Chevy or Nissan: Can You Tell the Difference Between These Famous Cars, Trucks and SUVs?

AUTO

By: Kennita Leon

6 Min Quiz

Image: YouTube

About This Quiz

Forty years ago, it might have been a cinch to tell a Chevrolet from a Nissan. Back then, Nissan and other Japanese brands sold mostly compact cars and small, bare-bones pickup trucks. Chevys of that time were generally larger, with its best-sellers being full-size sedans and pickup trucks.

Fast-forward to 2019, and it’s a different story. Both brands build a full line of models, from subcompact hatchbacks to full-size pickups and SUVs, plus a whole range of mid-size vehicles in between. The most popular models these days are compact and mid-size crossover-type SUVs. On the other hand, one of these brands recently announced it was discontinuing some of its sedans … but which one?

Both brands have standout models from the past and present. Nissan blazed a trail in modern electric cars with the Leaf, but Chevy is right in there with its Bolt. Nissan has built legendary sports cars like the 240Z and GT-R. Chevy’s got the Corvette, of course, and also a long and proud muscle car history. Nissan built its reputation on reliable, fuel-efficient cars. And while Chevy eventually came around to building such vehicles, there were some clunkers along the way, like the Vega. (By the way, there’s no Vega in this quiz!)

What both brands have in common are legions of loyal customers. But do Nissan fans know their Chevys? How much do Chevy buffs know about Nissans?

Take this quiz and find out!

Who made this vehicle?

Nissan’s first crossover SUV for North America, the Nissan Murano is a five-door, crossover SUV introduced in 2002 as a 2003 model. The current-generation model was introduced for 2015.

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Who made this vehicle?

Americans know this small Nissan crossover SUV as the Rogue Sport. In other markets, however, it's called Qashqai after the Qashqai people of Iran.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Express is a full-size van made since 1995. It is also sold as the GMC Savana.

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Who made this vehicle?

Manufactured solely for North America, the Nissan Titan is a full-size pickup truck. A restyled model for 2020 discontinues the 5.0-liter diesel engine option, leaving a 391-horsepower 5.6-liter gasoline V8 as the sole engine choice.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Nissan Altima is a mid-size sedan produced exclusively in North America. It is sold as the Nissan Teana on other markets.

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Who made this vehicle?

Introduced in Europe and North America in 2010, the Nissan Juke was a sub-compact crossover SUV. It was replaced in North America by the Kicks.

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Who made this vehicle?

The seventh generation of Chevrolet’s Corvette (also known as the C7), offered from 2014-2019, revived the famous Stingray name originally used from 1963-1976. In summer 2019, it was replaced by the all-new C8 version, the first-ever mid-engine Corvette and also called Stingray.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Nissan Clipper was a small truck offered from 1966-1981 after Nissan absorbed the Prince brand. The name was later revived for a series of tiny “kei” trucks built for Nissan by Mitsubishi (shown) and, later, Suzuki.

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Who made this vehicle?

Designed by Bryan Nesbitt, the Chevrolet HHR was a retro-styled wagon offered from 2006-2011. It was based on the platform of Chevy’s Cobalt compact model and assembled in Mexico. The design was inspired by 1940s Chevy trucks, particularly the 1947 Suburban. Originally the code name while under development, “HHR” stood for “heritage high roof.”

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Who made this vehicle?

Good names never die. Chevrolet used the Trailblazer name as a trim level for the S-10 Blazer from 1999-2001, and then used it on the S-10 Blazer’s larger replacement model from 2001-2008 (shown). The name later moved to a model for Australia and Southeast Asian countries in 2012. In the U.S., Chevy is bringing back the Trailblazer name for a small crossover SUV in 2020 as a 2021 model.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Bel Air name was used on various models from 1950-1981. It was the upscale model in the line until the 1958 Impala came along. A 1956 Bel Air is shown.

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Who made this vehicle?

Chevrolet introduced the Corvette sports car in 1953 and built the first generation, today referred to as the C1, until 1962 with various styling changes. A 1960 model is shown.

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Who made this vehicle?

The 2004-2006 Chevrolet SSR (Super Sport Roadster) was a retro-styled convertible pickup truck with a design inspired by the brand’s 1940s trucks. The 2004 model was considered underpowered, with a 300-horsepower 5.3-liter V8 to move the 4,800 pound vehicle. The 2005-2006 models had a much more suitable 6.2-liter V8 with 390 horsepower. Just 24,180 SSR models were made in total.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Nissan Pathfinder was originally a rugged, pickup truck-based SUV introduced in 1985 to compete against the likes of Chevrolet Blazer, Jeep Cherokee and Toyota 4Runner. The current model is a full-size crossover-type family SUV that emphasizes room and comfort..

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Who made this vehicle?

The Nissan Armada is a full-size SUV made in Japan, based on the same platform as the Patrol and Infiniti QX80. The first-generation model, offered from 2004-2008, was based on Nissan’s Titan pickup and built in the U.S.

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Who made this vehicle?

Introduced for 1967 as a competitor to the Ford Mustang, the Chevrolet Camaro is now in its sixth design generation. It’s available in coupe and convertible styles and with a choice of 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines. The top Camaro is the ZL1 with a 650-horsepower supercharged V8 and a $62,000 price tag.

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Who made this vehicle?

