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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  King of the road - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By harry - October 27 - 6:51 pm

  This truck drives very nicely in highway crusing. My family loves it, especially for long distance travel. DVD makes trip a lot short. The size makes it feel like the king of the road. Money-cant-buy confidence knowing that my family will be safer than most other people riding in many other types of cars.

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  I love my Trailblazer EXT! - 2004 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By klb - October 27 - 10:00 am

  I just took a long road trip with my family and was really enjoyed my Trailblazer. Not only was it roomy when we visited others, the handling with lots of stuff in it was great. I also really like the sporty look of the vehicle and get compliments on it.

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  love my new Maxx - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By cwesleyg - October 26 - 11:50 am

  Mine is a black LT with sunroof. It only has 191 miles on it as of yet but I love this car. The only negative I can see is the electric assist steering takes a little getting used to. It is kind of twitchy compared to hydraulic assist, but it saves HP not having the drain of running the pump. I really enjoy the manual shift on this automatic transmission ... much fun!

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  Great price and good mileage - 2006 Chevrolet Aveo
  By John - October 26 - 12:03 am

  Bought my special value Aveo for under $7000 brand new. Man what a deal, and Im getting 35-37 mpg every tankful in mixed driving with ~ 2200 miles on it so far. Cant wait for it to get all the way broken in. I paid $12000 for a Toyota Tercel in 1995 and it didnt have the power or room that the Aveo does although it did get 40 mpg. So that means I paid just over half of what the Tercel cost me 10 years ago. Whats there not to love ?

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  Just love it - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By harry - October 25 - 6:37 pm

  I bought the Z71 for the safety, size, and comfort. I have been rearended several times and as an structural engineer, I know when it comes to collision, the only thing it really matters is the size. I view the extra gas I paid as the cost of buying the life insurance for my family. For insurance, I get nothing, for Suburban, my family gets to enjoy the ride everyday. There is just nothing like driving/riding in a big truck. I love it.

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  Z71 Tahoe - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Step - October 25 - 1:03 pm

  This is a very capable off road vehicle that is great for trail riding. Try it the kids will love it. I have forded streams about 2 feet high, climbed many of hills, and even did some er, little mud. (Takes too long to clean) I am very happy with the ride the performance and the room it has. The kids have the DVD and the parents have the BOSE system, Sweet! There are always things you would like more of but this one is a great as is package. If you want some cheap performance additions try a single exit Corsa exhaust, Airaid cold intake and spacer. This makes it sound great and helps highway performance and gas mileage. (+2MPG improvement)

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  Disapointed - 2000 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By schoondo - October 25 - 10:00 am

  This truck has been to the shop more times in 1 1/2 years than my 89 was in 11 years with 220,000 miles. So far these items have been replaced; yoke, ignition switch, auto 4wd switch, rear door latches, front seat belts, radio, 2 tires (Firestone) and tail gate handle housing. Body is solid and looks and drives great. Lots of power to 97 mph then falls on its face. Sun visors are usless on the side. Coolant temperature guage starts too high (160).

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  Mixed emotions - 1999 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Ed - October 24 - 7:24 pm

  Bought it new and take excellent care of the vehicle, do not miss any maintenance appointments. Continual problem with drivers door hinge, locks and window. Repaired twice but still questionable. Paid $2300 to replace 4WD transfer case at only 68k miles. 4WD also still questionable. Love the look, the way it drives, plenty of power and room inside. Very disappointed in the tranny and the detailing of the vehicle. Would probably not buy another GM SUV.

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  If you are not looking to spin tires! - 2003 Chevrolet S-10
  By Satisfied - October 24 - 3:02 pm

  Bought this S-10 in May of 2005 overall is a great truck, but the flaws are it shift with a temperment some times she is happy sometimes she is mad! Really Mad!! Overall ride quailty is good on long trips and the wallet still has some cash in it after the 25MPG. If you dont mind a few MPG get the 6 - cylinder you will be glad you did! It is just more fun to drive and you dont have to ride with the hazard lights on while getting up to speed on the interstate! Overall cannot complane never been stranded or brokedown knock on wood!

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  Still the one - 1995 Chevrolet Corsica
  By RickyDee - October 24 - 10:08 am

  You can count on this car. The 3.1 V 6 is very fast. Chevy put the push rod motor in many cars for a long time. Transmission never a problem. Inside is good up front but awful in the back seat Tires last a long time for me Funny control location for power windows