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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  I LOVE THIS CAR!!!! - 2002 Chevrolet Impala
  By jbrooks544 - December 19 - 10:00 am

  I dont know what car the Edmunds reviewer was driving, but it wasnt an Impala. This car Handles great, plenty of room, all the options you could imagine, all for under 23k. this thing has almost no body roll, no boatiness, firm steering, but very quiet and smooth. If you do enough research and do a test drive you will be sold. What is not to love? This thing is as safe as a volvo, almost as large as a crown vic inside, gas mileage of a compact, styling of a BMW/saab/volvo, 10k less than a midsized SUV, and has a better ride than a 500 series Mercedes SEL.

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  You cant beat it! - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Jacque - December 19 - 10:00 am

  When my lease was up on my sedan I test drove a Trailblazer and fell in love with it right away and the love affair hasnt ended. Ive driven the Durango and the Jeep Cherokee and I feel the Trailblazer is a superior vehicle from handling to appearance. The Trailblazer is bold and new in its body style. I have been nothing but satisfied with my purchase.

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  Great overall truck - 2005 Chevrolet Colorado
  By s10man - December 19 - 1:30 am

  If you are looking for a combination of power and fuel economy, this is the one. Absolutely tight and well executed.

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  Go ahead, buy one! - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By CA C6 Fan - December 18 - 8:32 pm

  One of the finest vehicles I have ever owned. Blindingly fast, comfortable to drive every day and immediately recognizable. It drives like a commuter (overall 22 mpg - from 400 HP???) and performs like an exotic. Mine is silver (exterior) and black leather (interior). Loaded with all the goodies (youve got to get the Z51 handling pkg & the Bose stereo). Have had it for about 6 months/5K miles and it has been extremely reliable. I did purchase a GM/Vette extended warranty, just in case (got a great deal on it too). I have the automatic (5spd) and the only thing I would have done differently would have been to get the 6 spd. manual.

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  Great, affordable car - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By mrd232 - December 18 - 2:40 pm

  I got a 2005 LS Cobalt as a lease while in college. After 34,645 miles, I have had no problems with the car. The only service the car has required are regular oil changes, seasonal maintenance, tire rotation, and yearly inspection. I have only had one issue - on occasion, CDs will stick in the player and it will return an error. They usually eject after pressing the button several times or turning the radio on and off. All in all a great car for the money. Excellent gas mileage, does well on road trips, has low road noise, and the computer gages are great for tracking gas mileage.

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  Sedan version of the Dodo bird - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By Bethany - December 17 - 5:48 pm

  We never owned a Chevy in the past but when I was forced back into the car market thanks to VW TDI scandal I decided I wanted a sedan with rear wheel drive and a MANUAL transmission something no longer offered in the Passat, Mazda M6, or Nissan Maxima all of which I would have seriously considered. Thanks to a google search I found the Chevy SS and do not regret this purchase. In fact, the more I drive the car, the more I love it. My husband and I are now fighting over driving the SS so we are considering purchasing a second as Chevy is still offering 20% off until the end of the October. This car becomes extinct in 2017 and, sadly, I fear a manual transmission sedan will go with it. Update 4/19/2017: I passed this Chevy SS to my husband and we found a red Chevy SS that still had the 20% off tag which we purchased in November 2016. No more fighting over the car! We both love it. I enjoy the car more now than when I first purchased. I understand that it is not for everyone, but it is perfect for me. October 2017 update: we still own both Chevy SS cars and absolutely still love them. I had an issue with my power steering which Chevy repaired as was still under warranty and my only gripe is the dealership which bumbled with the repair (ordering the wrong part then not ordering all the parts needed) causing a delay in the repair. My car was at the dealership for over a week and I was never offered a loaner car. Thankfully I own 4 vehicles but it would have been considerate to at least offer a vehicle.

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  awsome - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Mike dunn - December 17 - 10:00 am

  this truck is perfect truck and i would tell any one to screw off the Japanese cars to get a nice reliable Chevrolet. listen to me this truck is perfect.

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  zippy little red sedan - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By dvdanny - December 17 - 10:00 am

  The room in this car and the zippy little that just wont quit make and all around good little car.

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  Got to love it - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Carl244541 - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had to replace my 94 old cutless supreme and I lived the styling of this car. It is very similiar to my olds in styling (actually better).

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  Better than my Benz - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Sunny Raye - December 17 - 10:00 am

  I had a 1998,1999, and 2000 Mercedes C class. This SS outdoes them all. Better ride, more comfortable, and its American!