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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  2004 Chev. Venture - 2004 Chevrolet Venture
  By Richard T - May 28 - 2:36 pm

  I purchased this vehicle after owning a 2000 model and doing considerable research. This vehicle offers good mileage and good value for the money. I looked at newer SUVs and Vans, then discovered this model offers as good or better mileage, and just as much interior space for a lot less than new. Mileage first 5000 miles has averaged 23-27 MPG if driven reasonably.

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  Disappointing - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Ryster - May 28 - 1:16 pm

  Purchased my new 06 Impala LT, glacier blue, new in late July 06. Now have 2100 miles on it. Performance of the 3.5L V6 is perfectly acceptable for my 60 mile round-trip daily commute. Gas mileage has been around 22mpg regardless of driving conditions and A/C use (nowhere near the 21/32 rating on the sticker...I expected to average around 24-25 overall). Exterior build quality excellent. Interior build quality poor. Numerous creaks/squeaks/rattles in the dash. Driver seatback creaks when you lean back or shift in the seat. Seat also creaks when going around turns or even just accelerating from a stop. OEM Goodyear tires are dangerous in the rain. I plan to trade in 2yrs.

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  Pontiac Man Gone Chevy - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Tkay43 - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Very happy with the handling package of the Monte Carlo. My last car was the Grand Prix GTP from Pontiac and I must say I would pick the Monte Carlo over the Grand Prix for ride and handling any day. The 3.8 L engine in the Monte Carlo cannot compare with the supercharged GTP when starting from a dead stop but at the high end ( over 55 mph ) I can not see a difference. Excellent stereo system option and for the price would suggest you take.

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  Nice Car - 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Mike Spohn - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Looks good Rides nice Handles very well good performance

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  Great Ride! - 2000 Chevrolet Blazer
  By dcsevigne - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive had my Trailblazer for 2 years now and put 20K miles on it. The ride has always been superior even to the Lexus RX300 that I left at the dealer. I guess the sport suspension is a must! So far Ive had the battery replaced and a rear pinion seal replaced under warranty. Good vehicle for the price $25K new.

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  My first year review - 2002 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By svegliando - May 28 - 10:00 am

  Ive owned the LTZ for a year now and have been pretty happy with it. Ive experienced a few minor problems (transfer case mysteriously shifting on its own, power windows that do not reset), but the vehicle has been reliable. My only complaint would be in build quality. Seams do not appear even and when driving off road. When driving off road (forest roads) the body does not feel tight over bumps. But having own two GMC Jimmys before this, it was expected.

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  2005 Cobolt - 2005 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Will Freese - May 28 - 5:23 am

  I recently purchased a 2005 Chevy Cobalt and love driving it. It handles very well around turns and has a deceptive suspension. What I mean by that is that you feel like you are doing 45 mph but really going 70mph. I am usually stuck in rush hour traffic and have the A/C on all the time, but I am getting over 30mpg which is great. The Cobalt has great seats that support your back and lumbar region, which is great if you have a bad back. My only complaint is the large coupe doors are hard to keep open, they want to close even before you are out of the car. Overall it has been a great car, with lots of features for the price.

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  Great car but could be better - 2009 Chevrolet Impala
  By outlook - May 27 - 7:48 pm

  Love the car. The gas mileage is a disappointment.(My 96 Caprice with the LT1 engine gets better gas mileage. The head rest is too far forward as it rubs my head all the time. The mirrors have limited visibility

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  Nice Car,But Has Issues - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Mike - May 27 - 7:12 pm

  Bought the car with 36,000 miles. Rides Nice. Handles good. At 66,000 miles now and so far we had to replace intake gaskets (oil leaking into antifreeze) $650, water pump$200, steering $138 ( clunked when turning) and now p. C. M module in transmission $779 (shifting hard when cold or going up hill) and a wheel bearing! By reading comments from other people, all have had the same issue. Some not. Wow the impala use to be bulletproof

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  Very happy with my new Malibu - 2009 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Sportyndm - May 27 - 6:50 pm

  I got the LTZ V6. I got it for college and life after. So far I love everything about it! Its fun to drive and handles very well in any situation. Even with the V6 i get great MPG.... on the Highway i was getting 31.7!!! and its rated at 26. In town about 19, rated at 16, I believe. You cant go wrong with the malibu. I was comparing the altima, impala, and the malibu. This car feels so solid and responsive compared to the others.