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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  My first car - 1992 Geo Prizm
  By first car is G-O - August 14 - 2:00 am

  A wonderful little car. If youre looking for power, look elsewhere. This is a fun, economical little car. The toyota seats are snug. Ill try to drive mine until it rusts apart. The only semi-complaint is with the body. One door has a baseball-size spot rusted through. The 5 spd manual is peppy and fun to drive however, reverse is sometimes hard to find. An excellent economy car.

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  My 2nd Prizm - 1995 Geo Prizm
  By 2ND Prizm - August 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car with only 14k on it about a year ago, now it has 25k on it with no major problems. No rust, 1 tiny dent in the bumper, paint looks new like it did in 1995. I just had to replace the battery which wasnt the factory battery that the good one was taken, and a rim was bent but pot holes do that! I love the comfortable seats I travel 500 miles each way to school 2x a year so comfort is a must. The car normally gets 32-37 miles to the gallon! Had a 91 Prizm that started having problems around 70k hope it doesnt happen to this one!

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  Why wont it die???!!! - 1994 Geo Prizm
  By IRDoc - July 27 - 2:00 am

  Only one repair in 11 years! Alternator went. The CD player bit it at about 100,000. I just put a changer in the trunk. The car looks like it has 40,000 miles on it instead of 125,000. I would love something new, but how can I justify it when the inside including the upolstery is pristine, it gets 33 miles per gallon every tank, it never leaks oil, and it even has the original brakes (I keep asking if they need replaced at every routine maintanence. They say there is still 25% remained.) Has never not started.

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  no-frills transport - 1997 Geo Prizm
  By flex mex - July 25 - 2:00 am

  When you admit to yourself what a car is really supposed to do, this one is fantastic. When are you going to *need* 120 mph, or to go 60 in less than 6 seconds? The Prizm gets us around town and from state to state without any trouble. It may not be the fastest ride on the road, but you cant beat it for reliability. Also, we got japanese engineering for an american price. Well drive this thing well over 200K miles.

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  Cant give it up... - 1992 Geo Prizm
  By Jeff11 - July 20 - 2:00 am

  This car has been unbelieveable. I purchased it for $800 in 2/03 with 127k. It now has 144k and runs like a top. I have to add oil every now and then and the high fan speed is not working but besides that this car has been a money saver. I want to purchase so many new cars but with no monthly payment and such low insurance I think I may run it till it dies.

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  Just keeps going and going and going - 1996 Geo Metro
  By Susannah Brighton - June 21 - 2:00 am

  Got the car brand new in 1996 and drove it for 8 years and 78,000 VERY hard city miles. I could have driven the car into the ground but the AC went out and it cost more to fix than the car was worth. (Someone who didnt need AC could have driven the car for five more years at a minimum.) It was a great little city car but as other vehicles got larger and larger it didnt feel as safe as it should have been. But you could park it anywhere, repair work was reasonably priced, and nobody would ever, ever want to steal it.

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  I love it - 1997 Geo Prizm
  By Dave111 - June 14 - 2:00 am

  This car has caused me no pain. I drive alot and I expect to pay between 400- 500 dollars every 2 years on a used car to keep it running well. ie brakes and inspection and so on. Ive had the car for 5 years bought it with 50,000 and now have 130,000 and its a tough little customer

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  Great Car - 1996 Geo Prizm
  By s55amg - June 10 - 2:00 am

  Although it only has 105hp, Ive never had a problem keeping up on the highway theres more than enough passing power. Ive only had a few minor problems with the car since Ive had it and its been running great since. I now have 90,000 miles on it and it still runs like it has 30,000. Alhough it is rated at 26 miles per gallon city driving for the automatic, I regularly get 30-32mpg, never below 29mpg. Being in Hawaii, I do 80% city driving.

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  Great car - 1995 Geo Prizm
  By Markymark - June 5 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my Geo for 4 years now. I bought it with 132,000 miles...and now it has 204,000!! Unbelievably, it has had NO major problems until just recently when I broke a tie rod in the back. It still has the original exhaust, alternator, and starter. I would recommend this car to anyone. It will definitely take you where you want to go.

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  Energizer bunny - 1994 Geo Prizm
  By henrydog - May 30 - 2:00 am

  Bought it with about 25k on the clock in 1997. Chose it over the corolla precisely because it was a toyota at a chev price. What can I say, this has been an *insanely* reliable car. Now at 180k, and still going strong. Outside of oil and tires Ive only ever replaced an alternator and power steering pump. I do run 10W40 in the summer or it does burn a little. Still on the original rear brakes and muffler! Im only considering replacing it now because the (original!) front struts have gone south over the last 6 months. The body is still almost rust free after 10 years in Minnesota. Its never left me stranded.