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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  Excellent redesign! - 2006 Chevrolet Impala
  By Dave in Biloxi, MS - October 1 - 7:20 pm

  Was very satsified with my 03 Impala LS; lost it to Hurricane Katrina. Was all ready to buy an 06 Hyundai Sonata after test drive and research, but sound system not XM or iPod-ready without major modification yet (XM allegedly ready in Sonata during cal yr 06). Researched new-design 06 Impala as Plan B and decided that upgraded sound system and other LTZ features were worth considering. Have put 200+ miles on my new Impala since taking delivery yesterday and Im impressed. Choppy low-end gear shifting after first driving off lot (8 mi on odo) cleared up after a few miles break- in. Clean interior and exterior new designs are impressive. Highway cruising is smooth. Love the alloy-trim dash.

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  Good Car - 1992 Chevrolet Corsica
  By mike - October 1 - 2:31 pm

  Well I purchased this car at a car lot in Arkansas for $300. He told me it didnt have reverse and it ran a little hot. Any way this car had lots of power and ran good. I never could figure out why it ran hot. I changed everything that would make it run hot. I figure it was a seeping head gasket. But this car got so hot (that the needle was past the H facing straight down) so many times, and it would start everytime. But you could tell a difference in the power it would lose each time it would run hot though. All in all I would most definitely get another one.

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  02 Cavy base coupe - 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By seanyboi142 - October 1 - 12:18 pm

  I love this car so much. Its got a little power to it (110 hp base model). Its not so good when accelerating with the AC on it puts a drag on the engine. I took it back to a Chevy dealership twice. The first time I took it back because I got tired of the base engine and ordered a LS sport engine which was much needed for power (140 hp engine). Well my engine light came after I had the car for about 2 or 3 weeks. Turns out someone put some of the parts in wrong. Well thats it. Its a great car.

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  Great Purchase as a used car - 2003 Chevrolet Venture
  By djustice - October 1 - 12:08 pm

  This is my 4th mini-van. Three Plymouth Voyagers were huge headaches. Purchased this vehicle used, new vans are out until the last of three daughters are out of college. The van is very comfortable with 8 passenger seating. The second row middle seat can be folded down to reveal cupholders and doubles as an armrest. Storage is great. Handles well and is very nice to drive. Our grandchildren love the DVD player. Great on vacations. About 24 MPG highway, loaded with people and luggage. At about 65,000 miles it required a transmission overhaul but was covered by my extended warranty. Have had some problems with drivers side power window. Overall we love this vehicle. Great buy as a used car.

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  Great all around car - 2004 Chevrolet Impala
  By Kevin R - October 1 - 11:22 am

  Love the fuel economy, and quality of leather seats. Only thing I dont like is the front seats are not real comfortable on long trips. Need more lumbar support. Only thing replaced in 100,000 miles are the front wheel bearings.

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  Lots of Room - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Eddy - October 1 - 9:00 am

  Bought truck in August and its fun to drive and very roomy. Had 4 adults, one child in a car seat and a dog in the car and still had a lot of room to spare. Gas mileage was a little less than expected but still not bad. Love it.

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  Love it - 2009 Chevrolet Traverse
  By Dee - October 1 - 1:06 am

  This is a perfect family vehicle. Our new Chevy traverse is awesome. It was love at first sight. The smooth drive, the panoramic view, the cargo space & safety features were definite selling points. We have always purchased GM vehicles, and have always been satisfied with their performance & dependability. We still have our 1999 Suburban & w/200,000 miles,it looks & runs great...were hoping to say the same thing about our Traverse in 10 years. Looking forward to enjoying family trips with our grandchildren :)

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  Sporty get up and go - 2005 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By Deannie - October 1 - 12:53 am

  This car is fun and relaxing to drive and park, it has a great turning radius and can get into hard to park places. My husband loves that. I love the roominess and the skylights in the rear and our moonroof in the front. Plus we go sattelite radio and I love that also. A 6 disc CD player , the sound is great. It has all the goodies that I would expect in a more pricey car. It is quiet, the engine is low sounding and no outside noises coming in, has power when you need it and handles well on ice and snow. The brakes are really good and so far we get an average of 27.6 mpg. We are very happy with it and reccommend it to all.

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  Corvette #5 for me - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette
  By HD Shive - October 1 - 12:34 am

  The Corvette Z06 is a remarkable car. Its fast, beautiful, handles and stops like very few cars can. These cars are priced well and fairly inexpensive to own. Mine gets 30 MPG on the highway and routine maint. can be done by most owners/enthusiasts due to its simplicity.

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  Extemely rough ride - 2018 Chevrolet Equinox
  By Larry - September 30 - 2:00 pm

  If the highway is smooth as glass, my Equinox rode as smooth as any quality automobile. However, when it came to rough surface such as cracks, shallow dips or holes, the car practically beat me to death with hard jolts. I ended up with a headache. GM is proud of the new "stiff suspension" they built into the car and it sucks. I drove the car 175 miles and could take no more. I did a buy-back. After three months and low price, the dealer cant sell the car.