Overview & Reviews

As the market for import automotive brands became dramatically larger in the late 1980s, the Detroit automobile companies created their own import-style sales divisions. In 1989 General Motors introduced its Geo division, which became the most successful of these attempts before the division was discontinued in 1998.

Geo re-badged various GM cars made for world markets. Its most notable success came with the Geo Prizm, a version of the Toyota Corolla then being built cooperatively in a California assembly plant by Toyota and GM. The Geo Metro compact car began life as the Suzuki Swift, while the Geo Tracker sport-utility vehicle was derived from the Suzuki Sidekick. The Geo Spectrum sedan was an Isuzu I-Mark and the Geo Storm coupe was an Isuzu Impulse.

The experiment ended because the Geo division was unable to establish a stronger identity than the brands from which its products were taken. Moreover, GM quickly realized that Geo was simply funneling its brand loyalists into the import brands of other companies.

User Reviews:

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  Reliable Car - 1994 Geo Tracker
  By smedeiros - October 30 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 94 Geo Tracker from a friend in 1997. It had low mileage and was in great shape. Since then, the car did alot of highway driving from state to state when I was in school. It handles just fine on the highway. It hits 80mph with no problems. Its not a sports car and doesnt handle like one, but its fun to drive. It does get slightly loud on the highway, but it is a convertable. It drives incredibly in 4x4 during winter weather. My Geo now has 130,000 miles and has needed absolutely no work. This car was worth every penny and I will drive this car until the very end.

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  A U.S. Toyota Corolla! - 1995 Geo Prizm
  By Vic - October 26 - 2:00 am

  This vehicle doesnt look expensive, but is very ergonomically sound. It handles and feels great. It is reliable and very economical. Driving on wet roads makes me appreciate the balanced feel vs my pickup truck.

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  Me & My Prizm - 1995 Geo Prizm
  By brooktroutchaser - October 19 - 2:00 am

  I bought my 95 Prizm in 97 with just 14k miles. Paid $9400. It now has 76,800 miles. Ive had to replace the alternator twice-- once under warranty. And the interior door handle cracked. Those are the only problems. Its pokey, but reliable as can be. It runs as well today as it did when I bought it.

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  Love My Prizms - 1990 Geo Prizm
  By luvmyprizms - October 19 - 2:00 am

  Bought my 1st 90 Prism in 91 with 5K miles. Gave it away in 99 with 130K miles to a fiend in need. It ran great and I had no major repairs. I think it would have run until the body gave out. Only problem was it went thru mufflers fairly fast.

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  mpg is great - 1992 Geo Metro
  By Phisher93 - October 12 - 2:00 am

  This has been a reliable car. I had it for 2.5 years from 116k miles to 165k miles. It always started. Always ran and ran, 400 miles at a time even. The convertible roof leaked only very little from the top of the drivers window. but it wasnt all the time maybe only 20% of the time that it rained. Two other things were troublesome: the exhaust pipe broke 3 times. Install a flex pipe at the bend just under the engine. that helped. and my traction on wet or snowy roads was terrible. buy good good tires. I felt like I was in a saucer sled most of the time. Its just a very light car.

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  I Miss My Prizm - 1993 Geo Prizm
  By MFW - October 11 - 2:00 am

  I really liked this car! It wasnt very exciting, but just about everything about it was done very well. I also think the styling is much better than nearly any other compact sedan out there. Mine was totaled a week ago and I miss it. Ill probably look for another one just like it, but a few years newer.

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  My Metro, the best car I ever owned. - 1994 Geo Metro
  By ED - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Metro new in 94 and loved it right from the start. I like the simplicity of the design, its agile nature, and of course its superb fuel economy and reliability. I never had any major problems with the car in all the years I owned it. I wish I would have kept it though. Its too bad the car went out of production a few years ago. Small economical cars are, in my opinion, under appreciated in America. I am considering buying another one to use as a second car. I would also recomend one to anyone looking for a simple, economical, and fun car to drive. Ill take a geo over these big SUVs any day!

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  My Metro, the best car I ever owned. - 1994 Geo Metro
  By ed - October 6 - 2:00 am

  I bought my Metro new in 94 and loved it right from the start. I like the simplicity of the design, its agile nature, and of course its superb fuel economy and reliability. I never had any major problems with the car in all the years I owned it. I wish I would have kept it though. Its too bad the car went out of production a few years ago. Small economical cars are, in my opinion, under appreciated in America. I am considering buying another one to use as a second car. I would also recomend one to anyone looking for a simple, economical, and fun car to drive. Ill take a geo over these big SUVs any day!

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  Decent 10 years - 1992 Geo Prizm
  By bookman - September 26 - 2:00 am

  A reliable, no-nonsense car. It gets around 34 MPG with manual shift. Never had engine trouble. I have had to get the exhaust fixed about three times, but I attribute that to local driving in the NE.

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  Cheap Sportster - 1991 Geo Metro
  By WebFoot - September 19 - 2:00 am

  The convertable is fun to drive, especially with the top down. The milage has been about 33 MPG overall, but I do a lot of stop and go. I have had it over a year and it starts every time (ODO says 57,000 but probably 157,000). It is a fair weather car though unless you like to get wet as water works its way over the top of the window glass and on to your lap. It also should be garaged to protect the top. I was told that it would last twice as long if I kept the car garaged.