Geo (cars)
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Geo was a
marque A brand is a name, term, design, symbol or any other feature that distinguishes one seller's good or service from those of other sellers. Brands are used in business, marketing, and advertising for recognition and, importantly, to create an ...
of small cars and SUVs marketed by
General Motors The General Motors Company (GM) is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Automotive industry, automotive manufacturing company headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is the largest automaker in the United States and ...
as a subdivision of its
Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...
division from 1989 to 1997. Formed by GM to compete with the growing small import market of the mid 1980s, the Geo nameplate continued through the 1997 model year when the brand merged with Chevrolet brand itself, after which the remaining models were marketed under the Chevrolet name; for the 1998 model year, the Metro, Prizm, and Tracker were sold as Chevrolets until their discontinuances in 2001, 2002, and 2004, respectively. In this sense, Geo existed until 2004, even with the Geo nameplate being dropped in mid-1997. Its original slogan was "Get to know Geo" and commercials often featured the song " Getting to Know You" from the musical ''
The King and I ''The King and I'' is the fifth musical by the team of Rodgers and Hammerstein. It is based on Margaret Landon's novel '' Anna and the King of Siam'' (1944), which is in turn derived from the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the childre ...
''. In the 1990s consumer interest in the economy compact market faded, and the last vehicle of the former Geo line, the Tracker, was discontinued in 2016. In Canada, another import marque,
Asüna Asüna was a captive import automobile marque created in 1992 for sale in Canada by General Motors as a counterpart to Geo. It was one of two successors to the Passport marque, which had a similar intent.Pontiac Pontiac may refer to: *Pontiac (automobile), a car brand *Pontiac (Ottawa leader) ( – 1769), a Native American war chief Places and jurisdictions Canada *Pontiac, Quebec, a municipality ** Apostolic Vicariate of Pontiac, now the Roman Catholic D ...
-
Buick Buick () is a division of the American automobile manufacturer General Motors (GM). Started by automotive pioneer David Dunbar Buick in 1899, it was among the first American marques of automobiles, and was the company that established General ...
- GMC dealers access to a similar range of import vehicles.


Manufacturing

Geo models were manufactured by GM in joint ventures with three Japanese automakers. The Prizm was produced at the GM/
Toyota is a Japanese multinational automotive manufacturer headquartered in Toyota City, Aichi, Japan. It was founded by Kiichiro Toyoda and incorporated on . Toyota is one of the largest automobile manufacturers in the world, producing about 10 ...
joint-venture
NUMMI New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) was an American automobile manufacturing company in Fremont, California, jointly owned by General Motors and Toyota that opened in 1984 and closed in 2010. After the plant was closed by its owners, th ...
assembly plant in
Fremont, California Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area, Fremont has a population of 230,504 as of 2020, making it the fourth List of cities and towns in the San Fra ...
, and the
Metro Metro, short for metropolitan, may refer to: Geography * Metro (city), a city in Indonesia * A metropolitan area, the populated region including and surrounding an urban center Public transport * Rapid transit, a passenger railway in an urba ...
and Tracker were produced at the GM/
Suzuki is a Japan, Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Minami-ku, Hamamatsu, Japan. Suzuki manufactures automobiles, motorcycles, All-terrain vehicle, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), outboard motor, outboard marine engines, wheelchairs ...
joint-venture CAMI assembly plant in
Ingersoll, Ontario Ingersoll is a town in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are Woodstock to the east and London to the west. Ingersoll is situated north of and along Highway 401. Oxford County Road 119 (formerl ...
. The exceptions, the
Spectrum A spectrum (plural ''spectra'' or ''spectrums'') is a condition that is not limited to a specific set of values but can vary, without gaps, across a continuum. The word was first used scientifically in optics to describe the rainbow of colors i ...
and
Storm A storm is any disturbed state of the natural environment or the atmosphere An atmosphere () is a layer of gas or layers of gases that envelop a planet, and is held in place by the gravity of the planetary body. A planet retains an atmos ...
, were entirely manufactured by Isuzu in Japan. Geo Metro convertibles and early Geo Trackers were built by Suzuki in Japan.


