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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  2008 Cobalt Sport - 2008 Chevrolet Cobalt
  By Marc - April 8 - 4:26 am

  When I looked at the Cobalt, it was for the savings in both monthly payment, and gas money. However, the Cobalt surprised me with how fun it is to drive. The 5-speed manual transmission is smooth as can be, and the acceleration is as good as my 01 Celica GTS. The ride is very smooth and outside noise is minimal, even at 85- 90mph. The stereo system was a huge plus for me as well. I was not expecting a 7 speaker system with a sub in the trunk. I would have preferred Sirius over XM, (sorry Howard) but the sound of the system is excellent. Dashboard Info Centre is more interesting to flip through than network TV. First American car Ive owned in more than 10 years, and so far so good!

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  The Price is Right - 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By CapoFerro - April 8 - 2:00 am

  I have nothing bad to say about this car. If you are looking for a no frills car that will give you reliability, overall driving confidence and will not hurt your deminshed bank account in this poor market then this is the car for you.

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  2003 avalanche - 2003 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By fishguy - April 8 - 2:00 am

  my only knocks, hard to see those tiny dots called "cars" behind you when backing up

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  Fantastic - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By R1Ryder - April 8 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle is truly the king of the road. I use it to tow my two race bikes and for family trips. I love the bose system and onstar. I added my own dvd entertainment system with two 7" monitors in the headrest and one in the dash. A great suv for the buck.

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  So Far, So Good! - 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe
  By Nelle - April 8 - 2:00 am

  I have had my SUV for 13 months now and I have had only one problem so far. Shortly after I purchased my SUV, I started hearing this faint noise in the dash area. I took it to the dealership (Harbor Chevrolet, Long Beach, CA - EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE!) and I was told that they would have to take the dash apart piece by piece to find the source of the noise. It turned out to be some wiring or cabling issue and they were able to fix. After 17k miles and venturing to Las Vegas, San Diego and Santa Maria, I have only 85% usage on my brakes! Y E S!!!!

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  Quality by GM? - 2008 Chevrolet Uplander
  By anthony - April 7 - 6:12 pm

  2 day old van and defrost blower stopped working. Coldest night of the year too. The dealer took care of the issue giving me a rental. The passenger door and fender dont fit at all at the windshield, big gap on one side no gap on the other. The dealer isnt sure if it can be fixed. A terrible visual disaster. It is however not limited to my van only as I have seen many Uplanders the same. Also a rough idle sometimes with a gentle surge when I have a foot on the brake.

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  2007 Impala rating - 2007 Chevrolet Impala
  By Judy and Bob - April 7 - 5:49 pm

  After riding in many friends Impalas, we decided to purchase one. The first time we sat in the car--uncomfortable seats. No headroom for hubby and absolutely no space for passengers in the back seat! Trunk can hold an army. Side view mirrors are quite small, beverage holder poor. A low ride. Large blind spot. Will trade this in soon for another Chevrolet of some type.

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  Typical ami-car from Canada - 1999 Chevrolet Lumina
  By euro - April 7 - 4:18 pm

  Good performance, mileage, reliability, reasonably comfortable and great trunk space (with a lousy hinge system). After I reglued all Canadian-installed door weather stipping with silicon (it kept pulling off when the doors opened...) I havent found much to complain about. Maybe its too long in the nose, but thats minor.

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  I will only buy Chevy now - 2000 Chevrolet Malibu
  By only chevy for me no - April 7 - 4:00 pm

  I just wanted to let anyone out there thinking of buying one of these cars to do so. My daughter wrecked mine into a pole head on, the airbags went off, and she didnt have a scratch on her, she walked away unhurt.. This car was built sound and tough and my daughter is living proof. I want another just like it.

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  I like it...but. - 2006 Chevrolet Colorado
  By USMC_love1122 - April 7 - 3:15 pm

  Okay so it runs great and it looks good but the traction stinks! I had a toyota 4-runner before this and it had better traction than this. My ABS fault comes on constantly which worries me a bit and my airbag light comes on freaquently too. When I bought it the rear transmission seal was broke but was fixed and covered by warrenty. Other than that I love it. Its just too light. I drive from MCB Quantico to Silver Spring every day and back for work and it gets pretty good gas mileage. Oh and my middle console squeaks a lot. Its quite annoying.