5 Chevrolet Models You Can't Get In America
Although Chevrolet is known as an American brand, it's owned by General Motors — a global automotive conglomerate — and has a near-global presence. On the Chevrolet website, the company lists 57 additional countries of operation outside of the U.S.
Because Chevrolet is dealing with diverse cultures and various landscapes, the company must adjust some of its iconic Chevy models to cater to the needs of people in its local communities. For example, while the massive Chevrolet Suburban is perfect for wide-open freeways and long-distance driving in the U.S., it's unsuitable for Europe's narrow, winding roads. On the other hand, tiny cars are known to not do well in the States, so it wouldn't make sense for the company to invest in producing and certifying models like these here.
We found 17 Chevrolet models that are only available outside of the U.S., from Mexico to China to Chile. Below we explore what makes five of them noteworthy.
3rd-Generation Aveo
The 3rd-Generation Aveo is a subcompact sedan or hatchback made in China by the SAIC-GM-Wuling joint venture for the Latin and South American markets. Its latest model was launched in Mexico in 2023 as an affordable car powered by a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder gasoline engine with 98 horsepower. It can be purchased with a 6-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission (CVT), allowing new drivers to choose between comfort and fun.
It's also available in other South American countries such as Chile and Peru, where it's known as the fourth-generation Chevrolet Sail. Although marketed as an entry-level car, it has creature comforts like an 8-inch touchscreen information system equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
The vehicle doesn't compromise on safety, as it comes with the standard six airbags, stability control, LED daytime running lamps (DRLs), and disc brakes on all four corners. Since this is an affordable set of wheels, the manual version starts at 294,400 Mexican pesos, which is somewhere around the $17,000 range depending on the exchange rate.
Menlo
Chevrolet currently offers five EV models in the U.S. Two of the most affordable Chevrolet EVs threatened to leave the market for good when the automaker announced the discontinuation of Chevy's Bolt EV and Bolt EUV, but GM later said they would overhaul the vehicle instead. Regardless, Chevrolet still sells an affordable EV hatchback known as the Chevrolet Menlo in China.
This vehicle is slightly larger and wider than the Bolt, but, at 177 horsepower, the 2022 Chevy Menlo motor is about 30 horsepower less powerful than the Bolt EV. With a range of about 320 miles on full charge, however, the Menlo will take you further than the 2023 Bolt EUV, which has a driving range of 259 miles.
The Menlo is currently priced at between 164,900 and 179,900 Yuan, (or between $22,700 and $24,800) based on which style you select. This makes it more affordable than the Bolt EV, which starts at $27,495. The Menlo also comes with a full suite of safety features like forward collision warning, blind spot alarm, lane departure warning, and parking assist. It also has a fully digital instrument panel and a 10.1-inch infotainment system for a full-digital cockpit.
3rd-Generation Montana
Pickups are popular in the U.S. The Ford F-series, for example, was the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. for over 42 years. However, they're also popular overseas, and Chevrolet knows this. So, the company made a pickup truck that the international market would like. However, unlike the F-series, which are large body-on-frame trucks, Chevy's international pickup is a smaller compact truck called the Montana, which is about the same size as the Ford Maverick.
This four-door pickup is based on the Chevrolet Tracker, a subcompact crossover available in Latin America, China, and the Philippines. And what's great about this model is that it's available just across the border in Mexico. The Montana debuted in Brazil in 2023 with a starting price of 134,490 Brazilian Reals, or about $25,000. This makes it slightly more affordable than the $26,315 starting price of the Maverick XLT. If Chevrolet wants to play the small truck game, it can easily do so with the Montana.
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Monza
American auto manufacturers have slowly stopped producing small sedans and hatchbacks for the American market, with Ford going so far as to stop production of its small cars altogether, save for the iconic Mustang. In the U.S., if you want to buy a sedan from this company, your only option right now is the mid-size 2016 Chevrolet Malibu — which is aging quickly.
However, Chevrolet still makes a small and affordable sedan in another part of the world: China. There, it offers the Chevrolet Monza at the low price of 94,900 Yuan or $13,700. If Chevrolet could make this car in the U.S. for those prices, it could have a winner on its hands — especially as the Monza doesn't skimp on standard safety equipment and features, like a tire-pressure monitoring system, hill-start assist, automatic headlights, and side airbags. The car has been a hit so far, with Kun.uz reporting that auto companies in Uzbekistan may start producing it there as well.
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2nd-Generation Orlando
The MPV is usually an affordable family carrier, but it lost its appeal in the American market due to its "soccer mom" reputation and the rise of the crossover SUV. Nevertheless, it's still an excellent vehicle for both families and businesses.
Although Chevrolet intended to sell an MPV in the U.S. with the first-generation Orlando, the company decided to focus on the production of the Equinox, Malibu, and Traverse models instead. However, its second-generation model is available in China, with a starting price of 136,900 Yuan, or around $19,000. Despite being an MPV, it has a crossover SUV style, so it wouldn't feel out of place on American roads.
The Orlando also has mild-hybrid powertrain, meaning it has a 48-volt electric motor that helps its gasoline engine generate more power without increasing emissions and reducing efficiency. This means it could hit 39 miles per gallon — a fuel consumption rating that's good enough to compete with the 15 most fuel-efficient cars in 2023 in the U.S. market.
[Featured Imaged by Jengtingchen via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and Scaled | CC BY-SA 4.0]