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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  Great Car - 1990 Geo Prizm
  By NSE - May 7 - 9:58 pm

  Over almost 12 years of service this car has never let me down. Besides going through exhaust systems every 40K miles it has never had any significant problems in almost 170K miles.

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  Trackalac - 1994 Geo Tracker
  By T james - May 4 - 2:26 am

  The tracker was purchased in 96 from a dealership. Wonderful handling, ok stereo, and great gas mileage. It was handed down to me by mom mother when i received my license at 16. It now has 191,294 miles on it and its still runs perfect. My starter Just messed up the other day but thats because i am a delivery driver and turn my car on and off a lot. But i found another one at a junk yard for $35. So I fixed it quite easily. The tracker is not necessarily the safest but i have never had an accident, Nor a scratch. Wonderful car! wouldnt trade for the world.

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  Best car I ever owned - 1990 Geo Storm
  By Richard - May 3 - 12:37 am

  I bought this car in New Jersey when I sold my 1978 Mercedes for 5 times what I paid for it in California. I couldnt say no! Then I needed a car to drive back to California because I needed to pick up my dog in Texas. I had a 560 SEC Mercedes in storage and was going to give the Geo to my son. After driving it to California I loved the car! I have been driving it since I bought it. Put almost 100 thousand miles in about 5 years and only put brakes and tires on it!

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  322,000 on chassis 2nd eng&3rd tranny - 1992 Geo Metro
  By avionicbug - April 30 - 9:32 pm

  I love my Metro I have had it 12 years I put 222,000 miles on it since i bought it.I installed a motorcycle muffler and it sounds and performs great. I drive 88 miles a day.It is so easy to work on changing the eng or tranny in a few hours. It to me is both pricelss and worthless at the same time. I would not sell it for $4000 I am planning on seeing 1,000,000 miles. I laugh at the $4.00 gas and big SUVs

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  Love IT!!! - 1990 Geo Prizm
  By Steve - April 9 - 8:44 pm

  A friend gave me this car almost two years ago. It has never let me down. A/C quit for no reason I know of, perfect one day and now nothing happens, may be a fuse or relay. Burns no oil, but has a few leaks. Rides well and is quiet. Original engine, clutch, and transmission at 222,000 miles. Gets 33 to 40 mpg in mixed driving. I love it and hope it never dies. I have had brand new cars I have not liked this much!

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  love my car - 1995 Geo Prizm
  By lookin into a newer - April 6 - 7:58 am

  Its thirteen years old and can keep up with the newer cars that are on the road. When I bought I drove it to college, an internship, and work. The odometer read 36,000 miles. Now it reads 135,000 and I love my little car.

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  The Prizm that keeps on giving! - 1994 Geo Prizm
  By PRIZMLSI - April 5 - 5:33 pm

  The car is great all around, I bought it off of my neighbor after it sat for 2 years, believe it or not all I had to do was put in a new battery and the thing started right up! Runs great. I loved driving the car so much, I got it repainted, 17" chrome rims, factory style spoiler, pinstripe, and new speakers... Still workin on it as of now. Great car, has a lot of pep.

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  Small but love it - 1996 Geo Tracker
  By ronnieg1 - March 31 - 7:39 pm

  Well my Tracker I love it cause its an awesome little car and yeah it may not be a fast car but I love driving it as well as taking it off road and the tops kinda a big pain but other than that I have not had any problems with it but also its a wonderful car in the snow and its not too big or too small of a car its just right for me. I love the top as well as how it looks and the performance of these little cars are great and if someone were to ask me if I would suggest they buy a tracker I would say yes definitely

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  Best car Ive ever owned - 1992 Geo Metro
  By Bob Hardison - March 19 - 9:25 pm

  I bought my Geo Metro new in Oct. 1991 as a 1992 model. I have a little over 208,000 miles on it, and it has never been overhauled and does not use any oil between changes at 3000 miles. The only repairs needed since purchase is the starter at 148,000 miles, and the front struts at Sears at about 100,000 mi with a lifetime warranty, and a replacement (no charge) at 201,000 mi. I still get average 33 mpg in town, and 47 mpg on a trip. Ive replaced front wheel brakes myself twice (about $20.00). I will never sell or trade this car and I love driving it better than my new Nissan Altima, and I do drive it more. My Geo is a 5 speed manual. I replace the timing belt myself about every 60K miles.

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  Little Beast - 1993 Geo Metro
  By Mike - March 14 - 12:57 pm

  Honestly, this is the most powerful stock car I have seen yet. People laugh at them, but they are full of guts. After some slight modifications, I could easily take many other stock vehicles on a straight stretch. With my 17" low profile tires, it handled turns very well at high rates of speed. I love cars such as this that are very fast and powerful, yet get great gas mileage. I never had any problems with it, regular oil changes and 1 tie rod end was replaced. It is a very reliable car.