Logo

Geo's logo was based on the Chevrolet logo which was a globe outline with the Chevrolet bow tie in the middle (primarily seen on steering wheels of most Geo models.)


Models


Metro

The Geo Metro is a small economy car that was based on the
Suzuki Swift The is a supermini car (B-segment) produced by Suzuki. The vehicle is classified as a B-segment marque in the European single market, a segment referred to as a supermini in the British Isles. Prior to this, the "Swift" nameplate had been app ...
(Cultus). It was produced from 1989 to 2001 model years. The first generation was offered in three and five-door hatchback models as well as a 4-door notchback sedan that was only sold in Canada. In 1990, a convertible was available but was phased out after 1993. Metros came in three trim levels: XFi, Base or LSi. The XFi's engine has less horsepower than the base and LSi and achieved startling gas mileage 53 MPG (city) 58 MPG (highway). All of the Metros at this time had three cylinder engines with a 5-speed manual or 3-speed automatic transmission. The convertible is also the only first-generation Metro to offer an airbag. In 1995 the Metro was redesigned with a more modern appearance and offered a four-cylinder engine, standard dual airbags and optional anti-lock brakes. A four-door sedan replaced the five-door hatchback. The XFi did not return for 1995 and only the base and LSi models were offered. The three-cylinder engine remained in the base hatchback. In 1998 the Metro, now branded as a Chevrolet, was revamped one last time. It was given minor restyling, improved headlamps, and improved four cylinder engine, now producing . The 2000 model year was the last for the Metro hatchback and the three cylinder engine. All 2001 models were four-door sedans that were sold to fleets only.


Prizm

The Prizm is a compact four-door sedan that was based on the Toyota E90 and E100 platform
Toyota Sprinter The is a compact car manufactured by Toyota as a variant of the Toyota Corolla. Exclusively sold in the Japanese domestic market, the Sprinter was aimed to be sportier than its Corolla sibling, with the Sprinter being sold at the ''Toyota Auto S ...
. It was the successor to the
Chevrolet Nova A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...
. A five-door
hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
model was also offered through 1991. While the Prizm consistently won awards from the auto industry (including a ''Consumer's Digest'' Best Buy selection), it was always outsold by the platform twin
Toyota Corolla The is a series of compact cars (formerly subcompact) manufactured and marketed globally by the Toyota Motor Corporation. Introduced in 1966, the Corolla was the best-selling car worldwide by 1974 and has been one of the best-selling cars in ...
. Additionally, the Prizm was positioned within Chevrolet's model lineup against Chevy's own
Cavalier The term Cavalier () was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of King Charles I and his son Charles II of England during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration (1642 – ). It ...
for market share and dealer floor space. The Prizm was sold from 1989 through 2002 and produced at
NUMMI New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc. (NUMMI) was an American automobile manufacturing company in Fremont, California, jointly owned by General Motors and Toyota that opened in 1984 and closed in 2010. After the plant was closed by its owners, th ...
in
Fremont, California Fremont is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. Located in the East Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, Bay Area, Fremont has a population of 230,504 as of 2020, making it the fourth List of cities and towns in the San Fra ...
. The Prizm came in either a base model or a more upscale LSi version that had an optional 1.8 L engine and a 4-speed automatic transmission. Leather interior was also optional on the LSi model. From 1990-1992 the Prizm had a sporty GSi model, with red and black badging. It was equivalent in power and equipment to the Corolla GT-S although the latter was a coupe. The GSi was the most powerful Prizm with . The Prizm model line was not offered in Canada.


