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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  1997 malibu - 1997 Chevrolet Malibu
  By r m - October 28 - 2:00 am

  My 97 Malibu is still running fine - had to replace water pump at 22000 mi- and window control for driver side. Car is OK

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  Above average product from Chevy - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By niagra - October 28 - 2:00 am

  I do not own one but I regularly rent it for long trips once a week. It has become my favorite rental vehicle. Excellent fuel economy (average 33mpg on highways) easy to drive and good features. I have spotted minor build quality issues on most of them. One of them with less than 3000 miles had the gas cap not fitting. The information console kept complaining about an open gas cap. Another one that I drove had the passenger side seat back detached and hanging down. Adjustable break pedal didnt impress me much. Generally the controls are easy to locate and use.

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  Not too shabby so far - 2004 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By BDoyle - October 28 - 2:00 am

  1st time Tahoe buyer - Ive driven foreign cars for the last 10 years. Turning radius is much better than my old Maxima. Seats are very comfortable, but a drivers foot rest would be nice. Also the gas and brake pedals are offset a few inches (gas 1 - 2 inches lower)- no big deal. Excellent to drive, very quiet for an SUV. We got buckets seats in the 2nd row - much easier to get into the 3rd row seats than with 2nd row bench. 3rd row seats not easy to remove, so we leave them in. Fit, finish and quality very good - so far.

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  Great truck - 2002 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By Ollie - October 27 - 2:30 pm

  I bought his truck 7 months ago with only 32,000 miles on it. I love it! It runs great, and the cab is the biggest out there. It is also a very comfortable ride. The gas mileage isnt so great though. Overall a great truck.

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  SILVERTRUCK - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By CHEVY - October 27 - 3:50 am

  I bought a 2004 Extended Cab Z71 in June and in Sept my Wife rolled it and it was a total loss; the truck hydroplaned on rough wet pavement, spun around and rolled in the ditch. I found that the suspension was too ridgid and that the vehicle took on a mind of her own once she took to rough road esp. if the pavement was wet. After this I decided to purchase a 2005 Crew Cab Z71 and I find this truck the very best for driving and handling,I do however find that the suspension is still more rigid than I would like and so I alwalys now carry balance weight in the box,( 300 lbs) I have found that this makes a big difference to the stability / ride of the truck especially on rough / wet roads.

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  It was fun - 1994 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By MeMrS - October 27 - 2:00 am

  I had my Cavalier Z24 for 6 1/2 years, and it served me quite well. The only reccurring problems seemed to involve the electrical system, which cost me a few $$$ along the way. But in the end, I was able to keep it running strong and even sold it for $2,100 with 114,800 miles on it in October of 2004.

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  Fun - 1998 Chevrolet Corvette
  By jankord - October 27 - 2:00 am

  It can run with the best. Great, no major problems. little or no after market parts to become succesful in racing. Scared me the first time I drove it. Lots of Power

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  My First Chevy Tahoe - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Harley Kathy - October 27 - 2:00 am

  I love my SUV. It has great pick-up when merging into traffic, its an eye catching truck due to the special ordered 18-inch chrome wheels, the beautiful shade of red & the complimentary pin striping. I cant say enough great things about how good I feel driving it. My friends are all very impressed also.

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  So far, so good - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By desertdiamond - October 27 - 1:50 am

  Ive had my Equinox for almost a month now and so far the only problems I have noticed is the gas mileage. Far from the 19/25 on the sticker price. I think Im averaging out 16/20. Other than that, no problems at all. I love it and cant believe I waited so long to purchase my first SUV.

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  No Real Complaints - 2012 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By someguy8 - October 26 - 11:37 pm

  Bought my 2012 in early 2013 with 5 miles on it. At first I thought it was going to be more truck than I needed as I was mainly looking for a way to get a family of four around with all of our stuff. Salesman gave me a great deal since it was last years model. I have drove 22k miles already. No issues. I get on average 18 MPG. I drive a county road to work for about 35 miles each way up and down hills and around a few bends. Fun to drive. Tires are still good, brakes are fine, no noises. Only after market purchase was a tonneau cover to keep the hockey gear dry and a set of nerf bars so the kids could climb in easier. I plan on having this truck for years