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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  Fast little truck - 2009 Chevrolet HHR
  By E. LINDROS MARTUCCI - October 26 - 9:29 pm

  I really love this 2009 truck. I drive it daily to my home in Lake Wallenpaupack Pennsylvania and get about 27 miles per gallon highway. There is ample cargo room for a family of four and the stopping power is good due to the 4 wheel Brembo disc brakes. I have customized the exterior with chrome accents to give the truck a custom appearance. Test drive one and you will be hooked.

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  Dont Buy One - 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By azvincent - October 26 - 4:54 pm

  I purchased my Tahoe new in 05. Big mistake. Since week one, I had nothing but problems. I owned the vehicle a little over three years and only had 15k on the odometer when I finally got rid of it. With only 15k miles, I had the Tahoe at the dealership 14 times for multiple problems from minor to major. I was actually told by a representative at the dealer “Who knows, maybe the car was built on a Friday”. I took a huge bath on the depreciation but it was well worth the cost to get it out of my driveway. I replaced the Tahoe with a Subaru Forester and have been happy ever since. If you have money to throw away, by all means drive a Tahoe. I don’t think GM will ever figure it out.

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  They finally got it right. - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Ron - October 26 - 1:22 pm

  Purchased a 2005 auto Vette 11/05 and had nothing but trouble with it, mostly electronics. I took a chance and purchased a 2008 12/15/07 with six speed and very little in options. What a car. The ride is better, my wife hated the ride in the 2005, and it is a joy to drive. The color is Crystal Red and is an attraction where ever we ago. Gas mileage is around 25 mpg. The six speed has enhanced the overall enjoyment even when in traffic, which is common in the DFW area freeways. My next Vette will be the ZR1- I hope.

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  Theres always something wrong - 2006 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Scott - October 26 - 12:50 am

  In general, I like the car. It performs well and gets good gas mileage (as much as 28-29 on the highway). The thing that bothers me is stuff that goes wrong way before it should. Both front strut towers and bearings at 40k, Tie rods at 45k. I have not been able to get more than 2 months in a row without one or more of the tire pressure sensors going out. Now today at 58K, the power steering pump just went. It is discouraging, and I am a hard core GM guy

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  Good Gas Mileage - 2009 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By Randy - October 25 - 11:07 pm

  The window sticker said 14 city, 24 hwy. I have the 6cyl 4.2 engine and getting 20 around town and 25 hwy. I do not understand why they are advertise at 20 mpg highway? I like the performance and quality. It is a medium SUV with a lot of room inside and fits in my garage perfect. The ride is very smooth for an SUV

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  Great Deal on a Great Van - 2005 Chevrolet Uplander
  By Scott - October 25 - 9:03 pm

  We purchased this van after finally deciding a minivan was for us. We test drove them all and knew this was the right one for the pricing and options. We took it for its maiden voyage of 1000 miles of mountains and rain with no problems averaging 22 MPG. Its plenty powerful, handles well, looks nice, and is full of enough features to keep everyone happy. We test drove 3 Uplanders and one Terazza and all had a strange low speed clunking sound from the front end. Hope this is not a failure waiting to happen. Also, there are some minor rattles here and there but nothing overwhelming. Our key remote is slow to lock and unlock the door but hope its just the battery. Great experience and hope for more

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  Awesome car, happy Gramma! - 2005 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By LAURA - October 25 - 5:50 pm

  I have always enjoyed the three previous Chevys I owned. (Chevelle, Malibu Classic, Monte Carlo. I purchased my current Monte Carlo last February 05, 2006. Plenty of room in back, as I use a wheelchair, and I am able to put it behind the passenger side front bucketseat. I have no problems with that process. Long live the two door mid-size Monte!

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  Awesome Car! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By bryan - October 25 - 12:56 pm

  Probably the fastest car Ive ever owned. Im 60 years old and had plenty of cars! Love this sporty sedan! Not since 1961 have I had an Impala so nice!

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  Awesome - 2002 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By Rick1234894 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Its an extremely smooth ride with a good amount of power

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  Sad, Its a Joke - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By noone99 - October 25 - 2:00 am

  Had a 91 Olds Cutlass Calais to 2K Cavalier. I almost/should have bought a Honda Civic. Wife has a 2K Odyssey. Cavalier has 33,000 miles. I’ve heard noises from the front struts, a recall on the electrical system, rear defogger takes 3 times longer then Calais. I have a 5 speed. When hot out-side with A/C on under load, Cavalier doesn’t have an A/C compressor cut-off, causes “sitting duck” at 25-35 MPH in 2nd gear. Dealer says, “its designed that way". Stereo, 91 Calais had much better factory speakers. I went from the perfect running car to a joke. Dad’s Cavalier is punishment if you have a 11 year-old daughter that gets into trouble, who doesn’t want her friends to see her in this car.