Can You Tell If These '80s Cars Are Ford Or Chevy?

AUTO

By: Bambi Turner

6 Min Quiz

Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Can you distinguish between a Fiesta and a Fairmont? Know the difference between a Thunderbird and a Camaro? If you consider yourself an '80s car expert, take our quiz to see how many of these vehicles you can match to the correct maker!

Let's face it — the '80s weren't exactly a great time for the American auto industry. Even big-time brands like Ford and Chevy found themselves floundering at the start of the decade. Not only was the country facing a recession, but oil embargoes and some serious competition from foreign automakers left even the American automotive giants spinning their wheels.

These two Detroit legends responded to the challenges of the '80s by focusing on smaller, more efficient cars that could compete with the Japanese offerings and run farther on less fuel.

Fortunately, a voluntary agreement with Japan helped to limit imports, and the American economy slowly improved by the middle of the decade, setting up the perfect conditions for the rise of the SUV that continued into the next century.

Think you can tell and '80s Ford from an '80s Chevy? Take our quiz to find out!

Which company produced this vehicle?

Ford produced the compact Tempo from 1984 to 1994. This downsized version of the popular Fairmont was designed to boost fuel economy and came in coupe and sedan versions. The Mercury Topaz was the Tempo's sister vehicle.

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Can you correctly ID this car brand?

A twin to the Mercury Sable, the Ford Taurus has been in production since 1986. While this mid-size was a success in the '80s, it became one of the best-selling cars in the U.S. by the early '90s. In 2018, Ford announced it was discontinuing the Taurus, along with its other passenger cars, to focus on its better-selling trucks and SUVs.

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Which manufacturer is associated with this model?

Ford produced the compact Escort from 1980 to 2003. The first front-wheel-drive Ford built in North America, this small car came in a three-door hatchback or five-door wagon design. Between 1980 and 1987, the Escort had a Mercury twin called the Lynx.

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Which manufacturer made this ride?

Chevy has been making the iconic Corvette since 1953. For the fourth generation in 1984, the company offered this classic car in convertible and T-top models — the first convertible Corvette since 1975. A 1986 special edition was modeled after the Indy 500 pace car, and the company also produced a 35th anniversary Triple White edition in 1988. The base price for a 1984 Corvette, by the way, was $21,800.

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Do you know which company made this vehicle?

Chevy produced the full-size Impala from 1958 to 1985. It was brought back twice, from 1994 to 1996, and again in 2000. The Impala was the most popular full-size Chevy through much of its initial run, and the sixth generation version made in the '80s came in coupe, sedan and wagon versions. Now in its 10th generation, there are plans to retire the line again in 2020.

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Know if this is a Ford or Chevy?

Buyers in the '80s were treated to the release of the eighth- and ninth-generation Thunderbird models. The G8 1980 version was downsized compared to G7, with a more sedan-like styling. A 1983 G9 redesign brought a sleeker and more aerodynamic styling.

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Which manufacturer made this ride?

Throughout much of the '60s and '70s, the Chevy Caprice remained one of the most popular cars in the U.S. This name was first used as a trim option on the Impala before becoming an independent full-size vehicle. The car was downsized in 1977 — losing almost a foot in length and more than 600 pounds in weight — and got a major redesign and overhaul at the start of the '80s.

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Know whether this is a Ford or Chevy?

The Chevy Camaro is a classic pony car that's been around since '67. The third-generation release came out in 1982 and was not only much lighter than the previous generation (they shed 500 pounds) but had a modernized fuel injection system to boot.

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Think you know what kind of car this is?

Named for a city in Monaco, the Chevy Monte Carlo two-door luxury coupe was produced from 1970 to 1987 before it was discontinued and then brought back from 1994 through 2007. The '80s saw the fourth generation of this vehicle, which was restyled in 1981 with new vertical taillights.

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What company made this car?

