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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  Top-notch North American SUV - 2005 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Walt Levesque - January 16 - 8:13 pm

  The best mid-sized olschool SUV in an up-to-date body style available new until 2005 being its last production year. Bought new Nov, 2004 and have driven just over 30,000 miles combined city, highway and off-road. Average 23 mpg hwy and 14 mpg city. No major snags other than: wipers intermittent function (changed wiper arm selector which contains resistors), steering box (seal leak), CD player (ate first CD played), engine thermostat (failed open, low temp) and poor park brake adjustment (partially stuck on). Currently empty-nesters who enjoy getting off the beatin path on beautiful Vancouver Island and couldnt do it in confidence and comfort without our good ol Chevy Blazer.

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  Dont listen to those who dont own one - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By #1cobaltdriver - January 16 - 3:46 pm

  Well lets see, this car is fast! Also it is a great deal as far as bang for the buck. Gas mileage is also a plus if drive like me you will get around 25 mpg but you can get up to 30 mpg. If youre looking for a fast car you need this car. "Sleeper" is a great term to describe this car because there you dont see many and no one really knows what they are capable of doing since they are a new model... so go test drive one and be impressed

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  Great Car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bill Gaheer - January 14 - 3:50 pm

  Great car, only if they could improve the interior build quality, Good brakes, ok perfomance, I think i will add Corvette engine in it. Hi Bob, Please convert Impala back to rear wheel and improve quality up to Viper level Great product, good family car. Will definatly recommened this car

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  Love this truck - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Quadra Steer Chev - January 14 - 2:06 pm

  We usually buy a new truck every two years. We have kept this truck because we both love it. It is so much fun to drive. My wife comes home from driving it and says I LOVE THIS TRUCK. The Quadra Steer is the best thing Ive every bought. No problems with the truck.

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  Get what you pay for - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Gabe - January 14 - 9:54 am

  Im still driving my Cavalier and I have to say that its not too bad considering the price. Obviously its one of the more inexpensive cars out there, so expect what you pay for. The key phrase here is "preventative maintenance." As long as you get regular oil changes and check-ups, the Cavalier will hold up. Will say that it seems to run into problems on very wet days, especially when running through puddles. Not too enamored with the crash ratings but, again, you get what you pay for. Couple of expensive repairs but confident they are isolated incidents and dont affect the overall dependability of the Cavalier. Remember, its a cheap car. Dont expect a Porsche out of it.

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  Trialblazer EXT - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By giloveit - January 14 - 2:00 am

  Overall we like it, it fells like it could drive through anything even a wall. I find the passenger legroom to be wanting as my legs are forced of to the right. The engine sounds great but I wished it had more legroom. The interior quality seems nice and user friendly. It is not necessarily fun to drive but delivers the comfort and safety features well suited to a family SUV. I think that it is overpriced when compared to some Japenese vehicles but my wife was set on this one.

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  Lots of kids - 2005 Chevrolet Express
  By rick b. - January 13 - 4:41 pm

  Great for hauling kids, dogs, and everything. Also the 300hp. is great for pulling our 31 ft. 7800 lb. camper. Looks tough too.

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  Loras - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Lora - January 13 - 8:14 am

  A very nice vehicle for 4 people. Handles well, but ride a little rough. Transmission went out approx. 68,000m. Then driver power window motor stopped working. 114,000 heater has stopped working. I enjoy this vehicle. I got a lot better gas mileage with a K & N air filter.

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  Silverado V6 Short Bed - Purchased 11/01 - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By CHEVYTRUCK2002 - January 12 - 10:00 am

  Great new features. I purchased the V6 instead of the V8 due to fuel economy. The V6 has power and does not jolt when using Octane 92-94 during fast accelleration. The manual recommends 87 octanes. I have had a little jolt in the transmission when rapid accellaration with 87 octane. The body has double side galvanized steel so you dont have to worry about nicks and rust. Overall, I feel my Silverado was a great buy that will hold its value for years when compared to other manufactuers - QUALITY and RELIABLE.

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  kgbkahnk - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By kgbkahnk - January 12 - 2:00 am

  Great styling. Fantastically smooth, powerful engine. Just cannot seem to get better than about 16 mpg, even in all-highway driving, and it could use better steering feel.