There aren’t many Geo-branded cars on the road these days, despite the fact that General Motors CompanyThe imported brand was quite successful for about a decade. Probably the most famous vehicle Geography exhibition halls was Prismwhich basically came down to renaming Toyota Corolla built in California (meaning that General Motors was competing with its Chevy Cavalier in the compact sedan market). And then there were Geo Subway compact, known for years as the most fuel-efficient car you can buy in the United States, and the cheeky Geo Tracker An SUV that has been worn for several years Chevrolet badges after the death of Geo.
These are all interesting cars, but in this article we will focus on the sporty Storm model. Like other Geo vehicles, the Storm was a joint venture of sorts, in this case with Isuzuis a Japanese automaker best known for its SUVs and large cars commercial trucks. However, there were some thoroughly intriguing small cars in Isuzu showrooms at the time. The Storm was heavily based on the second generation Isuzu Impulse (known as the Piazza in other markets). And, well, you see even fewer Isuzus on the road these days than Geos.
Why Geo Storm and Isuzu Impulse are future classics?
They may never be “classics” in the same way Ford Mustang or Chevy Camaro maybe, but they are still interesting cars. And for potential buyers of a certain age, memories of looking at sleek-looking Geo Storms everywhere you look mean the nostalgia factor is high. If nothing else, we’re pretty sure a well-maintained Storm or Impulse will draw a certain crowd locally car dealership.
While the Storm was much more popular with American buyers in the 1990s, the rarity of the Impulse means it’s probably the more desirable option if future collectability is a factor.
What is the perfect example of a Geo Storm or an Isuzu Impulse?
The most valuable version of the duo is by far the rare Isuzu Impulse RS (silver car above) with all-wheel drive and a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that produced 160 horsepower and 150 lb-ft of torque. According to reports, only about 600 of these cars were sold in the States — complete with “Handling by Lotus” emblem (General Motors owned a significant stake in both brands at the time) — which means they’re not very easy to find for sale. They appear in online auctions from time to time so they are thereyou can just wait to find the right one.
The Geo Storm (above in perfectly ’90s turquoise/turquoise) never got the turbocharged engine or Impulse RS all-wheel drive system, but did get the performance-oriented GSi trim with a more powerful 130bhp engine. from 1.6 liters in 1990 and 1991 and 140 hp. from 1.8 liters in 1992 and 1993 — and transmission and suspension modifications. There was an amazing Storm wagon version, but it was never offered in GSi trim.
The Impulse RS and Storm GSi could do 0-60 in 7 to 8 seconds. That’s not very fast, especially by today’s standards, but some other stats really stand out. At 116 feet, it could outrun a Lamborghini Diablo from 60-0. The Storm and Impulse were also very quick through slalom cones, and their light weight, stock engines (at least in RS and GSi trim) and nimble handling mean that twisty roads are a lot of fun to drive.
Are there any good alternatives to Storm and Impulse?
There are many great alternatives. In fact, you really need to have a crush on the Geo Storm or Isuzu Impulse to specifically seek them out. The 1990s were full of fun sports compact cars like the Acura Integra, Ford Probe, Honda Prelude, Mazda RX-7 (and of course Miata), Mitsubishi Eclipse, Nissan 240SX (though good luck finding it) and Toyota Celica. There was a lot more, but you get the idea. Either of these options will probably be easier to find and maybe even modify than Storm or Impulse. But rarity and obscurity is at least partially, right?
Related video:
https://www.autoblog.com/2022/07/23/future-classic-geo-storm-isuzu-impulse/