Chevy produced the compact Citation for a single generation between the 1980 and 1985 model years. The first Chevy equipped with front-wheel drive, this compact hatchback replaced the Nova.

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What is the make of this vehicle?

Chevy brought out the mid-size Celebrity in the 1982 model year to replace the Malibu and sold more than 2.1 million of the vehicle during its run. This sedan and wagon was itself replaced by the Lumina in 1990.

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Do you know which company made this vehicle?

Chevy produced its iconic C/K line of pickups from 1959 through 2002. The C-10 was a half-ton, two-wheel-drive truck available in short and long bed styles.

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Know whether this is a Ford or Chevy?

Is it a car? Is it a pickup? No, it's a Chevy El Camino — a coupe utility that came out in the late '50s to take on the Ford Ranchero. "Muscle car" is something else this vehicle can add to its resume; its fifth generation, offered between 1978 and 1987, offered a 5.7-liter small-block V8.

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Think you know what kind of car this is?

Ford introduced the Bronco in 1966 to take on other off-road brands like Jeep and International Harvester. Though this vehicle wouldn't reach the pinnacle of its fame until O.J. Simpson chose it as his getaway vehicle in 1994, the full-size SUV was still popular with '80s buyers. The Bronco is set to make a comeback in 2020 with its sixth generation.

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Can you guess the make of this vehicle?

Chevy initially produced the mid-size Malibu from 1964 to 1983, then brought the car back in 1997 to satisfy a whole new generation of fans. The name was first used for a Chevelle trim package before the Malibu became an independent model in 1978. The fourth-generation models in the '80s were available in wagon, sedan and coupe configurations. The vehicle is now in its ninth generation.

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Did Ford or Chevy make this vehicle?

Introduced in 1975, the Ford Granada remained in production through 1982. The company sold more than 2 million units of this luxury compact in the U.S. during its seven-year run.

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Can you correctly ID this car brand?

The Chevy "Sport" pickup was a special edition produced by the company from 1976 all the way through 1981. The truck came with rally wheels, a special hood ornament and fancy racing stripes, and was available in both two and four-wheel drive.

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Can you guess the make of this vehicle?

Chevy's S-10 was a quarter-ton compact pickup produced between 1981 and 2004. It replaced the Chevy LUV and was itself replaced by the Chevy Colorado in '04.

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Know if this is a Ford or Chevy?

Ford first used the Ranger name as a trim option on the Edsel way back in the '50s. In 1982, the company introduced the compact Ranger pickup, which was available until 2012. The Ranger is set to make a return in 2019.

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Know if this is a Ford or Chevy?

The Ford F-150 has been the best-selling vehicle in the U.S. since 1986. In 1980 for its seventh generation, this truck got its first full redesign since the '60s. It also got a rounded front and a whole new interior in 1987 for its eighth generation.

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Can you guess the car brand?

The Ford Probe was the result of a partnership with Japanese car manufacturer Mazda. Available from 1988 to 1997, the compact Probe came in a liftback model, similar to a hatchback. More than 309,000 were produced during its run.

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Does this image show a Ford or Chevy?

Introduced in 1964, the Ford Mustang is one of the most iconic muscle cars ever made. The third generation, produced from 1979 to 1993, featured a larger interior than the previous generation and came in coupe, hatchback and convertible models.

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Can you tell if this is a Chevy or Ford?

The Chevy LUV (an acronym for "light utility vehicle") was really a rebadged version of the Isuzu Faster. This light, compact pickup was available in the U.S. between 1972 and 1982, when GM stopped selling it and moved its focus to its own S-10 compact pickup.

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Can you identify the make of this car?

The Pinto was Ford's first subcompact produced in North America when it came out in 1971. The Mercury Bobcat, released in 1974, was a rebadged version of the Pinto. Produced through 1980, this two-door hatchback was discontinued after some major problems — including a really bad tendency to burst into flames when hit from the rear.

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Can you identify the make of this car?

