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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  One great and fun car - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By kd215 - August 21 - 1:23 pm

  Have had the Corvette a short time but can truly say it is one of the best cars I have owned. Very agile handling,power when you need it and very comfortable car. The ride is very smooth even though it is a sports car but it can handle the curves like it is on rails. If you want a sports car that can be used everyday this is the one or keep it as a weekend car. The fit and finish is very good. All gauges are at hand with no reaching. With the large back window and excellent mirrors visibility is very good. This car is a keeper.

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  Nice car - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By bigdan3 - August 19 - 3:29 pm

  I have worked on cars for 35 yrs now, and this is a well built ride. My z26 has 181,895 miles on it and i plan on getting a lot more out of it. it still looks new and drives like new. 30mpg not too bad.

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  Am in in my Lexus IS 250? - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Vette777 - August 19 - 10:00 am

  Got this baby for a couple of reasons, but the primary would be MPG. It is averaging 31+ in the city to date. No highway miles yet, but I am thinking with 31 city, I should be getting 40+. What a car! You really have to drive one to really appreciate what GM has done in the quality field. Shes quiet, comfortable, handles great with the electric power assist steering, and feels NOTHING like the cars in its class. We got the Metallic Red and Titanium interior, 250 watt Pioneer, automatic, which, by the way is SIX speed, and I have to tell you I really cannot believe we only spent $21k! Toyota & Honda really should beware.

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  Love My Baby - 2011 Chevrolet Cruze
  By ajia1999 - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I just love this car. My friends are all envious, suspension and noise control in the cabin make you feel like you are in a luxury car. The exterior design is sleek and catches peoples eye. I caught a guy checking out my black LT2 cruze with envy.

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  First Chevy Truck - 2009 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Bill - August 19 - 10:00 am

  Owned Fords all my life and liked them. Used up a 99 Ford F 150 with Triton motor and needed another full size truck. Looked at all of them and decided to try my first Chevy and at 10,000 miles Im glad I did. The new Chevy V8 with 8 to 4 cylinder technology and 6 speed automatic is getting me 20 mpg or better. Blown away by the gas mileage Im getting with aggressive tires. Love the exhaust note of the engine. Far superior motor and transmission to my last F150 (Triton V8) and much better gas mileage. Very good ride in general and great truck for towing. The manual mode of the 6 speed transmission saves your brakes and the "tow" mode changes the shift points for better power.

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  I Love My Silverado - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Richard Zeabart - August 19 - 9:26 am

  This vehicle has the comfort of a car while not giving up power of a truck. It is a pleasure to drive. This truck is very user friendly, everything is at my fingertips.

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  best car i ever owned - 2005 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gary Lambert - August 18 - 9:46 pm

  a dream to drive

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  Lil Scottish carI - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Walt - August 18 - 8:01 pm

  I saw them in Europe and bought one of the first U.S. ones. I rent and drive many cars and always am happy to get back into my Aveo. Drove 800 miles and it was a pleasure. Like any car they must be maintained. Aveo is very easy to service!

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  GM Impala -- Very satisfied. - 2008 Chevrolet Impala
  By Joe M - August 18 - 4:40 pm

  The Impala is a very good value because it includes features of cars costing a lot more money. The features include: power heated leather seats, steering wheel mounted audio controls, XM Radio, On-Star directions, tire pressure monitor and Dual-Zone climate controls. It has a comfortable ride, handles well and gets excellent gas mileage for a car of its size and weight. The 3.5L motor has enough horsepower and runs on regular gas. It has a very well designed interior with comfortable seats and nicely designed controls. The braking performance is good. Prior to buying my Impala, I have rented both the 3.9L LTZ and 3.5L LT models. I choose the 3.5L engine because of fuel economy.

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  Best Value - 2007 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Ron - August 18 - 9:33 am

  I was very impressed with the ride comfort an handling of this car. It is a vast improvement over subcompacts of previous generations. I really like the european stlying direction GM has been taking with the vehicles it has brought to market over the last few years. It is a little strained to accelerate up a hill starting from a standstill (but what the hell! its no worse than our Jeep Liberty). The shift quality could be a little better, but here again, I didn,t purchase a Porsche. To sum up, in terms of interior and exterior styling, fuel economy, ride comfort, and handling it is a very good value for the money. I made my purchase chioce over Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris.