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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  Updated Review 2 Years Later - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Dbadcraig - November 8 - 9:33 pm

  See my original review below dated 11/24/07. I now have 92,500 miles on this well equiped but basic Fleet car. The front end thump remains but is no worse after 20,000 more miles. The engine and transmission are as good as new- no oil use and I have obtained has high as 41 miles per gallon on the highway @ 60mph. Ive had to replace warped front rotors, fix a short in side view mirror, new indicator bulb and thanks to a nail in a sidewall, buy two new Bridgestone tires (with the mpg my care gets with them, why change?) I did find the tan interior stained easily--but it also cleaned easily, try "Tuff Stuff" from Pep Boys. Paint, trim and interior is holding up very well.

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  Awesome! - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jim - November 8 - 7:08 pm

  I traded my C5 convertible for a C6 coupe after a visit to the assembly plant in Bowling Green. We saw the plant on Monday, I was behind the wheel Tuesday afternoon. The ride is improved over the C5, which was pretty good already. Apply throttle and prepare to launch. The controls are easy to use. Fit and finish are impressive. We bought every option possible and enjoy each one of them. My hardest decision each day is to pick between the painted roof or the tinted one. What the heck, some days we go topless.

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  Awesome Chevy 2500HD - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By NDr - November 7 - 10:46 pm

  Im on my second 2500HD with the 8.1 and the Allison. Theyre AWESOME trucks. My new one is totally loaded and includes the sunroof. Cool design. The power of these units is unreal. They get a little thirsty, but theyre worth it!!!

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  Love my 2016 Colorado LT - 2016 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jerry - November 7 - 9:18 pm

  Just purchased ( 2015 Black Friday) 2016 Colorado LT 4x4, with all the options, Rainforest green, with dark ash leather Got 10% off MSRP of $40K, and 1.99% 6 year loan Great looks, sharp interior, great size, fits in my garage and is easy to park, and has good turning radius. This truck has all the upgrades ( Conv and luxury package, plus safety package ) Ride is very nice, some sharp jolts on bad pavement. The one negative, the front seats are narrow, average comfort, but I love the heated feature, and that I can raise the seat Test drove the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, eliminated it, as there is no power seat option, and no way to raise or lower the seat. Too low of a seating position I spent over a year looking at mid-size trucks, and the Colorado is #1 in my opinion

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  I Cant Complain - 1997 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By BiggWaukegan - November 7 - 8:59 am

  Rectently bought my 97 Tahoe Lt 4 door 4wd with 122,000 miles on it. This is the best vechile Ive ever owned hands down. Very comfortable, a nice powerful Vortec 5700 motor suits it well. Ive got a nice high ride, nice comfort inside and plenty of room for the kids. I live in the Chicago area so the weather here can get rough. But with the push button 4wd were ready. This truck is true Chevy. Love it. Got a great deal on it too. Under $6000.

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  Six-peat - 2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By Frank Simonelli - November 6 - 2:00 am

  Our companys sixth Chevy Z71 Silverado Pick-up. Continuously a great truck: strong, reliable, roomy and beyond comfortable for every day. Whether on the construction site or out casual with the family... this truck is my favorite of the bunch.

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  Great little car - 2006 Chevrolet Malibu
  By jmt - November 5 - 10:34 pm

  After comparing it to several other small cars (including Corolla and Civic), the Malibu definitely had the most bang for my buck. Its a sharp looking little car, comfortable, fun to drive, and gets pretty good gas mileage (21-22 mpg in heavy city driving). The steering took me about a month to get used to, but I dont know if thats because I was used to the steering on my old 97 Escort. Now I dont even notice it.

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  Roomy, fresh, with many nice features - 2007 Chevrolet Suburban
  By GreggBoston - November 5 - 9:01 pm

  Decided to move up to a large SUV to accomodate our growing family and have been very pleased. We have an LT3 trim level vehicle with most of the options (sunroof, Nav radio, rear DVD, power liftgate, rear camera, heated seats) white with the tan interior. Rides and handles great on road, not much off road use yet. Front and 2nd row bench seats are reasonably comfortable. 3rd row is fair for adults, good for kids. Nav radio/ rear DVD system works well. Vehicle has some nice touches. For example, dome lamp override keeps the lights off to offload sleeping kids at night, the remote vehicle start during cold weather turns on the seat heaters. Exterior style nicer than its Yukon XL cousin

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  Awesome Avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Paul Souza - November 5 - 6:21 pm

  This is by far the best motor vehicle we have purchased. Driving for over 30 years in four season weather the Chevy Avalance is everything we dreamed of. The price was great considering all of the options and versitility this vehicle offers. If you can afford it and need an awesome vehicle this is it!

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  A satisfied customer - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Thomas W. Able - November 5 - 10:58 am

  Overall very satisfied with this vehicle. If I were to ask for one thing to be improved upon would be the seats are too hard. Should be improved on to make ride better.