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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  Great Car - 2000 Chevrolet Prizm
  By Good Car - August 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had my car for almost 2 years now. NO problems at all. EXCELLENT gas mileage. Not the best car for someone with kids. Too small.

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  NOW THAT I HAVE HAD MY CAR FOR 5 MONTHS - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Moorejet - August 7 - 10:00 am

  I REALLY LIKED MY CAR AT FIRST BUT HAVE HAD A FEW PROBLEMS WITH IT. MATTER OF FACT IT IS SITTING AT THE DEALERSHIP AGAIN...MY STEERING IS NOT RIGHT, IT IS TO LOOSE. I HAVE TOLD THEM TWICE NOW AND HAVE WRECKED MY CAR BECAUSE OF IT. I AM DRIVING A LOANER CAR NOW, 2004 MALIBU AND IT STEERS PERFECTLY. MY A/C ALSO HAS GONE OUT, OH DID I MENTION I AM IN FLORIDA! I HOPE THEY CAN WORK OUT THE PROBLEMS BECAUSE IT HAS POTENTIAL...

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  99 Corvette - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Coold2 - August 7 - 10:00 am

  Very Good,good,good,good, its a corvette, and thats says everything.My best car..Need to be more maintance free..

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  2001 CHEVY S10 BASE MODEL EXT. CAB 4 CYL - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By Geo - August 7 - 2:00 am

  RIDE IS SMOOTH AND QUIET. 2.2 VORTEC IS PRETTY GOOD @ 120 BHP. HANDLING IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. TAKES CORNERS VERY WELL.

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  2001 CHEVY S10 BASE MODEL EXT. CAB 4 CYL - 2001 Chevrolet S-10
  By GEO - August 7 - 2:00 am

  RIDE IS SMOOTH AND QUIET. 2.2 VORTEC IS PRETTY GOOD @ 120 BHP. HANDLING IS SURPRISINGLY GOOD. TAKES CORNERS VERY WELL.

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  1995 Chevy Astro Overall Rating - 1995 Chevrolet Astro
  By karday - August 7 - 2:00 am

  We bought this with 46000 miles. Conversion by Choo Choo. Excellent dealer. Car is smooth and quiet and relatively dependable. Disappointed that the trans went at 140000 as GMs are supposed to be the best. (never had a trans go bad until we were required to change fluids) Great on tires and other maintenance.

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  remarks re/99 Lumina - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By j&m - August 6 - 2:00 am

  Overall I am satisfied with my lumina with the exception of two items.First at just over 36000 miles I had an expensive repair due to a leaking manifold gasket losing antifreeze and was told this is fairly common on Luminas.Secondly, when the air conditioner is on the acceleration is poor and the transmission tends to be sloppy.

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  Love it except... - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Joan - August 5 - 10:00 am

  My car is wonderful, but... it has this nasty problem of quitting sometimes. No one can figure it out. Have changed a lot of parts, no help. HELP!!!

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  Love it except... - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By joan - August 5 - 10:00 am

  My car is wonderful, but... it has this nasty problem of quitting sometimes. No one can figure it out. Have changed a lot of parts, no help. HELP!!!

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  Beautiful Burb - 1999 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Hathorn Transfer - August 5 - 2:00 am

  Bought our 99 Burb brand new and now have 117,000 miles on it. About 15k miles a year with business, and approximately 5k towing a 30 travel trailer. Loaded with a family of 5 and the dog! Cant beat the Chevy 350 V-8. Ive switched to synthetic fluids throughout and dual non-restrictive exhaust and gained about 25 hp. Gas mileage hovers around 15 mpgs. Its the best vehicle weve ever owned.