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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  2 DR RS Coupe - 1993 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By Skyrider - December 19 - 2:00 am

  This car just like any other has parts that wear out, but thats just maintenace. Some people think they shouldnt even change their brake pads, spark plugs, cables & other miscellaneous things. But I do want to say something, Ive had other cars in the past and of all those only a Mercedes Benz that I had surpassed the comfort of driving and the momentum of this car. This car has a powerful 4 cil. engine and rides very smoothly as a bigger or more expensive car. If you buy a car like this that is not falling apart and give it regular maintenance, itll be hard for you to get rid of it, since youll love it.

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  chevy silverado 2004 - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By thumper - December 19 - 2:00 am

  performance is great but truck is too slow for the v6 4.3 vortec has no torque

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  DASH AND MOTOR FROM H*LL - 1990 Chevrolet Beretta
  By RAVEN - December 18 - 2:00 am

  I currently have a 1990 GTZ and I love it. This is my second Beretta and I have been very satisfied about the Beretta line up. The GTZ is definetly the best of the line...BUT...the quad4 that comes with the GTZ is one of those things GM wishes that they never thought of. I replaced my GTZ with the 2.8L V6 from a 1989 Pontiac Fiero GT. My GTZ handles great in all conditions and is reliable considering the year. If anyone knows where I can buy an aftermarket dash(not a dash cover, but a factory) I would so much appreciate it. Its horrible to have such a great looking car with such a ugly, shrunk, craked dash.willmiracle@hotmail.com

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  97 Astro - 1997 Chevrolet Astro
  By SSH - December 18 - 2:00 am

  The Astro has been a good family van. It is big, boxie, and rides like a truck but that is a trade off that is OK with us. We feel safe, have a good view from all of the seats, and have plenty of room for the kids. Have only replaced the alternator and battery. Make sure the doors are closed, with all the interior lights it does not take long to run the battery down. This is more like a truck than a car, but is holding-up better than the smaller mini-vans. We have 60+k after five years and plan on it lasting another five years well past 100k.

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  Nice Van - Very Frustrated Mechanically - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By patjoja - December 18 - 2:00 am

  Bought this van new and have loved everything about it until I hit 60,000 miles. Simultaneously, the transmission had to be rebuilt, then the intake manifold gaskets were found to be leaking internally and externally. Fortunately the gasket problem was found soon enough so no major problems were caused by coolent in the oil. THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM WITH THIS ENGINE and the fix is not cheap. However the dealer is fixing it at no cost to me. GM knows this is a major problem and should issue a recall in my opinion.

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  I LIKE MY IMPALA! Is that ok with all? - 2001 Chevrolet Impala
  By DonM - December 16 - 10:00 am

  Ive thoroughly enjoyed my 2001 Impala LS! Im on the big side 510", 260, and have (unfortunatly) outgrown my Grand Ams. No comparison! Great fit, plenty of zip for my needs, and I ENJOY driveing it. No mech problems, Fuel economy is as expected (slightly below sticker) but on long hauls at 70MPH+ I have often gotten 30+ MPG. Only nit is that compared to a 2 door, visibility is restricted and I had to get use to that. Wish the mirror was a tad smaller or higher. Looking forward to some future upgrades to this model.

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  first year models are a roll of the dice - 1999 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By unhappychevyowner - December 16 - 10:00 am

  With 30k miles, its been in for repairs 15 times! Both elec windows broke,wheather stripping fell off,both ext mirrors broke,a/c pump clutch broke,paint wore off in less then 3k miles,horrible clunk in rear end, 3 factoy recalls.All 4 rotors fell apart/replaced at 20K miles. serv eng soon light on 3 times! When its not falling apart , its a ball to drive. Its comfortable and gets good gas milage.

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  Nice Work Van - 2015 Chevrolet City Express
  By Bob - December 16 - 7:13 am

  Dont expect a fast car its perfect for what its advertised as a work van! I have had it for a week now and drive it for work its comfortable roomy I just hope the reliability down the road will be there. Time will tell. If your looking for power its not for you if you want better (not great) gas mileage take a look at the city express. I did a lot of research before I purchased its a nice vehicle so far love the passenger seat as a desk feature.

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  Great small 4X4 - 2000 Chevrolet S-10
  By BobnSue - December 16 - 2:00 am

  This S-10 LS has been a pleasure to own... especially after previously owning a Nissan Pathfinder. The only problem in over two years of driving this S-10 has been an occasion oil drip. The dealer replaced some gaskets under warranty, but it still dripps once in awhile. The 4X4s suspension is stiff so the ride is a bit rough on bumpy roads. The bucket seats could also use some better padding. Its a great winter vehicle for our snow in the western NY area!

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  not a bad truck - 1995 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Russ U - December 16 - 2:00 am

  No major problems with this truck at all. 86k miles and it burns a little oil but runs like crazy. The air conditioning could be beefed up as it takes a while to cool the large interior on really hot days. Runs well in the snow in 2WD and great in 4WD. Road noise not any more than what youd expect from a truck.