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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  I love my Maxx - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By PJ - January 22 - 12:33 pm

  When taking the speed higher I feel like I am in a jet! The ride is very smooth on and off the freeway. When I first purchased my Maxx I was the only one in town who had one so I had a lot of curious stares and questions about it. I have nothing but great things to say. The first time I drove it in a test drive I fell in love with it and no other automobile I tested could match its comfort or smooth drive.

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  5th Corvette and the best yet - 2007 Chevrolet Corvette
  By Dan Jarvie - January 22 - 8:29 am

  This is my 5th Corvette and, while everyone buys a Corvette for performance, this one has a great ride and gets excellent mileage. Its one year old and nearly perfect from all points of view. Museum pickup is highly recommended for the experience and perhaps better quality assurance as they thoroughly check out the vehicle.

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  This truck rocks!! - 2002 Chevrolet Avalanche
  By jcrichie - January 22 - 2:56 am

  If you are looking for a great truck without the rough ride, this is the one for you. I have driven 4x4 trucks all of my adult life and I can honestly say I will never own one again. The Avalanche rides better than my wifes Xterra (by a large margin) but still gives you the feel of driving a truck. When they first came out I thought they looked awful, but the exterior has grown on me. Anyone who doesnt like the Avalanche obviously has never driven one.

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  Fun and low cost coupe - 2001 Chevrolet Cavalier
  By 2001 Cavalier Coupe - January 21 - 7:51 pm

  I bought a 2001 Cavalier Coupe and drove it off the lot new beause it was inexpensive and had a sprots car look. It has been a fun to drive and very reliable car. The 5 speed manual transmission and the interior makes this compact car seem like more of a sports car when driving it. I have just purchased a new 2008 Cobalt, and I already miss the interior and the 5 speed shift handle of the Cavalier.

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  Its cheap and it shows! - 1999 Chevrolet Venture
  By lesabre88 - January 21 - 7:42 pm

  I bought this van with only 40000 miles on it... Have had numerous things go wrong... power windows broke many times, lots of front brake wear, 3 front wheel bearings, 2 intake gaskets, exhaust, rear hatch lock, front struts and bearing plates, Abs light on half the time, check engine light on the other half, wiper motors works when it wants to, motor sounds like a sewing machine on cold start until it warms up,and much much more... funny thing is it only has 67874 miles on it now!What is going to go when it gets some real mileage on it.... I am stuck with it too because to sell it, i will loose my shirt as they hold absolutely no value ... other then that it is great

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  Surprisingly Good Truck - 2003 Chevrolet Suburban
  By Mark Cee - January 21 - 4:39 pm

  After years of driving Toyota pickups and RAV-4, I was hesitant to buy a Chevy but I did because I needed the extra size. Ive got to admit - I am very surprised at the quality and reliability of this truck. I bought the truck when it was 2 years old with 30,000 miles on it. I now have over 90,000 miles on the truck and the only problems Ive had so far was the Instrument Panel ($400) and the A/C belt tensioner ($250). It has the same "tight" quality feel that I grew accustomed to as a Toyota owner. Its clear that, at least on this model, GM has finally learned its lesson and built a high-quality automobile. That was certainly not the case 15 years ago!

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  Nice truck! - 2008 Chevrolet Colorado
  By Jason - January 21 - 2:21 pm

  This is a great truck for running around town. Very quiet cabin when driving around town and at highway speeds. Plenty of leg room and the leather interior is very easy to keep clean. I get around 20 mpg around town, and a little higher on the highway. I have had zero problems so far even though some reviews by rating editors question the quality of build. This is a very nice truck for the price!

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  Gotta Love GM - 2008 Chevrolet TrailBlazer
  By GMFanatik - January 21 - 2:12 pm

  Coming from an 07 Cobalt SS/SC with some decent performance mods, this SUV is a beast. I am quite impressed with the comfort, performance, daily drivability, and overall fit and finish of my Trailblazer SS. Stopping power, go power, and manueverability are very surprising to say the least. Surprising in a positive way of course. I would not recommend the dealership I dealt with, but I would highly recommend picking one of these up.

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  Love this car - 2004 Chevrolet Malibu Maxx
  By SnowCat - January 21 - 2:10 pm

  My girlfriend at work had bought one, and after sitting in every single sedan on the market ever made for the 2002 model year with my Mother, I went down and bought one. I have not been dissapointed. I have a loaded LT. The cargo carring is great, road trips are not bad - NYC -> Chicago in a blizzard with 4 adults and one little white dog & loaded to the gills with luggage. Trip wasnt bad, and got 32MPG in all that. Wish it had a 5 speed & a better generation Traction control (Hubby has a 00 BMW 528, his is *nice*) but other than that - shes great.

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  96 Collectors Ed. - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette
  By bcar2x20 - January 21 - 11:43 am

  My 96 Collectors Edition is my daily driver! Live in Colorado and drive rain, snow or shine. I purchased with 108,000 miles and have been pleasantly surprised at how reliable the car is. Performance is great and still gets attention with over 135,000 miles on it. Drove down town last year to view a car show. When leaving a man and his young son walked by as I was getting ready to pull out. Much to my surprise they stopped and admired my car for 2 or 3 minutes stating "nice car we didt get to see Corvette today!". I think that statement speaks for itself. Still amazes me that a 10 year old Vette can have so much performance, quality and reliability for what you pay!