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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  My best car yet... - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By templetonpeck - October 17 - 3:01 pm

  Bought my 05 Impala in January of 2006, it was used with 17k miles. As of now, it has 198k miles. Sad to say, those miles are starting to show. Theres a lot of nickle and dime stuff going out (windows roll down, but not up, gauges get stuck, and other things), but shes been a good car for 6+ years and 175k miles. Its time to hand it off to the kids for their school car. If youre looking for a status symbol, the Impala isnt it. If youre looking for a good solid car that will get you to point A to point B, it gets the job done.

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  Great car! - 2004 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By hannam - October 14 - 9:30 pm

  I drove this car for almost a year before someone ran a red light and totaled it. Looks great for the price, easy to drive and great for a first car! I bought it with 90k and drove it to 100k. I did have a few issues with it. The backseat was really difficult to access. If you buy with the original radio, be aware that installing a new radio could put you in the $200-300 range as the system is connected to many other things in the car (like the beeps for when your car door is open). AC went out around 94,000 miles. The lights below around the gearshift went out, and I had to hit the gearshift to make them come back on. All in all, Im still happy with the purchase and sad to lose it.

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  volt service issues - 2012 Chevrolet Volt
  By amped1 - October 12 - 11:04 am

  I love my volt. Couple of months old. Car is great. The issue is service. Here is a simple issue that the volt team and stingray chevrolet cannot fix. When you use the bluetooth, as the vehicle increases in speed the road noise above 40 mph with windows up etc. makes it impossible for anyone to hear you. The bluetooth cant hear anyone over the road noise in the microphone. It makes it impossible to use. The volt team cannot find a way to fix this issue. If service is an issue for you be wary, they can build a great imaginative vehicle but they cant figure out how to fix even simple problems with the car.

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  Good and Bad - 1998 Chevrolet Malibu
  By pinkprincerl - October 10 - 1:26 am

  I bought this car and then it died on me so I had to replace the motor (that was my cars third new motor). My car now runs pretty well considering that it is from 1998. I am great at making sure my car has enough gas and regular oil changes. This car is bad if you dont treat it right but with a little TLC, it is pretty nice. I get about 20 mpg and drive it at least 30 miles a days. I hope that in 2 years from now, my car will still be able to satisfy a person that needs a reliable car for school.

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  Dependable for seven years - 2005 Chevrolet Impala
  By kiminoz - October 9 - 8:21 am

  Bought this car in 2007 with 30,000 lease miles on it. Didnt fall in love with it right away, but with low miles, V6, and low pricing ($13,999) too good to pass up. Two weeks ago, at 167,000 mi., I totaled it. Most reliable car I ever owned. It did dent easy and speedometer reliability was getting to be spotty, but this was "Old Trusty" for at least 120,000 miles. Great for carting around big teenagers. Would buy another low mileage Impala in a heartbeat.

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  Terrific bang for your dollar! - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By stfdc00069 - October 8 - 11:15 am

  I will preface my comments with this: I do not trust GM for a second and was very sceptical when buying this vehicle and fully expected a potential headache. I purchased this car used in 2009 at 58,000km (36,000 miles). Presently I have 84,000km (52,000miles) on it plus 10 Canadian winters. Replaced original tires at 80,000km. Battery went last year, also original. Replaced brakes once only because I wanted new pads and discs in the face of approaching harsh Canadian winter. You really couldnt ask for more. This car so far cost me $5k for three years of ownership. Taking a bus woudl have been more expensive! Absolutely love it! Go GM! Terrific value for not much dollar

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  This car is great - 2012 Chevrolet Camaro
  By msp52_uakron - October 7 - 7:05 pm

  I am a fan of muscle cars and the Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 is no slacker. The ferocity of the ZL1 is matched by no other car in its class, in my opinion anyways. The 6.2 Liter V8 is a monster to be reckoned with, pumping out 580 horsepower with a 6-speed transmission. This car makes me want to drool! The power doesnÂ’t come at a hefty cost, and I mean that in more one way. Not only will you be paying this car off for many, many years with a $54,000 price tag, the ZL1 gets only 14/19 mpg running on premium gas! It will not be much fun never having money, but at least you will be driving a very cool car! I have always loved muscle cars and my favorite all time is the 1970 Chevy Camaro Z28! If I could drive one, or even own one, someday I would be a very happy man! I hope IÂ’m as lucky toÂ….(msp52)

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  Great little car for the money - 2012 Chevrolet Sonic
  By stoopid3 - October 5 - 12:20 pm

  Went from a 2007 Civic to the Sonic. Got a good deal on a 2LT ($16,500). Now at 5k miles on the Sonic. Handling is solid, though Ive ordered some new tires to get rid of that squishy ride that I attribute to the stock (soft) tires. Gas mileage is on par with the civic (~30 MPG mixed). If I had a lighter foot on the highway Im sure Id get the rated 35MPG and then some. Features set cant be beat in the price category. Only the Kia Rio (?) comes close. What Edmunds fails to stress is that dollar for dollar you get much more with the Sonic than any competing vehicle. No brainer.

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  Will last forever - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By driven_it_all - October 2 - 5:16 pm

  I bought mine used in 2000 with 34k miles. Sold her in 2011 with 240k miles. Pros -never replaced clutch -brakes last long time -never any major work done -decent on gas -took the abuse I gave to it. -motor and transmission are very good Cons -cosmetic & electrical issues -a/c issues ( I gave up after 3rd time) -leaks oil at 100k miles -cluster went out at 200k Would highly recommend if you are looking for a reliable cheap truck.

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  1997 Camaro Z28 30th anniversary (z4c) - 1997 Chevrolet Camaro
  By racerbane09 - October 1 - 10:21 pm

  i was searching on craigslist for a t-top z28, 93-97 body style since imo looks the meanest of all the camaros. when i ran into a white with hugger orange stripes z28 coupe. i checked it out in person and i was stunned at how cool it looked! ....tho its an old car, i have had plenty of people old and young tell me how cool my car is. tho the best complement was indirect by a kid, "cool mom look i want a car like that". .. performance wise car deff puts me back in my seat the auto is very responsive and car is just a head turner even with the imperfect paint and stripes. bought for 5400 and has been an awsome purchase so far only problems besides cosmetics are a bad radiator cap, later radi