiator was replaced since new. Other than BASIC maintenance and upkeep, this van has been very affordable and worth every Penny spent when bought brand new from the dealer. The 6 cylinder engine is pretty powerful and starts up every single time. My children, now are older, are embarrassed by it but I still drive it daily. Whether it be to work, the mall, the shore, the dump, sporting events etc. It sure was a worthwhile investment from the onset. Thanks GM, I must have gotten a gem. : )

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  Love the Interior - 2011 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Joe - August 30 - 4:44 pm

  Just picked up a 2011 Traverse (FWD) and love it. Thought that sizing down from a full-size Tahoe would be harder but it really isnt. The interior design is great, we actually prefer the cloth. Cup holders everywhere, tons of storage in dash, console, glove box, etc and the seat configuration is the best. 3rd row that folds truly flat and the 2nd even folds down pretty flat too. TONS of space, great V6 performance. Really a good deal for the money. Sharp looking body style too. Good job America and Chevrolet. I knew you have it in you!

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  Love it! - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Marilyn - August 30 - 3:48 pm

  I love my new HHR! Ive had it a month, put 1000 highway miles on it and I couldnt ask for better performance. Its zippy, economical, comfortable and roomy! Thanks, Chevy for a great little car!

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  Not Disappointed - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By ilovemytruck - August 30 - 3:40 pm

  I looked and test drove all types of cars, trucks and suvs before finally purchasing the 2009 Traverse LTZ. Yes, I bought it used (9k miles at the time of purchase). The vehicle drives like champ and Ive had no problems mechanically. Ive had to bring it into the dealership to replace to chrome trim on both drive/passenger sides because it was peeling off, but all is fixed. The cargo room for back seat passengers is enough that even my parents were comfortable (and theyre 70). In regards to gas mileage, ITS AN SUV a big one at that, so its to be expected that it isnt going to get great gas mileage. I dont speed, maybe 73 in a 70 zone, and average 22 mpg.

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  Dissapointed texan - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Marc - August 30 - 1:18 pm

  We were considering the Equinox or the Mazda6 but my wife and 14 year daughter liked the shape of the Equinox better than the Mazda so figure what we got. We got this vehicle in April and so far we had 2 trips to the dealer service center. First time the warning lights in the cluster looked like a Christmas tree all kind of warning lights popped at the same time, they had to replace the master cylinder (Took 3 days). Second, last Sunday the car just went dead, no power at all and the key was stuck in the cylinder, had to call road service. Was at the dealership for 5 days and nobody could figure what happened. We got it back but I am afraid that it could happen again. Should buy a Mazda!

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  Dont Buy it! - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Courtney - August 30 - 9:33 am

  Worst car ever. Like someone else said, it should have had a lot more recalls than it does. My car crapped out at 37,000 miles. First car problem I had was 2 months after I drove it off the lot. Your car shouldnt break down on the side of a highway when it only has 300 miles on it! I spent more time driving the rental cars because of the amount of time spent on repairs! I ended up letting it repo so I didnt have to deal with it any longer since the dealership wouldnt take it back.

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  Love Tahoes! - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Lina - August 29 - 9:54 pm

  This is my second Tahoe. I have had it for 2 years. I am around 60,000 miles. I do a lot of joy riding plus work. The truck is reliable in the snow and rain. It is very roomy in the front and second row. The third row is in the way and should have been an option as opposed to a standard. My 10 year old is the only one that can fit back there. The only issues that I have is the automatic door locks do not work when using the key fob or the button on the door. I have to use the key to unlock the door and reach over to unlock the doors. Also, the defrost coil that connects to the rear window came off and needs to be soldered back on. Those seem like easy fixes. The gas mileage could be better.

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  1LT coupe - 2010 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Mahe - August 29 - 6:16 pm

  Just got this car. ~1000 miles on. FUN TO DRIVE. Lots of power, easy to squeal the tires. Best bang for the buck. Got an auto trans, pretty good 6 speed, i think it does as good a job as a manual. Of course you always have the paddle shifters.

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  Not too happy - 2007 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Christy - August 29 - 5:43 pm

  Bought my Equinox brand new in Feb 2007 within few months of having it the mirror covers in sun visors broke off on both sides. Chrome around gear shift is like a mirror to the sun & blinds you! Now my breaks grab really hard when Im slowing down, anything below 20 mph & they starts grabbing really hard as if my breaks are bad. AC doesnt really push out cold like it could at times. Recently went to get a transmission flush & was told by 3 different quick oil change places that they couldnt do it on my car since its a sealed transmission, so now Im gonna have to pay much more $ to go to a dealership for the transmission flush. Wishing I had bought a different SUV!