Chevy produced the subcompact Chevette in the model years 1976 through 1987. The company sold 2.8 million Chevettes during this period, and at the start of the '80s, it was the top-selling compact car in the U.S.

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Which manufacturer produced this car?

The Ford EXP, produced between 1982 and 1988, was a two-seater with a sporty wedge design. It had the same wheelbase and dash as the Escort but was longer with a totally different style. This was the first two-seater Ford produced since the 1957 Thunderbird. Approximately 224,000 were built during its production run.

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Can you guess the car brand?

Ford produced the LTD sedan and wagon from 1965 to 1986, and models ranged from full-sized to mid-sized versions. The fourth generation of this model came out in 1983, and the car was a strong seller. The full-size LTD was succeeded by the LTD Crown Victoria in 1983, and the mid-size LTD was replaced by the Taurus in 1986.

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Does this image show a Ford or Chevy?

The Ford Country Squire was a legend of a station wagon produced from 1950 to 1991. Famous for its wood paneling, the first generation of this wagon were nicknamed "Woodies" — those panels were made from actual wood, where later generations had simulated woodgrain. Models made throughout the '80s were shorter and lighter than the previous generation. Older models are prized on the demolition derby circuit!

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Which manufacturer produced this car?

The compact Chevy Nova was introduced in 1961 and for much of its run was considered a muscle car. Discontinued in 1979, it was brought back as a subcompact in 1985. Now with front-wheel drive, this mid-'80s version came in sedan and hatchback models. It was discontinued for the final time in 1988.

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Can you tell if this is a Chevy or Ford?

Chevy produced the subcompact Monza during the 1975 and 1981 model years, replacing its Vega model. This two-door, four-seat car came in hatch, coupe and wagon styles.

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Which manufacturer is associated with this model?

Built on the Ford Fox platform, the Ford Durango was a two-passenger coupe utility produced from 1979 to 1982 designed to take on the recently downsized Chevrolet El Camino. Only a few hundred units were made before it was discontinued with the introduction of the Ford Ranger.

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Which car brand is shown here?

The compact Ford Courier was known for its excellent fuel economy. Introduced in 1971 and manufactured through 2013, the Courier was actually a Ford-badged Mazda B-series pickup. The model was discontinued in North America in 1982 in favor of the Ford Ranger.

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Did Ford or Chevy make this vehicle?

The Ford LTD Crown Victoria was a full-size sedan manufactured between 1980 and 1991. The wagon version of this vehicle was known as the Country Squire and had classic wood-grained paneling.

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What is the make of this vehicle?

Chevy produced the subcompact, entry-level Spectrum between 1985 and 1988. Built by Isuzu, and known as the "Gemini" among other names in other parts of the world, this small car was replaced by the Geo Storm in 1990.

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Is this a Ford or a Chevy?

Chevy produced the compact Cavalier from 1981 through 2005. It replaced the Monza, experienced peak sales in 1984 and then was itself replaced by the Chevy Cobalt in the '00s. The car made a comeback in 2016 with its fourth generation, which is still in production today for sale in China and Mexico.

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Which car brand is shown here?

Chevy introduced the Sprint to the U.S. in 1985. This rebadged Suzuki Cultus — available to GM thanks to an alliance between it and Suzuki — was renamed the Chevy Sprint Metro by 1988 and later became the Geo Metro.

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Do you know if this is a Ford or Chevy?

Ford replaced the compact Maverick with the equally small Fairmont in the 1978 model year and continued to produce this model through 1983. Replaced by the Ford Tempo in '84, the Fairmont came in sedan, coupe and wagon styles.

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Which company made this car?

Ford produced the subcompact Fiesta hatchback from 1976 to the present day. The second-generation remodel in 1983 came with a minor overhaul — with the biggest change coming in the form of wraparound headlights. The third generation, unveiled in 1989, put the vehicle on a different platform and changed its appearance greatly.

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