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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  Little Surprise - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Helen - February 11 - 12:52 pm

  I bought the car on impulse since I was driving close 100 miles a day for work and wanted a cheap car. It has turned out to be fun, super reliable with great gas mileage. I have other cars but this is the one I drive most. A great every day car great in the city good on the highway. Seats could use more support for long drive only complaint.

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  Great Deal - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Gohtraw - February 9 - 8:20 pm

  When I went to buy a car, I had a few in mind. My original list consisted of a Camry, Accord, Malibu, and an Altima. The new Camry was well, a Camry. The only V6 in my price range was the LE (good luck finding one with a V6), thats not much. The Accord was refurbished but basically the same car from 4 years ago. The Altima was a skiddish car and I would have been buying a used 3.5. The Malibu SS had everything I wanted except a sunroof, standard. 18in wheels, 4 wheel disc, abs, side airbags (5* crash test), sport suspension, remote start, climate control, cruise control, three spoke wheel. Since it was a really big dealership needing every sell it could get, I was able to haggle it to 22k!

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  Awesome Truck! - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Jason - February 9 - 3:30 pm

  I purchased my 2002 Chevrolet 2500HD 4x4 Ext cab truck in 2003. Other than the fuel economy of this truck, I have no compliants. I take care of it but I also use it as a truck. I am a hunter and commonly go off-road on some horrible roads. I have never been stuck and the truck is all stock. I plan on keeping this truck for a long long time and hopefully passing it on to one of my sons as a first truck. Chevrolet really put time, heart, and guts into building this machine!

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  Improved Quality - 2006 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Primo - February 8 - 9:10 pm

  The Cobalt SS 2.0 is fun to drive and a big step forward for Chevrolet in its competition against the imports of the same class. The Cobalt SS 2.0 handles nice, stops well rain or shine, and accelerates with the power of a V6.

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  Excellent & reliable car * low cost ownership - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By jon lawrence - February 8 - 11:52 am

  Exterior in good condition * paint is starting to thin out * interior has minor problems esp with interior plastic trim above windows * not available * Cup holders weak as are the plastic door knobs * 2 lights on console out * expensive to replace * I use it for short trips * performs well * overall Prizm is a low cost car to own 96,000 easy miles... Im 87 years old so I find entering / exiting Prizm requires physical yoga. Designers were remiss when it came to the "soft" parts like upholstery / plastic / headliner / etc. Dome light on / off for years warranty guys couldnt ensure its operation.

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  New owner - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By december - February 8 - 11:27 am

  Very fun to drive, although not a cold weather car by any means. If you live somewhere that it is below freezing a lot, do not buy this car. The defrost (outside of the main vents) isnt very good and it will drive you crazy. Ive no complaints on this car yet. make sure you get auto door locks as its optional. I do not have them and wish Id gone for it. Get all options on this car, as there are not many - and it still will not cost you that much!

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  My Trailblazer - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Hammer6970 - February 8 - 10:00 am

  I had an 02 and I can definatly say that the fir and finish of the the 04 is a marked improvement.

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  Beware - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By TLK - February 8 - 7:43 am

  I like the looks, the drive, and there is plenty of interior room. There is too much road noise. The AC fan is too loud. The headrests are too large, and it is difficult to see when backing up, espically in a parking lot. The interior is large and has plenty of leg room in the back seat. We traded a 2000 Durango for the Equniox, and the Nox has more passenger room than the Durango. It drives very nicely on the highway. Here is why my next vehicle will not be a Chevrolet, the cloth seats are terrible. Water leaves a stain that cant be removed. When I tried to remove the water stain with fabric products that I used in the past, the only thing that happened was the stain got bigger.

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  My 96 SS - 1996 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bill L. - February 7 - 7:57 pm

  I have owned this car for almost eight years, and will continue to drive it until GM comes up with a sucessor. It is amazing for anything this big and heavy to be either as nimble or quick, yet comfortable as an old shoe. It is unfortunate that we are both getting older.

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  Would buy another - 1991 Chevrolet Lumina
  By George - February 7 - 7:27 pm

  I bought this for $300 from a junkyard, who sold cars as trade-ins for other cars. Bought it with a broken engine mount, and after a 1200 mile trip the entire suspension is destroyed, but thats because of the normal wear and tear. This is still going strong at 179k miles, and I would rather pay to have this entire car fixed than actually buy another one. Even if I dont, im keeping the body to toss a 305 in, just to take it to the strip, thats how much i love this car!