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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  Not Reliable - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kaka - May 11 - 8:00 am

  Leased my vehicle in April 2004. By May 2004 the check engine light popped and the vehicle would lose power at any speed over 40. Dan Perkins could not find the problem and instead of listing the problem on the work order the tech simply put women complaining of problem. In 2008 I had a choice purchase or give the dealer $4,000 for the problem. The tranny just let go. I get 4 miles to the gallon and the car is rough to ride in. It actually worsens my back condition. Also, the noise level is terrible.

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  lemon yellow lemon - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Kay - May 10 - 11:00 pm

  I bought this car new in 2003 and thought it would be a good car for my needs. I had it in for repairs 5 times under warranty and count fewer times since. Now it has headlight problems and turn signal light on passenger side blows out every 2 to 3 weeks. I would never buy a GM car again!

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  A very comfortable ride - 2009 Chevrolet Express
  By Mark Lisle - May 10 - 11:02 am

  Very comfortable to drive in both seating comfort and excellent handling. Very smooth engine and transmission with plenty of power. For a large van, economy is pretty good - up to 19 mpg on highway, and averaging over 16 mpg for all driving combined. Very efficient cruise control. This is a much more comfortable driving and handling vehicle than the Honda Pilot that it replaced,

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  Hit and lots of misses - 2010 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TeRedmond - May 10 - 10:28 am

  I wanted to like the car for sure. I do want an American car after all though this car seems a bit foreign for my tastes. Gas mileage was not that great, heavy load and not great trunk space. Use of foreign materials irked me greatly.

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  I hate my Traverse, never buy gm again - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By I HATE MY TRAVERSE!! - May 9 - 10:08 pm

  Very disgraceful gm, Chevrolet and dealership customer service, servicing, corporate office, deceptive dealer, 4019 miles dead no start, very poor 12.5 mpg, transmission issues, engine noises whistle knocking, brake squeals, poor visibility front bumper and backing, interior light stayed on 2 hours battery save feature malfunctioned, XM annoying calls, gm owner for 25 yrs and Im done, will never buy gm again. Should of bought Honda/Hyundai. Stay away. Driver side under doors a small bar to protect plastic gas tanks on impact, hope it works? Driver window shimmy off track, dealer did not do detailing ripped me off $398. Gm/Chevy customer service no support claim dealers independently owned and cant help me.

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  Chevy let me down again. - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Becky - May 9 - 6:18 pm

  Radio can’t have duplicate stations or it will get stuck in a “loop” not allowing you to listen to your other preset stations. Mileage has never gone over 25 mpg. NOT power door locks. This is a crock! Keyless key is touchy & alarm goes off. Rear window locks at half way down. There should be an optional override feature to allow windows to go all the way down. Cup holders are a joke and poorly made. They won’t open when its cold and they’re flimsy. After month old and dashboard, and back hatch rattles. Crappy windshield jets. Sprays stream vs., mist/spray. Low tire warning STAYS on even when over filled. Driver side window needed adjusting twice after 1 month, makes popping sound.

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  Bad Paint on great car - 2010 Chevrolet Camaro
  By Mike Workman - May 9 - 5:35 pm

  The paint on my yellow camaro is chipping off on both sides between the rear tires and the door. Contacted Chevrolet customer support and reported the problem. They will not buy the car back as I requested and do not know if they will even fix it. The Dealer will not stand behind the product either. Dealer and factory do call me back but have not stood up to the problem. Beware of failing paint!

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  10 years, 150k miles still going strong - 2000 Chevrolet Impala
  By jkp - May 9 - 8:13 am

  Bought this used from a dealer in 2003. My dad is still driving it with over 150k miles. Had to replace intermediate steering shaft, and a couple of wheel bearings, otherwise just regular maintenance. I was worried about buying a 1st-model-year car, but this Chevy hasnt let us down.

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  04 Cavalier has been a great car - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Great Car - May 8 - 7:14 pm

  I dont drive mine much but wanted to say its been a great car. Only problems were the blower fan starting ticking after a year and the dash board cover bubbled here in the AZ heat, both under warranty. I wanted to suggest to those that have check engine light probs to check your gas cap and make sure it is seated right and the gasket has no hairline cracks. My check engine light comes on if I dont put the (locking) gas cap on correctly. The light also comes on when I drive up in the mountains like 6800 feet from phoenixs 300 or so foot elevation in less than a 2 hour drive. It must be very sensitive. It goes off by itself after the car gets used to the differences.

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  All Around Solid Car. - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By ptcm1 - May 8 - 4:58 pm

  The Impala is not the fanciest car out there but its super reliable and solid sedan. I had no problems with this car other than ordinary maintenance and it had 105,000 miles on it. Its built so you can do most fixes by yourself.