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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  Rust on all 5 doors - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Attica_Dav - June 16 - 11:45 am

  6 months after purchasing my HHR, I found rust on the bottom, inside seam on 3 of 5 doors. 8 months later, the rust returned, worse then what it was before it was repaired, but now on all 5 doors. It was repaired again just 2 months ago and I will be watching. I have looked at two other HHRs they have rust on the doors as well.

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  Garbage - 1999 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By stan - June 16 - 12:39 am

  Bought a 1999 Chevrolet cavalier z24, total garbage, so many problems, starting from my sunroof, doesnt close all the way to burnt out power window motors and abs light always staying on. The 2.4 L twin cam engine sounds like rocks in a tin can, very disappointed with Chevrolet, will never ever buy American made cars ever again! Imports here I come!

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  Nice looking, but quality is not there - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Joann - June 15 - 3:37 pm

  Owned since August of 09. In Jan 10, heat stopped working. Took two days with the dealer to fix. June 10, starter and air conditioner condenser broke. Dealer had car for three days, fixed the starter,but had to order condenser unit from GM. Still waiting for delivery. Very unhappy with the quality of the parts. What will break next? Also, gas mileage is not what was advertised. Was this vehicle built on a Monday?

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  Love IT - 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By KA - June 15 - 2:43 pm

  This is my second Tahoe. The first was a LS. Very roomy easily seats 9 passengers and gives a smooth ride. I got this after trading in a new BMW X5 that rode horribly. I loved the Tahoe so much I upgraded to the Z71 4WD that converts to 2WD. It has all the amenities of a BMW but the ride is what sold me.The Z71 seats less but my kids are grown up now so I dont need as much room.

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  Noise in rear? - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By MARIAH - June 15 - 1:08 am

  I like my 09 traverse, but am confounded by a noise in the left rear. I have had it back to the dealer 3 times and they claim it is a suspension noise and not a problem. Im not convinced. Has anyone else experienced this noise? It is a Rather loud thump. Also the drivers seat lumbar control is no longer working. Taking it in for that and the washer heater recall.

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  And he walked away - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By TOTALED WALKED AWAY - June 14 - 9:01 pm

  My son Ryan, age 24, was cut off while driving on I-95. He lost control and spun across 5 south-bound lanes and slammed into a concrete barrier. The 03 Trailblazer was a complete total. But the built-in safety features absorbed most of the energy while the airbags and seat belts did their job. Ryan walked away with a minor neck sprain. I have nothing but high praise for Chevrolet building such safe and crash-worthy vehicle.

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  Very Impressed - 2010 Chevrolet Equinox
  By bryankm - June 14 - 8:02 pm

  Ive had my LS AWD for a about a month now and I can honestly say I am very happy with this vehicle. The standard features are really impressive with this vehicle. XM Stereo, Onstar, push button automatic seat height and lumbar support all standard. The 2.4 L four cylinder with the 6 speed automatic is really a surprise to me. The transmission shifts smoothly and at the appropriate torque level. Acceleration is also quite good for the power train and of course, the fuel economy is atypical for a vehicle this size with AWD. Ride quality and seat comfort are what make this vehicle stand out to me though. The seats are so comfortable and ride so smooth, I find myself cruising well done GM

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  Unhappy - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By joey - June 14 - 4:49 pm

  When we bought the c truck it was good ride after a couple of month I started hearing air zipping in from outside and I took it in and they told me that that was the outside mirror design but I did not swallow that, then a couple of recalls came in and I learn to live with it. After I finish it paying off the car about a year later the problems began and after a ton of trips to the dealer and about $ 7000.00 dollar I regret the day I purchase that vehicle, from transmission to coils, spark plugs sensor etc, etc is been change on that vehicle and steal have problems. So I will never again by a Chevrolet vehicle in my life. Im a very unhappy car owner.

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  Love my SS - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By Randy - June 14 - 1:44 am

  I bought a new leftover 09. I have owned several Corvettes, an NSX and a Viper and this is absolutely the most fun and best vehicle of them all! The power is so smooth you dont realize how fast it is until you look at the speedometer. I love my SS.

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  Amazing car! - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By amazing car! - June 13 - 3:48 pm

  I bought my car in April of this year. Im a 16 year old girl and this is my first car. I have a 2 door lt orange car automatic w. Leather seats. I absolutely love this car! I couldnt have picked a better one! I love driving it and its very reliable. I havent had anything go wrong with it which is good. But it is a great car for new drivers! I would definitely recommend this car!