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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  Red Rocket - - 1990 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dave B - Canada - January 4 - 2:00 am

  I own an 87 Corvette - only 30,000 miles on it - runs like a new car, performs like a race car. Chev was right at the top of their game. ITs a joy to work on, modify and lots of stuff to buy to make it even better... cheap to buy used, and cheap to modify to stellar levels [compared to other high po cars]. No problems, except the alarm system.

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  fun to drive and very reliable.... - 1995 Chevrolet Beretta
  By aozdemir - January 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought my first car, this 95 Beretta, last summer. Although I replaced many items, I am happy to drive it. Back left part of the body is wrecked but I am not concerned because of the quality engine noise . This makes you feel you are in a great American car.

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  fun to drive and good looking - 2003 Chevrolet Tracker
  By joe cagman - January 2 - 2:00 am

  nice small suv. needs storage spaces.6 cyl gives good acceleration coupled with auto 4.initial quality very good. time will tell down the road. consumers says good qualty and reliability

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  consumer - 1996 Chevrolet Caprice
  By BTLFDSS - January 1 - 2:00 am

  This is my second Caprice and I love it. There a very few things that you can do with this car. The interior is very spacious you can fit a family of five comfortably. The trunk is hug and for a car the towing capacity is pretty good. Chevy had a great thing going I cant believe they stopped building these great cars.

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  Lil Red Truck - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By jt600 - December 31 - 8:20 am

  My Silverado is sporty and fun to drive. My truck had a bad rear diferential at 9000 miles however it was totally fixed good as new. I still like the truck very much after 3 years of ownership. I hunt and fish and the Silverado gets me to the country in style.

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  My Metro - 1998 Chevrolet Metro
  By metroman - December 31 - 2:00 am

  I bought My Metro new (1998 model) and drove it 130,000 miles until I ran into a parked SUV. The airbag worked great and I got only a scratch. The car was 100% reliable - it always started and ran good. It gave 40+ miles per gallon. With the rear seat down, the hatch could carry very large items. Ill miss that car, wish they were still building them, Id buy another. Now that I think about it, the only problem was an oil leak, at about 85,000 miles. Good car!

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  Nice Truck - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By N2deeptn - December 31 - 2:00 am

  Got a 3 year lease. I have never had to put it in the shop for anything. Nothing has been replaced in 3 years of daily driving, not even the tires.

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  Nice vehicle but unreliable - 1997 Chevrolet Lumina
  By AJ1 - December 31 - 2:00 am

  The Lumina LS has a smooth ride, handles well, and looks good. It takes alot of pressure to brake, especially if you need to do so quickly. Great gas mileage for a V6 mid-sized sedan. The real issue with this Chevy is reliability. The vehicle only comes with a 3 yr/36000 mile warranty. A couple months after mine expired the trouble started: the fuel pump died once, a gasket went bad, a wheel bearing need replacing, and more. Ive had three repairs of $1000+ and one of almost $500 - all in the last three years, between 36000 and 70000 miles. This has discouraged me from EVER buying a GM vehicle again.

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  ZO6 IS MARGINAL - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By SDF26 - December 30 - 10:00 am

  I HAD A 2002 COUPE AND TRADED IT FOR A 2003 ZO6. I LIKED THE COUPE BETTER AND AM SORRY I TRADED. I WOULD NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER CORVETTE UNLESS THE COMFORTS AND OPTIONS ARE IMPROVED

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  great car - 1998 Chevrolet Prizm
  By thunderdan - December 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought from a car rental. Working great ever since