The Geo Metro first appeared in Chevrolet-Geo showrooms in 1989. It was a rebadged version of the Suzuki Cultus, sharing many of the drivetrain and interior components. The Metro was a direct replacement for the Chevrolet Sprint, a subcompact hatchback that was several inches shorter than the Metro, and boasted fewer safety and convenience features. The Sprint was also a rebadged Suzuki Forsa. Several body styles were available during the Metro's 13 year run, including a 2-door convertible, 3-door hatchback, 4-door sedan, and a 5-door hatchback. The Metro enjoyed a decent run, first as a Geo from 1989 through 1997, then as a Chevrolet from 1998 to the model's final year in 2001. The Suzuki Swift though, is still being sold in Japan and Europe, albeit in a different form. The Swift is also still being sold in Canada as a rebadged Daewoo Kalos/Chevrolet Aveo.

Originally, all Metro models were produced in Japan. However, in 1990, production commenced at CAMI Automotive, a 50-50 joint venture between General Motors and Suzuki located in Ingersoll, Ontario, Canada. The sedan models only sold in Canada were made in Japan.The Metro is part of the GM M platform, a designation it shared with the Canadian-only version, the Pontiac Firefly, as well as the Sprint. The Metro (along with twins the Suzuki Swift and Pontiac Firefly) were the only subcompacts made in Canada in the 1990s.

In the United States a single engine was available from 1989 through 1994: a 1.0 L I3 engine. Rated at only 55 hp (41 kW), the small Suzuki-designed engine was the most fuel efficient production engine used in a GM car to date, boasting well over 45 mpg (5.3 L/100 km) in models with manual transmissions. A detuned 49 hp unit was used in the ultra-fuel-efficient XFi model, which delivered as much as 58 miles per gallon. As the 3-cylinder engines aged however, they began to become less stable and subject to vibration as well as minor deficiencies in the fuel injection system that led to decreased fuel economy. A flaw exists in Metro 3-cylinder engines equipped with an EGR valve - if the valve fails or the EGR passages become blocked, the center combustion chamber can get too hot, and over time, lose compression due to exhaust valve failure.

Customers who were surveyed stated that they wanted more power from their Metro as well as good fuel economy. In 1995, with the new Metro came a new engine: the 1.3 L I4. The new engine still had only a modest 70 hp (52 kW), but provided the extra power Metro owners wanted. That power came at the cost of some fuel efficiency, dropping the highway mileage down to around 35 mpg (6.8 L/100 km). The engine however, was not new. It was the same engine that had been in use in the Suzuki Swift (except for the GT models) for years. LSi models produced from 1995 on had the 4-cylinder engine, but the 3-cylinder was still the base power plant in the car, becoming an option for non-LSi models in 1997.

Canadian Metros had the 1.3 L engine available as an option beginning in 1993 in the 3-door GSi model, and as standard equipment in the sedan (exclusive to the Canadian market at the time: as noted in the previous paragraph, American market Metros were not available in a sedan bodystyle until 1995).

1987 - Metro name first appears on naturally-aspirated Chevrolet Sprint. Car sold as "Chevrolet Sprint Metro."

1988 - Production begins on the first Geo Metro models in Japan

1989 - The Geo Metro hits showrooms in the United States, replacing the Chevrolet Sprint. In Canada the car retains the Chevrolet Sprint name.

1990 - Geo introduces Metro LSi models, which included upgraded amenities, such as an automatic transmission, air conditioning and a tape player to supplement the stereo. Geo also introduced the XFi model, a polar opposite of the LSi, offering no interior amenities, but boasting a highway gas mileage of over 50 mpg (4.7 L/100 km). Production began at CAMI Automotive, where all remaining Metro models with the exception of convertibles will be produced from then on. Convertibles debut this year as well, available only in LSi trim.

1991 - GM ups the order on convertible models this year, and new paint options are added.

1992 - Metro gets freshened front and rear fascias and an all new dashboard layout, with a more ergonomic comfort control panel, and a new instrument cluster. This is the Metro's best-selling model year, boasting over 100,000 units sold. In Canada the Chevrolet Sprint is renamed Geo Metro.

1993 - Last year for convertible models. Automatic door locks, which deploy after the car reaches a speed of 10 mph (16 km/h) are introduced this year.

1994 - Last year for 5-door hatchback models.

1995 - An all-new Metro is introduced, featuring the new 4-cylinder engine available in LSi models, to supplement the 3-cylinder used in the base cars. Daytime running lights are standard (the Metro was the first GM car to get DRLs as standard equipment), as well as dual frontal airbags. The chassis is 30% stiffer than the first generation Metros, and it was the first car in the world to meet 1997 side-impact standards for North America. A new sedan is also introduced in the United States, replacing the 5-door hatchback, boasting all of the above mentioned upgrades.

1996 - OBD-II (On-Board Diagnostics, Second generation) is added to Metro models, at a cost of some fuel efficiency.

1997 - The last year for Geo. The Metro will return in 1998 as a Chevrolet model, as will the Prizm and Tracker.

1998 - The Metro name is used again under Chevrolet, as it survives Geo. New front and rear fascias are added, giving the car a more modern exterior.

2000 - Last year for Metro sales to the general public and Metro hatchbacks. The Metro will return in 2001 as a fleet sales-only model. The Metro's future is uncertain.

2001 - The Metro's final year. The only model available this year is the 4-door LSi sedan. General Motors announces that the Metro will not be included in the 2002 Chevrolet model lineup. CAMI Automotive rolls the last Metro, a white LSi sedan, off the line in April. The Firefly follows suit and ends production soon after. The Swift stays and still is on sale in Japan and Eurasia.

The Chevrolet Aveo began sales in 2003, replacing the hole in the American Chevrolet lineup left by the Metro.

Reference Found At http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geo_Metro