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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  Nice Ride - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid
  By Tim - December 4 - 9:43 pm

  The only thing I would change is the accent color of the interior, would be darker(dirt shows too easily on lighter surfaces). Nice comfortable ride Im getting around 28 mpg city and 38 mpg hwy. Much better than the cobalt I had before witch avged 20 city and 29 hwy. Nice audio system sound is clear & crisp. The trunk is a surprise I thought because the batteries were in back that the trunk would be smaller, not so I was able to fit a card table 2 folding dog crates and suitcases and still had room! you could put a compact spare in this car as well but is not an option at purchase because they want to save on weight. All in all a very nice product from GM.

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  2002 Red Z06 bought new in 2/02 - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Z06 torch - December 4 - 8:59 pm

  Ive thoroughly enjoyed my z06. Fun to drive, comfortable, fast & a great handling car with all the comforts. My favorite "passenger scare" is the 270 degree on ramps here in SoCal! Build quality on exterior is excellent. (AND if you care!: Gas mileage is exceptional on the fwy ...between 27 & 30 depending upon speed). I have had the car in for work...mainly interior problems. Im also on my 4th battery. I also changed the shifter the 2nd month I owned the car. Overall Id say its had less problems than MOST vehicles.

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  love my monte - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By brenda 2 - December 4 - 10:00 am

  This is the most comfortable, luxury,sport vehicle around. I love driving it and I also look great in it.. This vehicle will turn alot of heads when its shiny finish has just been washed.

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  The two door sports car - 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By TxSkier - December 4 - 10:00 am

  This is my 6th Monte Carlo since 1982. The second FWD after our 98. I like the big two door sports coupe with the styling back from the 70s and 80s. The car gets great gas mileage (26MPG avg)...has lots of room. Dash layout is good. The aluminum wheels in the first option package really sport out the car. The car rides great, some road noise on certain pavement types, most likely due to the Goodyears, will try Michelins when replacement time comes like I had on the 98 Monte. Some people either like the styling or dont. I looked at and compared to the Imapala, too much of a grand-pa car.

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  El corvette - 2003 Chevrolet Corvette
  By yer mom - December 4 - 10:00 am

  this car is sweet. I worship corvettes and this one tops the list!

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  tankers - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By mmccray88 - December 4 - 10:00 am

  gas mileage could be better,great stereo system,ride quality could be a little softer,a/c could be a little colder.

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  Robbie - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Allie - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I originally bought a 2wd with the V6 and then traded it in for a 4x4 4dr ext cab 5.3 It has an endless supply of power and feels more like a hotrod than a truck. It is the quietest of the the big three that I tested. I bought from Rob Milliken at Courtesy Chevrolet in Poulsbo, Washington. If your looking for star treatment and rock bottom prices, this is where you need to go.

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  Good Car, not perfect, but what is? - 2007 Chevrolet Malibu
  By EUV - December 4 - 1:59 am

  Has been a decent car that has been solidly reliable. No breakdowns or major problems, or even minor problems. Just a semi-minor glitch or two has plagued the car. Is comfortable and smooth over bumps, during turns etc etc etc.

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  My ex Government Lumina - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By Chris - December 3 - 11:11 pm

  I bought my Lumina at a government surplus auction, it had 68k/mi and now has 88k/mi. I was very satisfied when I first drove it,and I still am. It still starts with the flick of the key, idles and runs very smooth with smooth shifting and good acceleration. Steering response is very good and radius is average. I like the brake action from the pedal but think the stopping distance is a little on the far side. I normally get 20mpg city/highway and after fueling up and taking a road trip I got an amazing 29mpg despite doing hard accelerations and 80mph most of the way. I did have the intake manifold gasket replaced, which I was told common on these cars, with other normal stuff.

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  New Model Year - Unreliable - 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By pclay - December 3 - 10:08 pm

  Our new 2014 Silverado is good looking, very comfortable and fun to drive. Unfortunately it has been plagued with several problems which detract from the good points. For example, the truck has had starting problems during cold weather which would make us very hesitant to drive very far from home during winter months. Also, if you were used to, say, a 2010 Silverado and used remote start, the 2014 acts very differently. Our 2010 would quickly warm the cab and heated seats but the 2014s seats will not feel ward to the touch although Chevrolet says that they do come on. Features advertised such as blue LED lighting behind the radio knobs do not work.