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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  Her name is Queenie Equinox - 2008 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Amanda - February 14 - 11:22 pm

  I love my new Equinox. I was originally looking for a Honda CR-V, but the moment I saw the Equinox I switched. Honda CR-Vs seems cheap looking compared to the Chevy Equinox. Im also glad to buy American.

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  BurbLVR - 2005 Chevrolet Suburban
  By BURBLVR - February 14 - 9:40 pm

  We decided to purchase a used Suburban and after plenty of research and waiting we finally bought a fully loaded LT. We wish we would have bought it sooner! It has everything we need Plenty of space for us, 2 dogs, and luggage. We have 2 little kids and the DVD is a must and a life-saver on any trip! Weve had no issues with it and Ive put about 7000 miles on it now. I switched to Synthetic Oil and a K&M air filter and I now get about 1.5 MPG better fuel mileage both in town and on highways.

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  Stay away - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By BC - February 14 - 9:32 pm

  Bought this new for my wife and was surprise to see the options I bought on my 98 model were now standard. By the end of 6 years though the A/C had been worked on twice and no longer worked (unless you wanted hot air). Fuel pump replaced. Door gaskets never sealed properly so there was always air and noise.

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  Glad I bought it - 1998 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By BC - February 14 - 9:25 pm

  Traded it in today after just shy of 11 years. Over 128,000 miles an it was the most reliable car I ever owned. I didnt lose sleep over $4/gal gas because this baby got over 30mpg. My biggest complaint was that the brakes and rotors generally only lasted 25-30k miles. The exhaust tended to be the next biggest issue but I dont think I ever had to replace the catalytic converter or the expensive pipe that came off of it. Pipe was rusted through when I traded it though. I didnt wash the car much and the only rust was near the bottom of the doors and I live in upstate NY where they love to salt the roads. 5 speed manual was fun to drive. Climate control fan had to be on 3 (of 4) to blow by year 3.

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  Excellent for the price - 2004 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Mike - February 14 - 6:25 pm

  I bought the truck new in 2004 and he went to the test, off road, carried load, pulling stuff. For a 4cyl this very good. I will keep it until he to the junk yard.

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  Chevy S-10 Overview - 1998 Chevrolet S-10
  By Georgia Cracker - February 14 - 5:07 pm

  I bought it with about 70,000 miles on it and have 143,000 now. Uses no oil. Got the V6, A/T, 3rd door option. Had major A/C repair in year two and replaced engine control module recently. Cranks and drives reliably. Keep oil changed and routine service on transmission. Overall, its been a good truck.

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  Very good car - 2001 Chevrolet Prizm
  By WP - February 14 - 4:48 pm

  I have had this car for 9 years and it is a very reliable commuter car. Does what I need it to do and does it when I need it to do it. Good car. Excellent reliability.

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  Equinox Lemon - 2011 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Rachel - February 14 - 2:07 pm

  I bought this vehicle used with 70,000 miles on it. I bought it from the original owner who said they had no issues. Usually two owner vehicles are a pretty safe bet because people take care of them when they have owned them for a while. I brought it home and about 2k miles later, noticed how loud the engine had become. I took it into the dealership and they said it needed a new timing chain. The vehicle was still covered under the factory warranty so that was a relief. After the repair, and after reading reviews, I decided to purchase the extended powertrain warranty costing me $1800. Few thousand miles later, its burning oil. Took it BACK in, dealership replaced pistons, rings, etc. Paid only my deductible for the warranty ($100). TWO MONTHS later, vehicle transmission starts hesitating/slipping. Back to the dealership we go. Get the phone call that it needs a whole new transmission and SURPRISE the warranty only covers up to $3k leaving me with a $1200 bill! This vehicle has been NOTHING BUT HEADACHES and is in the repair shop almost more than I drive it. At this point, it has a whole new engine and transmission so maybe I can get another 30k miles out of it...who knows. This is only the MAJOR repairs, too. I have replaced other things like the throttle body sensor which cause the vehicle to basically shut down and not go over 30 mph which is awesome on a busy 55 mph road. *eye roll* Rant over. DO NOT BUY THIS VEHICLE. Save yourself the money, headache, time, everything. I will be going back to Toyota when I chuck this POS

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  Most Underrated SUV On The Market - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Mel Turner - February 13 - 10:59 pm

  I purchased my 2005 TB, LS 4x4 in Jan 2007 with 97,000 miles. I paid $11,000. High mileage doesnt scare me. As long as you perform scheduled maintenance, todays engines are engineered to last 500,0000 miles or more. I installed DVD system, I put Continental tires on and had 100,000 service: tune-up, coolant and all fluids changed, all filters and engine belts changed. At 130,000 miles, my SUV runs like it just left the showroom floor. The most dependable car Ive ever driven, including Toyota. I get excellent gas mileage for an SUV with a 6 cylinder truck engine. 4x4 extremey sure footed in inclement weather. I love my TrailBlazer.

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  Z71 4 dr SB Review - 2005 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By NW CHevy Driver - February 13 - 7:10 pm

  OK, I was looking at a Tundra for the longest time. My wife said the Chevy was more comfortable. Shes right. I love this truck. The Auto 4x4 is a great feature. The daytime headlights can be turned off now. There is an additional tunable radio in the back for the passengers that can be indepentently tuned to regular radio stations including the XM radio (optional). 2 Headphone jacks on the rear console next to additional heat/ac vents.