MotorWeek | Retro Review: '91 Isuzu Stylus XS

I'll take one in black, please.

[InsertFlashyName]

Seriously, Isuzu had some amazingly ahead of their time vehicles: Stylus, Impulse, Rodeo Sport, Trooper, Vehicross, Axiom, shame they never quite took off. I still love them

[sundance]

A completed gauge package and yet still something to complain about.

[ericbritton]

This is one of the forgotten cars in this time. Love this car.

[earlscheib]

1.6 Liter DOHC with 130 HP while the 91 Civic Si only had 108 and a single cam. This car was better looking than the 5 gen civic sedan and was still more powerful yet less expensive. Isuzu marketed cars with value.

[edvinnelius]

130hp that's pretty damn good out of a 1.6l engine

[doctorzaius]

Love the Stylus, wish Isuzu were still around (as a manufacturer of passenger cars, anyway!)

So much confusion in the comments about Geo this and Toyota that... I'm gonna decode the Geo badge engineering matrix for y'all right here...

These are all in order of appearance, to give some kind of idea how GM's "captive imports" evolved. I'm only including vehicles that were sold as GEOs in the USA here, along with the Isuzu Stylus (otherwise this list would be wayyy too long). Asüna was GM Canada's Geo equivalent for Pontiac-Olds-Buick dealerships from 1992-1994 (they did things differently in Canada...)

* ***ISUZU BASED CARS*** *

*Geo Spectrum 1989*
Origin = 1985 Isuzu Gemini FF Sedan/Hatchback [Japan]
Platform = GM/Isuzu R-Body Mk. I
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: *Isuzu I-Mark* (1985-1989)
Sold by GM in USA as: *Chevrolet Spectrum* (1985-1988), *Geo Spectrum* (1989)
Sold by GM Canada as: *Pontiac Sunburst* (1985-1989)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

*Isuzu Stylus 1990-1993*
Origin = 1990 Isuzu Gemini Sedan [Japan]
Platform: GM/Isuzu R-Body Mk. II
Manufactured in Japan
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: *Isuzu Stylus*
Sold by GM in USA as: NOT SOLD BY GM USA
Sold by GM Canada as: NOT SOLD BY GM CANADA
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

*Isuzu Impulse 1990-1993*
Origin = 1991 Isuzu Piazza Coupe/Hatchback [Japan]
Manufactured in Japan
Platform: GM/Isuzu R-Body Mk. II
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: *Isuzu Impulse*
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Storm*
Sold by GM Canada as: *Asüna Sunfire*
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

IMPORTANT NOTE: The Impulse and Storm had slightly different bodies and mechanical specifications. This wasn't a straight badge swap.

* ***TOYOTA BASED CARS*** *

*Geo Prizm Hatchback 1990-1992*
Origin = 1987 Toyota Sprinter Cielo E90 [Japan]
Platform = Toyota E90
Manufactured in California, USA (NUMMI)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Prizm Hatchback*
Sold by GM Canada as: NOT SOLD BY GM CANADA
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA USA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

*Geo Prizm Sedan 1990-1992*
Origin = 1987 Toyota Corolla E90 [Japan]
Platform = Toyota E90
Manufactured in California, USA (NUMMI)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Prizm Sedan*
Sold by GM Canada as: NOT SOLD BY GM CANADA
Sold by Toyota in USA as: *Toyota Corolla Sedan* (mfg. in Japan)
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

*Geo Prizm Sedan 1993-1997*
Origin = 1992 Toyota Corolla E100 [Japan]
Platform = Toyota E100
Manufactured in California, USA (NUMMI)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Prizm*
Sold by GM Canada as: *Geo Prizm* (1995-1997)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: *Toyota Corolla Sedan*
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: NOT SOLD BY SUZUKI

* ***SUZUKI BASED CARS*** *

*Geo Metro 1989-1994*
Origin = 1988 Suzuki Cultus Mk. II [Japan]
Platform = GM/Suzuki M-Body Mk. I
Manufactured in Ontario, Canada (CAMI) + Japan
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Metro*
Sold by GM Canada as: *Pontiac Firefly* (1989-1994), *Chevrolet Sprint* (1989-1991), *Geo Metro* (1992-1994)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: *Suzuki Swift* (mfg. in Japan)

