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 Little Car - 2005 Chevrolet Aveo
  By Steve - January 28 - 2:41 am

  This little Chevy Aveo of mine Has been one of the trustworthy running cars I have ever owned . I now have over 40,000 miles plus on it , And its never been in the shop for repairs . Its been to the Mid-west from the west coast and back over the Mountains and this little car ran great even at speeds at 85-mph And this car gave me no pains at all. The only time my car has been in the shop was for an il change. This little car has a super great turning rate . One can do a U-Turn in a tighter spot than any other car I have ever known to do . This little car is fun to drive .

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  2000 Z24 is very reliable - 2000 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By RicanZ24 - January 27 - 10:47 pm

  I had this car from the very begining. I always kept up with the maintenance. Never had any major problems with it. The thing I can complain about is the famous crack in the dash that everyone gets. I had this fixed and it cracked on me again. Too much plastic. The paint job GM has on the car is cheap. After 5 years my paints was starting to peel off. Its going on 8 years now and the roof, trunk and hood are in bad condition due to sun damage. Other than that my car runs like a champ. As long as you take care of your car it will take care of you in the long run.

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  Great little cat - 2012 Chevrolet Cruze
  By Lora Kirk - January 27 - 3:38 pm

  This a great sporty looking car. It drive nice,great gas mileage and comfort to sit in.

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  joegun - 2004 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
  By joegun - January 27 - 3:36 pm

  nice fun fast truck. i call it a corvette silverado .glad i bought it.handles real good .glad to see a new color.thanks joe b. indiana.

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  Thow away car - 2004 Chevrolet Aveo
  By notforchevy - January 27 - 12:25 pm

  Purchased brand new, never drove it hard. Took it on trips, always maintained the vehicle. 70k hits and the crank shaft position sensor goes out and the car wont start. 73k hits, the timing belt broke and now I have to pay $2000 for a new engine. Right when I got it back the transmission went out. Out of control

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  Bought it out of showroom - 1999 Chevrolet Monte Carlo
  By dnaangel - January 27 - 9:55 am

  Bought this car in 1999 out of the showroom and STILL use it as my daily driver. 178k miles and still runs strong, fun car to drive though not as much umph as it used to (to be expected) Definitely showing it age after 15+ years of use. No major issues as of yet (*Knocks on wood*), have changed the Waterpump, Fuel Filter, Sunroof and Passenger side window motors, Radiator and Vaccum line to A/C compressor as well as Valve Cover Gaskets over those 15 years, thats about it on major repairs. To this day Sunroof and A/C still work, will still lay rubber through 2nd gear and loves to be opened up.

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  Bang for the buck - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By RoyS - January 27 - 8:30 am

  I had owned and enjoyed a 2003 Z06, but the 2007 is basically the same curb weight with 100 more hp. The car must be driven with respect for its capabilities. I do 2-3 HPDE events a year with it. The coupe design allows a lot of luggage space. On a road trip of nearly 2000 miles using the AC over half the time, the car got 27.5 mpg.

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  Great New Truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By jerkyleg - January 27 - 5:19 am

  I just bought this pickup, but I must say, I love it. The only thing I am not happy with is the tires it came with. They are the General Ameri- Track Tires. I would prefer to have gotten A/T tires with a 4x4

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  Excellent Little Car - 2008 Chevrolet Aveo
  By twh7458 - January 27 - 5:16 am

  This is definately the lest expensive new car on the market I could find, and one with excellent gas mileage. This car has allowed me to justify easily the purchase of a new car for driving back anf forth to work, about 23 miles one way. With GMs excellent warrantee, better than Honda FITs and other similar vehicles, I dont have to worry about paying for a tow truck if it breaks down, or paying for a loaner while it sets in a garage, this is part of the warrantee. I dont have to worry about those costly budget busting repairs to a used car, all covered under warrantee. I enjoy the ride especially when Im getting between 33 and 38 mpg, averaging 36 mpg! Purchased for under $10,000 !

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  Too die for - 2008 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Gregg Von Urff - January 26 - 8:58 pm

  Well, we took the Museum Delivery (R8C). I would highly recommend except, it cost me 60K because my wife wants a white convertible. This vehicle is just great. Talk about bang-for-the buck!!!!!! The dual- stage exhaust option is a must. The Nav Sys is great. We optioned, 3LT, Dual Roof, Two-Tone Interior, Crystal (daughters name)Red, Chrome Al Wheels, Nav,.