Chevy debuted the Impala name as an upscale trim upgrade on the Bel Air model in 1958. It then became a separate model and was for many years Chevy’s best-selling car in America. Today’s Impala is a sophisticated and even luxurious front-wheel drive sedan, but Chevy plans to end production of the model in early 2020.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Nissan Cube started as a Japan-only model in the 1990s but, starting with the third generation in 2009, was also offered in the U.S. and Europe. It was intended to compete against other boxy models, including the Scion (Toyota) xB and Kia Soul.

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Who made this vehicle?

Marketed as the Nissan Urvan on non-Japanese markets, the Nissan Caravan is a light commercial van manufactured since 1973. It was never sold in the U.S.

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Who made this vehicle?

In the U.S. and Canada, this popular Nissan crossover is called the Rogue, but in other markets it’s known as the X-Trail.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Sentra has been Nissan’s compact entry since 1982. The Sentra name is used in the U.S. and other countries, but not in Nissan’s home of Japan, where it’s called the Sylphy. The current model, although marketed as a compact, is considered a midsize model by the EPA due to its interior roominess, a nice bonus for buyers.

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Who made this vehicle?

Offered from 2002 to 2013 in two design generations, the Chevrolet Avalanche was a four-door pickup truck assembled in Mexico. It was not based on Chevy’s Silverado pickup chassis, but rather the Tahoe/Suburban. There was also a Cadillac version called Escalade EXT.

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Who made this vehicle?

The 1970 Chevelle SS 454 was the top muscle car version of Chevrolet’s long-running and successful Chevelle line. Its 454 cubic-inch V8 was offered in 360-horsepower and 450-horsepower versions that year.

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Who made this vehicle?

Before the Silverado, the full-size Chevy pickup was known as the C/K series, with C for two-wheel drive versions and K signifying four-wheel drive. The model pictured is known as a “duelie” for dual rear wheels on each side, a setup used for towing heavy trailers.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Silverado is a full-size pickup truck that shares its chassis and body with the GMC Sierra.

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Who made this vehicle?

The world's best-selling electric car, the Nissan Leaf, a five-door compact hatchback, was first introduced in Japan in 2010. The second-generation model, which arrived in 2017, is made in Japan, the U.S. and the U.K.

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Who made this vehicle?

A legend among fans of Japanese cars, the Nissan Skyline became famous in video games and movies before coming to the U.S. in the 1990s as the Infiniti G-series sedan and coupe. Meanwhile, the more audacious version of the Skyline, called GT-R, branched out to become a different high-performance model. The 2020 GT-R has 565 horsepower and costs $113,000 in the U.S.

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Who made this vehicle?

Introduced for 2009, the Chevrolet Traverse is a full-size crossover-type SUV with seating for up to eight. The second-generation model was introduced for 2018. The Buick Enclave is based on the same platform and shares the 310-horsepower V6 engine and nine-speed automatic transmission.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Volt was an advanced hybrid car introduced in 2011. Technically, it was an extended-range electric vehicle. That is, its primary drive was from an electric motor with battery, with a gasoline engine used mainly to charge the battery. The second-generation model had an battery range of 53 miles. Chevy dropped the Volt in early 2019 to focus on the Bolt, a battery-only EV.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Corvair, a compact car offered from 1960 to 1969, was a radical departure from American car designs, with a rear-mounted, air-cooled flat-six engine. The 1962 Corvair Monza Spyder was one of the first two production cars to offer a turbocharged engine. (The other was GM’s 1962 Oldsmobile Jetfire). The second-generation Corvair design (shown) debuted for 1965 with a much-improved rear suspension system for safer handling.

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Who made this vehicle?

In the U.S., Nissan calls its entry-level sedan the Versa. In other countries, it’s sold under other names, including Tiida, Latio and Note.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Cobalt, offered from 2005-2010, replaced the Cavalier model and was itself replaced by the Cruze for 2011.

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Who made this vehicle?

Introduced in 2004, the Nissan Note is a five-door hatchback. The second-generation model had been sold as the Versa Note in the U.S. from 2014, but it was discontinued in 2019.

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Who made this vehicle?

Showcased in Brazil in 2016 to promote the Summer Olympics, the Nissan Kicks, a mini-SUV, served as the replacement to the Nissan Juke.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Celebrity was a mid-size car sold in one generation, from 1982 to 1990, when it was replaced by a model called Lumina. The Celebrity was the best-selling car in the United States in 1986.

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Who made this vehicle?

The Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact car offered from 1982 to 2005 in three design generations and in sedan, coupe, wagon and convertible body styles. Several different four-cylinder and V6 engines were offered. The Cavalier was replaced by the Cobalt.

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Who made this vehicle?

This one’s a classic, the 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Monza GT concept car based on Chevy’s ill-fated Corvair small car. For the concept car, the Corvair’s air-cooled flat-six engine was mid-mounted rather than rear-mounted in the production model. One of its designers, Tony Lapine, became head of design for Porsche in the 1970s and 1980s.

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Who made this vehicle?

First made in 2002 as a model called the Kalos from Korean carmaker Daewoo, the Aveo came to the U.S. branded as the Chevrolet a few years after General Motors took over bankrupt Daewoo. The Aveo’s successor is called Sonic in the U.S., and is built in a General Motors plant in Michigan.

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Who made this vehicle?

The 1990-1998 Chevrolet Tracker was originally sold under a short-lived General Motors brand called Geo. It was built by a joint venture between GM and Suzuki, which sold the same vehicle as the Sidekick in North America. Both were built in the joint-venture’s factory in Ontario, Canada.

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Who made this vehicle?

Produced from 1969 to 1994, the Chevrolet K5 Blazer was replaced in 1995 by the Tahoe.

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