*Geo Metro 1995-1997*
Origin = 1995 Geo Metro Mk. II [North America]
Platform = GM/Suzuki M-Body Mk. II
Manufactured in Ontario, Canada (CAMI)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Metro* (1995-1997), *Chevrolet Metro* (1998-2001)
Sold by GM Canada as: *Geo Metro* (1995-1997), *Chevrolet Metro* (1998-2001), *Pontiac Firefly* (1995-2001)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: *Suzuki Swift* (1995-2001)

*Geo Tracker Soft Top/Hard Top 1990-1997*
Origin = 1988 Suzuki Escudo [Japan]
Platform = Suzuki Escudo/Vitara Mk. I
Manufactured in Japan (1990) + Ontario, Canada (CAMI 1991-1998)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Tracker* (1990-1997), *Chevrolet Tracker* (1998)
Sold by GM Canada as: *Chevrolet Tracker* (1989-1991, 1998), *GMC Tracker* (1989-1991), *Asüna Sunrunner* (1992-1994), *Pontiac Sunrunner* (1995-1998), *Geo Tracker* (1992-1997)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: *Suzuki Sidekick Soft Top/Hard Top*

*Geo Tracker Wagon 1996-1997*
Origin = 1991 Suzuki Escudo 5-door [Japan]
Platform = Suzuki Escudo/Grand Vitara Mk. I
Manufactured in Japan (1991-1995) + Ontario, Canada (CAMI 1996-1998)
Sold by Isuzu in USA as: NOT SOLD BY ISUZU
Sold by GM in USA as: *Geo Tracker Wagon* (1996-1997), "Chevrolet Tracker Wagon* (1998)
Sold by GM Canada as: *Geo Tracker Wagon* (1996-1997), *Chevrolet Tracker Wagon* (1998)
Sold by Toyota in USA as: NOT SOLD BY TOYOTA
Sold by Suzuki in USA as: *Suzuki Sidekick Wagon* (1991-1998)

[davidg]

This was probably the best small sporty sedan on the market back in '91... Fantastic HP out of a 1.6 back then! And 4-wheel disc brakes!!

[danielwatne]

7700 redline! amazing and very impressive.This was a great little car.Isuzu and Suzuki with their swift GTI had some great pocket rockets back in the day.

[MandusahRamirez]

Mazda is now the Isuzu of the mainstream Automaker. It’s amazing how Isuzu was able to offer Luxury features and Performance in a sub compact class🤯

[joeynenj]

I had a light blue 1991 S model. I loved this car and had it over 10 years. I really miss it.

[larryc]

I had one of these back in 1990. It was a peppy car! Long forgotten now.

[boskocrnobrnja]

Isuzu really knew their engines, 130hp from a 1.6 is quite astonishing, and this thing was probably more fun to drive than most of its competitors, and had a smaller price, it's a shame they don't produce anything instead of work trucks today.

[theKevronHarris]

Love the song playing on the stereo at 2:21 to 2:30! It's Gerald LeVert's song "It's Written All Over Your Face"

[joeseeking]

I had this car bought new - fully loaded XS like this one, but in light blue. So interesting to see that other people here did too. Never saw another XS when I had mine.

[zjones]

I had one of these from about 98 to 2003. I bought it for $1000 and it needed very little maintenance. Overall a reliable car.

[dbrxsdgo]

I had the base model of the 1991 model year. 5spd, no power steering, no power windows or door locks and no air conditioning with a 5yr 60k warranty: $8, 000.

This car was a blast to drive, got 40mpg and always got attention. I loved it. Isuzu had some quality control issues, but they knew how to package a car. They were ahead of their time.

[GTSuzukaTimeTrials]

Now here's a car I want to see in Gran Turismo.

[cityside]

290 views and not one comment on the driving gloves? You're slipping, Youtube commentariat.

[bosalvucci]

My 90s childhood i remember my mom buying one just like this when i was 3 yrs old same year and everything she got it December 1991 looked identical to this one me and my 5 younger siblings grew up riding in this car😉

[hendrikjan]

i love the refelector plate in the back. would love to see car makers to bring that trend back