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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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 1996 Chevrolet Lumina
  By wthomas - July 3 - 2:00 am

  This Lumina, which I purchased new, has been a great purchase. The car has been very reliable and the 6 cylinder engine and transmission work very well together. Excellent power performance for weight of car. The radio is top notch and I enjoy the speed/noise sensitive automatic volume control. The AC unit is excellent. Cold is COLD. Overall my best car ever, and not a bad price.

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  Nice car - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By zees - July 2 - 2:00 am

  Intake manifold gaskets went at 66000. Apparantley the Chevy and others now use plastics gaskets for v6 and v8s. Maybe they will get it right in another ten years. Also fuel sendign unit broke, cost $880 at dealer to fix. Only good news is next time Chevy pays for the parts (lifetime warranty on replacement parts) But the car has been more reliable than my previous Accord.

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  Off to work - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By oribhabor - July 2 - 12:00 am

  I find the Aveo a very fun car to drive. Its interior is extremely large for the size of car it is. It’s not nearly a boxy as the Mini Cooper. My friends tell me that I have a new toy. I agree. I have named it Mighty Mouse. It gets pretty good mileage; maybe 28 mpg. If you need a car to commute with, it’s the one.

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  First new Chevy - 2003 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By R.Scott - July 1 - 10:00 am

  2003 Trailblazer LS 4x4 w/option pkg 1 Love the truck!! Great power and very smooth. I have been researching suvs for a while for use as a commuter and frequent summer towing of a boat and camping trailer, this is the only mid- sized suv that fills the bill. rides and handles better than most suvs I have driven.This is the first of three new vehicles that has not gone back to the dealer for service or problems within the first 5000 miles.I have not had any problems, avg 19 mpg. Excellent dealer experience. suspension is a little light to be a real off-road contender.

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  Best Roadster in America - 1999 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Kuda - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I had one of the very first C-5s in Hawaii I bought in late 97. Wouldnt "kick in" when punched. Dealers couldnt figure out problem. So, ordered a 99 6 speed convertible, with Z51 suspension. Took a few months to arrive in Hawaii. At first I thought it was the wrong color. The way the sun hit it, an almost purple pearl came thru the Navy Blue Mettalic paint. It was beautiful. What was Chevy thinking when they discontinued that color. Now have 14k miles. No major problems. Then got the "check traction control" message, with rough running. Computer module fried. Strongly advise getting extended warranty. Otherwise, the best vette ever.

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  Surprised by Cavalier - 1995 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By melncolly - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I grew up in a staunch Ford family. So when I bought my Cavalier...I was afraid....hah hah...not really...so far, Ive done minor maintenance to it (oil, tires, front brakes, battery) Ive put about 25K miles on it in 14 months and no problems with the car...and it is my first five speed, and I like dropping it down a gear or two to get some extra ZOOM! Watch out for me in my teal Cavalier! Its sporty and gets around and I can keep up with the Acuras and Hondas...if I want..) I hope it lasts till I pay it off in April 2003!!

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  Sweet SS - 2001 Chevrolet Camaro
  By SSteve - July 1 - 2:00 am

  This is my third Fbody. I love the SS looks and all my cars have been very reliable. I have 30000 on this car and have not even had a warrenty issue. The power is grat and it mods easy

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  GREAT FAMILY CAR - 2001 Chevrolet Venture
  By teecee - July 1 - 2:00 am

  THIS VAN IS GREAT FOR KIDS. IT COMES WITH FLIP DOWN SCREEN. THEY CAN WATCH MOVIES OR PLAY VIDEO GAMES. PLENTY OF ROOM. PLENTY OF "PEP" IN THE MOTOR AREA. GOOD LOOKING CAR! WORTH THE EXTRA MONEY (FROM THE REGULAR VENTURES).

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  GM needs to improve - 2000 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By cagdgg - July 1 - 2:00 am

  Its been 3 1/2 years since my wife and i bought this Tahoe. It is quite an improvment from the 1995 Tahoe LT we owned but we still have problems with this one. After owning a 1995 and 2000 Tahoes its made me second guess sticking with Chevy.

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  Room For Improvement - 2001 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Jeremy Witt - July 1 - 2:00 am

  I was unfortunate to receive a lemon Z06 (1Qt of oil for every 500Miles), but I have isolated my review comments to exclude this problem. Chevy eventually replaced the engine. But even with that, I still think you can buy a better car and therefore will be purchasing a 2003 in a few weeks. I really would like Chevy to take some more pride in building these cars with improvements made to the interior design, paint quality, and small details. I find it appaulling to buy a car that brand new will have rim damage because they are still using tire clamp weights. For detailers the badges are a nightmare (especially that rear Corvette inprint).