Spectrum

The Spectrum was a short-lived subcompact model based on the
Isuzu Gemini The Isuzu Gemini is a subcompact car produced by the Japanese automaker Isuzu from 1974 until 2000. The same basic product was built and/or sold under several other names, sometimes by other General Motors brands, in various markets around the wo ...
and one size up from the Metro. The Spectrum was sold as a regular Chevrolet model from 1985 to 1988. The 85-86 models shared several subtle differences to their 87-89 counterparts and were still fully branded as Chevrolets for the first year of production in 1989. However, with the launch of the Geo marque in 1989, the Spectrum was rebranded as a Geo. Although the grille stayed the same (including the Chevrolet "bowtie" emblem without Geo "globe") the rear "Chevrolet" emblem was replaced with a "Geo" emblem. The Geo Spectrum was only sold in 1989 and was replaced by the Isuzu-produced
Geo Storm The Geo Storm is a sport compact car manufactured by Isuzu that was sold in the United States by Geo (automobile), Geo from 1990 until 1993. The same vehicles, with minor variations, were sold in Canada in the 1992 and 1993 model years only. ...
hatchback A hatchback is a car body configuration with a rear door that swings upward to provide access to a cargo area. Hatchbacks may feature fold-down second row seating, where the interior can be reconfigured to prioritize passenger or cargo volume. ...
.


Storm

The Storm was a
sports car A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
based on the Isuzu Impulse, available as a three-door fastback "Sport Coupe" and a two-door "Hatchback", the latter styled as a mini station wagon in profile, often referred to as the "Wagonback" in some markets. The Storm entered Geo's lineup in 1990 as a base model or in GSi trim, replacing the related Geo Spectrum. The base model came with a choice of either a 3-speed automatic or a 5-speed manual. The Storm line entered Canada in 1992, and the Hatchback (wagon) was offered only in base model trim. The GSi models came with either a 5-speed manual or a 4-speed automatic, better handling, a rear spoiler, bucket seats, and a more powerful DOHC engine. In 1992, the front and rear of all models were restyled, the GSi sported a bigger 1.8 liter DOHC engine, replacing the former 1.6 DOHC, and a redesigned rear spoiler. Despite strong sales the Storm was discontinued in 1993, this was due in part to Isuzu discontinuing their car lines, and refocusing on trucks and SUVs. The Geo Storm was the performance oriented vehicle of the Geo marque. The Storm and the Geo Spectrum were produced in Japan by Isuzu.


Tracker

The Geo Tracker SUV was introduced in 1989 and was based on the
Suzuki Sidekick The Suzuki Vitara is a series of SUVs produced by Suzuki in five generations since 1988. The second, third-generation and 2022 models are known as the Suzuki Grand Vitara, with the fourth generation eschewing the "Grand" prefix. In Japan and a ...
. It was a low cost
4x4 Four-wheel drive, also called 4×4 ("four by four") or 4WD, refers to a two-axled vehicle drivetrain capable of providing torque to all of its wheels simultaneously. It may be full-time or on-demand, and is typically linked via a transfer case ...
vehicle, introduced as a two-door with either a convertible or fixed hard top in base or upscale LSi versions. All models between 1989 and 1990 were offered in 5-speed manual with four-wheel drive. In 1996 the two-door hard top was dropped in favor of the four-door model. The four-door offered a engine and an optional four-speed automatic transmission. The Tracker was produced from 1989 to 1998 under the Geo marque, and 1999 to 2004 under Chevrolet itself, making it the longest running Geo model. The Tracker was completely redesigned for the 1999 model year.


External links

*
1990-1998 Chevrolet and Geo Tracker in Canadian Driver's used car review
{{DEFAULTSORT:Geo (Automobile) General Motors marques Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United States Motor vehicle manufacturers based in Michigan Cars introduced in 1989 American companies established in 1989 Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1989 Vehicle manufacturing companies disestablished in 1997 1989 establishments in Michigan 1997 disestablishments in Michigan Chevrolet Defunct manufacturing companies based in Michigan