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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  Black TB - 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Trailblazer 3221 - February 6 - 2:00 am

  Quirky driver window. Has been fixed 3 times. Will go down and stay there until it is ready go come back up. Transmission LOUSY reverse. Steep grades have required the use of 4wd LOW to move vehicle. Fuel guage quirky will show empty when 1/2 full at times.

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  2004 Avalanche Z71 - 2005 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By wpixfrank - February 5 - 10:23 am

  The Z71 Avalance is an "I cant believe its a truck truck". Ive been on black diamond off road trails testing the 4WD and power, this thing is a goat. Ive been on long freeway runs, it rides easily as smooth as the best domestic car. Ive taken it hunting, and to important business meetings. It is comfortable in both roles. Now if we could do something about the gas mileage...

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  Happy so far - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By SCchevyowner - February 5 - 10:00 am

  I have put 1200 miles on it so far and love it! Drove it on a 5 hour trip recently, it handled great!

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  Cant beat the leasing price - 2017 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Poor Drivers seat - February 5 - 4:57 am

  Picking up a 2017 Equinox 2LT today. On the way home, I was constantly changing the seat positions and could not find a comfortable position. The seat is similar with the Chevy Cruze, the front of the seat does not tilt down far enough and feel like sitting in the bucket. I wish the seat has five more degrees of travel. Im thinking of taking the vehicle back to have a 1/2 inch spacers added to the rear of the seat. All the money GM spent studying seats, and they still did not get it right. They need to improve is the drivers seat and provide more adjustment. Update: Dealer did not want to install the spacers so I did it myself. Used two lug nuts acting as the spacers and longer bolts, I had the rear of the drivers seat raised about 3/4". My gosh, its so comfortable now. Simple thing like this can make driving more pleasurable.

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  Chevy Suburban - 1998 Chevrolet Suburban
  By bwilch - February 5 - 2:00 am

  This is the ultimate family transport vehicle that is not shy about pulling a boat, trailer or even stumps! The highway ride is terrific and with the 4-wheel drive, its virtually unstoppable in the snow! Weve got 4 kids and they appreciate having their own space--let alone the golden retriever who has the back all to herself. Plenty of power, comfort, and heft helps maintain the heritage of the suburban!

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  My blazer - 1998 Chevrolet Blazer
  By Shellie - February 5 - 2:00 am

  Overall the car has done very well. It has required little repairs and handles long distance travel well. Through any weather this SUV has been reliable. My only beef with the car is the windshield wipers. They annoy me!

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  overall a good car - 1993 Chevrolet Lumina
  By kyle j watterworth - February 4 - 2:00 am

  shes been good to me.....bought her last august....no problems until recently...the rear brakes started to grind horribly. got those replaced, and then the fuel pump went just out today. i still see a lot of these cars on the road and i think that mone will be around for years to come.

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  Den On Wheels - 2000 Chevrolet Express
  By franks350 - February 4 - 2:00 am

  A great family vehicle to own! You get plenty of cargo and passeger room.I personally have a conversion van package and love the extra headroom and accessories.What other vehicle can you drive and have to stop to calm or assist children in rear without leaving the vehicle?The tv/vcr is a god sent if you have kids and go on long rides or trips. Very reliable and trust worthy.fuel economy is a trade off with all the room and comfort you get.I was more than willing to pay at the pump and be comfortable and not crambed.

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  Excellent Car!! - 1991 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By mar-tone - February 3 - 2:00 am

  This was my 1st new car purchase and the best $10,400 I ever spent! After 13+ years and 129,000 miles Ive gone through 2 exhaust systems, 2 starters, a head gasket, 3 brake jobs, and one water pump. But STILL a VERY dependable car year round. Still handles good, good mileage. Not the fastest or shiniest car on the block - but I own it. NO car payment, low taxes and STILL dependable transportation to work. "Trade in value"?...who needs it! Chevrolet made a winner here!!!

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  Decent Truck - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By bhaines - February 2 - 2:00 am

  I used to have a 92 S-10 with the 2.8. It was a very good low maintanance truck. This one is a little more high maintanance. Had lots of problems with the wiper switch. Had to be replaced. Thank goodness for warranty. Also had the fuel pump, ac blower and compresser, and encoder motor on the 4wd replaced. I expected a few kinks being the first year model so I am not surprised. The dealership fixed all of my problems though.