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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  LOVE MY MONTE - 2004 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By PEPPER - May 13 - 10:00 am

  FUN TO DRIVE THE RIDE IS BETTER THEN MY LINCOLN SPORTY, LOTS OF COMMENTS ON HOW SHARP IT IS VERY SATISFIED. MY FIRST NEW CAR AND I LOVE IT WILL BUY ANOTHER

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  Love It !!! - 2005 Chevrolet Equinox
  By stanley4 - May 13 - 10:00 am

  Love the look and the feel. Wipers a bit confusing. Overall absolutely love it. The room in the back is great. The adjustible back seat helps with getting my children in and out. The interior is beautiful. The cargo room is good with carrying diaper bags and strollers and toys. Great truck.

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  my opinion - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By d0036 - May 13 - 10:00 am

  no complaints, I love everything about the truck. I had a 98 ext cab 3 door before, this truck is way out front

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  Great Ride - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Maryellen - May 13 - 8:53 am

  IÂ’m a Chevy buyer. Started with a Cavalier 25 years ago, and worked my way up to the Trail Blazer. I love it. ItÂ’s stylish and reliable. It still looks brand new, and rides as smooth as the day I purchased it.

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  I do like it. - 2009 Chevrolet Aveo
  By mazade of montana - May 12 - 10:53 pm

  We were aiming for an econo-box that wouldnt need a major overhaul in the next 3 years(i.e. battery bank)... were pretty satisfied with what we have here. Fit & finish of the car seems quite nice. The only noise leaks are through the underbody panels because of no insulation/padding. Last 3-5 tanks are in the 35mpg area and we live in & around some hilly terrain... was in the 32mpg area until we changed over to a full synthetic. Currently @ 3000 miles on the car. Onstar is a feature that can spoil you... except for the knowing that they can shut your car off if/when they feel like it.

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  Dont Buy GM/Chevy - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Kristy - May 12 - 5:50 pm

  Battery keeps going dead for no apparent reason, dealership cant figure out the reason, and I am stuck paying a note on something I cant drive. Apparently its "rocket science" nobody can figure out what the problem is, and they dont care.

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  uplander gas gauge/sliding door problems - 2007 Chevrolet Uplander
  By dawn - May 12 - 5:28 pm

  Help!Just purchased a few months ago-this car has been in the shop 6 times for the gas gauge-it floats- never gives the exact amount of gas you have. I called gm they said it is this cars issue not defect! They dont know how to fix it-I am just stuck with it like that!The sliding doors close then pop back open!

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  I fell for a slick marketing campaign - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By TDD - May 12 - 2:53 pm

  I had abandoned Chevy in 2001, having back to back Nissans (Maxima & Altima) until 2008, when I was lured back to Chevy with heavy incentives. "The Car You Cant Ignore" ads were on every 5 minutes. The car was fun at first, but I swear it gets less responsive the more I drive it. Acceleration is reluctant, and steering is stiffer than when new. Just found out the steering gear is failing at only 16K miles. Rear seat doesnt latch properly, and if you stare at the sheet metal too hard, you can dent it with sheer will-power. (how did I get a door-ding on the roof?) No tactile response on the center stack you have to take your eyes off the road to operate heater/radio. I tried, GM/Chevy......

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  2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD LTZ 4dr Extended Cab 4WD - 2010 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD
  By dvo222 - May 12 - 3:25 am

  I have over 10,000 miles on my gas truck now. I average around 13 to 14 in town and 18 at 70 mph(Im 56 years old). I pulled a 5000 lb sailboat from Texas to Georgia at 60 and 65 and got 13 miles per gallon. I purchased the 2500 over the 1500 because of price. Between the factory rebate and the credit union rebate the price came in at $10,000 less than the 1500. Something very noticeable is the difference in the power (and it sounds good). I average 5000 miles a year on the trucks I have owned. So the fuel economy doesn really concern me. A little stiff ride but it is a 2500 4x4. The interior is very comfortable and well built.

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  Great Truck - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By seanboy40 - May 12 - 12:00 am

  I bought this truck new. Almost 11 years later still in great shape, rear end shuttered while hauling a load at first, it was just an adjustment with the back axle, covered under warranty. Great reliable truck runs good starts good plenty of power with the v8, great gas mileage for a full size truck, stylish, comfortable seats, only continuous problems are the dash rattles a little bit in the cold weather and the drivers side daytime running light keeps burning out, no big deal though its not illegal or anything its a typical Chevy thing other than that its all around the best truck