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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  Pleased I Bought It - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By Don - November 24 - 11:36 pm

  I havent had this car long but from the time that I have had it I believe it will give me years of fun driving. The styling is masterful but the engine could use more umph. The vehicle is well built. Actually put together like a Swiss watch, and it runs like a Timex! I have the 5 speed Getrag manual and I wished that I had the automatic. However this transmission is very good. I would like to add an STS Turbo if I could find one. I would recommend this vehicle to any and everyone.

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  Hard to Kill - 2002 Chevrolet Malibu
  By Brien - November 24 - 11:23 pm

  Bought in 04 w/56000 miles. By November 08, car has 152,000 miles. Maintainence is key to a happy car. Oil changed every 3500 miles on the dot. Driven cross country and in flatlands, got 30+mpg. 25 in higher elevations. All milestone recommended services performed. Intake manifold gasket replaced after reading about class action lawsuit. (Dexcool decision). Waiting on my claim check. Changing seats to leather this week as old seats wore out. Windshield to go after winter due to "sandblasting" on highway. Cant see on sunny days. Car has passed all NY State Emission Inspections legitametly. What a surprise. Looking keep til it hits 200,000 miles or dies. Whichever comes first

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  My favorite car ever - 2016 Chevrolet SS
  By rob batey - November 24 - 8:13 pm

  I would change a few things about this car. First the cup holder can interfere with shifting with even a modestly tall cup. Next, since Im over 55 it sits a bit too low to the ground for me. That makes it hard to get out of the car at times, but the programmable seats can cure this a bit. Finally, the A-frame pillar occasionally obstructs the drivers view. Ive almost had 2 collisions due to this factor. Otherwise, its been my favorite car of all time. Its a real joy to drive. Great mix of power and its somewhat luxurious. Its a real shame that 2017 is the last year for this great ride. Oh well, at least Ill have mine for as long as I want. I still get fired up at that exhaust note when I crank her up.

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  2008 Malibu LT-2 6 cylinder - 2008 Chevrolet Malibu
  By GBlekas - November 24 - 7:11 pm

  I bought this car over the Camry, Accord and Sonata because it moved better than the Camry, was more comfortable than the Accord and because I believe Chevrolet is more reliable than Hyundai. I am most impressed with how quiet this car is. Tire/road noise is less than Honda. This car comes standard with many options and the GM 6 cylinder engine is a very reliable engine making this car an excellent choice for a mid sized family car.

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  Mamas Truck Now - 1991 Chevrolet S-10
  By Mamas Truck Now - November 24 - 3:20 pm

  Bought with 20K miles for son to drive to college. 5 speed in floor. When son bought his first new car, I paid him $1000 for the truck. Have driven it for 12 years now and will keep it until I have to have it towed off. Great little truck that costs zilch to operate. Only work done on it was a fuel pump. At 160K now. Love my truck! (My other car is a Lexus)

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  Great vehicle - 2001 Chevrolet Suburban
  By D and D - November 24 - 1:32 pm

  We purchased our Suburban used and we have nothing but wonderful things to say about this SUV other than the gas mileage. It is so solid and we feel very safe driving it. We have the 8.1 liter, no problems hauling. It is one tough vehicle.

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  TrailBlazer Needs V8 - 2005 Chevrolet TrailBlazer EXT
  By Jordan - November 24 - 10:26 am

  We purchased a used 2005 Trailblazer EXT to replace a Chevy Astro. Although the TrailBlazer has almost 70 more horsepower it has worse performance than the old Astro. It also gets worse gas mileage. Duh - we could have had a V8.

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  Replaced PT - 2006 Chevrolet HHR
  By bobalpena - November 24 - 7:36 am

  Just picked up our new HHR LT2 to replace the PT. The PT was nice but this car has more room, is quieter, handles better on highway and turns on a dime. Wanted white but due to color ordering on first units ordered light grey. Cars looks very rich!Way to go GM! Now we need a new truck!

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  See The USA - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By B. Frank - November 23 - 10:33 pm

  Foreign car lovers are in for a surprize if they are truly looking for the cake and eat it too package. Quiet,great ride, smooth comfortable feel even in gusty crosswinds. A sophisticated manner that has immediately brought compliments from passengers. Experienced drivers only! This car will keep you very busy if you ask for all the ponies at once, and it delivers like a true SS. This car is an excellent value, something Chevrolet is known for and serves it up in style with American pride. "See The USA"

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  Great truck, but... - 2004 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By Cmac - November 23 - 9:26 pm

  This truck is absolutely great. The ride is surprisingly comfortable, and it is plenty of room for my entire family. I have had two problems that the dealership can not fix, but are not a major problem because I am the only one who drives. The memory seats do not retain their settings, and the CD repeat feature does not work as expected. It seems to play all the tracks up until you hit repeat. The first problem is only a nuisance if my wife happens to hop in to take it for a spin since we are on opposite ends of the height scale.