Forgotten Vehicles of the 80s: The GMC Sonoma
In my continued journey to find vehicles from yesteryear that nobody remembers and learn more about them, I stumbled upon the GMC Sonoma. While that name may not be familiar, you might recognize its Chevrolet counterpart: the S-10. But let’s dig into the GMC side of things and see just how capable this small truck was in the 80s.
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A brief history
The GMC Sonoma was introduced in 1981 as a 1982 model and was initially named the S-15, presumably to match the Chevy S-10 naming situation. However, likely due to confusion among buyers and the assumption that “the S-15 must be better than the S-10 because 15 is bigger than 10,” it was later renamed the Sonoma. This GMC truck had quite a long run, with the last of the “S” models being produced until 2004. As the Sonoma made its way out, it was replaced by the GMC Canyon (and the Chevy Colorado).
Random facts
- A high-performance version called the GMC Syclone was made in 1991. It featured a 4.3-liter turbo V6 engine and a four-speed automatic transmission.
- In North America, Isuzu joined in and produced its version of the truck, called the Hombre, from 1996-2000.
- An electric fleet version of the Sonoma was released in 1997 and 1998.
- The first-generation Sonoma was assembled in Ohio, Louisiana, Michigan, and Canada.
- Peak performance reached 200 horsepower while most standard powertrains could reach a max of about 120hp.
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Perhaps what made the GMC Sonoma so forgettable was its bland exterior design. With square angles and a small palette of colors to choose from, truck buyers weren’t getting much in the form of customization. However, the compact truck is still a favorite for collectors, with some iterations of the model selling for more than $50,000 at auction.
WATCH: 1989 GMC S-15 (Sonoma) “It’s Best on Saturdays” commercial
Ben never thought he’d be writing about cars for a living, but here he is, knowing more about the Kia Stinger than he’d care to admit. When he’s not devoting his time to researching engine specs and other oh-so-exciting car details, he can be found enjoying time with his wife and dogs. See more articles by Ben.