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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  Love my Aveo - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By efrantz - January 16 - 11:50 pm

  I bought this car at the end of summer 2005. When I first saw it I thought it was very small on the outside. But once you get into the Aveo and drive it, youre suprised how much room there is. When i first drove it I was suprised with the spunk of the engine. The little thing is so fun to drive. I bought the LS sedan. I really think there should be more standard options in this Aveo. Like a better sound system, better speaker placement. I also think there needs to be more noise dampening. Road noise in this thing stinks. I will always be a Chevy fan first, but if they want to compete with Toyota and Honda I think there should be more options.

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  Good, but... - 2003 Chevrolet Impala
  By mattb - January 16 - 11:30 pm

  Overall I love my Impala. However, my transmission has slipped some... the tech said it was a bad solonoid valve that tends to go bad on all of them. The steering shaft had to be repacked and the dex-cool stuff turned into what looked like modeling clay. I converted it to green stuff. On the positive side would be the fuel economy, which is exceptional, the room, and the solidity of the car.

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  Displacement on Demand doesnt save Mileage - 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Steve - January 16 - 4:16 am

  Please dont take the MPG ratings on the window sticker as gospel. I believe mine was rated at 17/22. I was averaging 14.5. Never got above 18 MPG even during travel of all highway miles. Other than gas mileage, the truck was well built. Theyve done a good job with the 07s. This is coming from someone who swore they would never purchase an American car. However, gas was killing me. Just traded for a BMW. Just got 31.7 MPG last week on the highway.

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  Finally Got My Suburban - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By rdvideo1 - January 15 - 7:41 pm

  After 25 years of wanting a Suburban, finally got one. This truck drives like a car. They have really improved the ride, noise dampening, and creature comforts. Live in an area that has a lot of hills. This truck negotiates them like they werent even there. Some of my passengers have complained about the 2nd row seats not adjusting but not too much else. Traded in a high top conversion van which had more room but was terible in the winter for traction (2 rear wheel drive). The front bucket seats are a little tight when the arm rest is down. Find myself resting my arm on the center flip up console. Gas mileage is around 14.5 around town (with a lot of hills). Does better on the highway.

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  Reliable Car - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By Bobber - January 15 - 3:52 pm

  I bought the car in 2002 new. I now have 112,000 miles on it. I live in Iowa and drive on pavement, gravel roads and even farm fields. This car runs like a Swiss watch. I have the 3.8 engine and highly recommend its excellent combination of torque and fuel economy. This car is heavy so it feels extemely solid in snow, ice or rain yet is still will average close to 30 miles per gallon in highway driving. The car has a huge trunk and it it does a great job of transporting my young family of four with all our assorted luggage and toys. Traction control, ABS, Airbags, and the cars solid feel all give me a sense of imense safety when taking my family on the road. A value leader!

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  90 day review - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By SSH - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Traded in 97 Astro for 04 LT EXT. Expect a truck like ride, 3rd row seating is easier and sits better than Tahoe. We like it overall. We live in Texas, it does not produce cold air until it is moving. Dealer says that is how it was designed, still looking into it.

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  Silverado is great! - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By christacey - January 15 - 10:00 am

  I have owned Ford, last year bought a new ext. cab Silverado and it has been great. I fit two preteens, a baby and my wife (five of us) and despite people saying there would not be enough room, there is plenty. The cool instrumentation is neat and the way the mirrors go down when you go backwards. Tough dependable Chevy truck.

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  The Die-Hard Ford in me has Died - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By etedder - January 15 - 10:00 am

  Although still very new, Im sure that Im going to love this truck. First, I wanted a real truck, w/few frills as possible. I wanted a truck, with towing power and decent fuel mileage. So far, Ive got exaclty what I asked for. Drive-to-work fuel mileage is 18+ mpg. It handles my 18 bass boat very well, w/no problems accelerating on interstate ramps. All of my previous trucks were Fords (6 total). When I discovered that a similarly equipped Ford was $3-$4000 more, I decided to look elsewhere. The Dodge Ram (Hemi) was 2nd choice, but fuel mileage is an issue.If you have a budget, with similar needs, this is your truck.

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  Great driver, not so great problems - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By scott reese - January 15 - 4:47 am

  Drives great especially the performance of the V-8! Love the styling of the exterior, the interior is average. The cloth seats are uncomfortable in front but 2nd row are fine. The Bose stereo is awsome. Weve had no major problems except the apparently common gas tank cracking (which should be recalled)covered by the extended warranty. We had a p.s. noise and the dealership replaced the rack and pinion? Belt squeak started at 25K(vehicle now has 60k).The belt,tensioner,water pump was replaced and then a belt cleaning?! I fixed it with a new belt last week! Fan clutch ticked for a year then quit.

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  Almost 250,000 miles, doesnt burn a drop of oil. - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By James Schut - January 15 - 1:20 am

  The 4.3 6cyl. Is very dependable.