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CHEVROLET S-10 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

Generations: 3
First production year: 1997
Engines: Gasoline
Body style: Truck
CHEVROLET S-10 Crew Cab photo gallery

The 2001 Chevrolet S10 pickup was produced on the same platform as the Chevrolet Blazer, a vehicle that made the transition from a rugged off-road vehicle to a comfortable SUV.

The S10 Crew-Cab was a competitor for the Ford Ranger and Dodge Dakota. It was designed to be a daily driver and a workhorse as well. Poor sales led to the dismissal of the S10 and it was replaced with the Chevrolet Colorado, which was a joint-venture program developed together with Isuzu.

Up to the B-pillar, the S10 was identical to the Chevrolet Blazer. It featured the same headlights, with a chromed bar that crossed the entire front fascia from left to right. The base model featured black plastic bumpers. The rear bed was not the biggest in its class, but it was good enough for contractors, who needed a car for family and work use.

Inside, the dashboard continued the rounded shapes from the exterior, with nice touches of style for a pickup. It was the same dash as in the Blazer. The gear-selector was installed on the steering column. Apart from the front seats, the S10 Crew Cab offered a wide bench for three in the back. To make room for a bigger bed, the back of the cab was flat and that led to a fixed, almost 90 degrees up seatback position.

The only engine offered for the S10 was the 4.3-liter V6 engine, which offered almost 200 hp. It was mated as standard with a 4-speed automatic transmission. The S10 was built on a chassis-ladder platform, with a rigid axle in the back and front independent suspension. It was available as a 4WD or 2WD only. The 4WD version was fitted with a low-range gear.

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CHEVROLET S-10 Extended Cab photo gallery

Chevrolet replaced the S10 lineup in 1994 in a few cab versions and refreshed the lineup several times until 2003 when it replaced the model with the Colorado.

While its predecessor became famous thanks to the GMC Syclone, the second generation shared more components with the Chevrolet Blazer than other GMC groups' pickups.

At the front, the S10 featured a chromed horizontal slat that crossed the front fascia from side to side, separating the headlights from the wide and slim turn signals. Depending on the trim level, its wrapped-around plastic bumper was body-colored or black. Also, in the rear, the carmaker offered an option for flared rear quarter panels. In the Extended Cab version, Chevrolet installed a cab that sat between the Single and the Crew-cab, with a set of rear-hinged doors for the rear side of the cabin.

For the 1998 model year, the S10 received a redesigned interior with a rounded dashboard design. It looked more like an SUV than a utility pickup. Chevrolet installed a pair of bucket seats at the front and a tall center console between them. The S10 featured two rounded air vents and the stereo in the center stack, which was offered as an option. The vehicles fitted with a manual transmission featured a floor-mounted gear-stick, while the automatic version sported a steering-column mounted shifter.

Under the hood, Chevrolet offered the S10 with two engine choices. The base, 2.2-liter unit was available with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic, while the top-of-the-range 4.3-liter powerplant came fitted with a standard four-speed auto.

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CHEVROLET S-10 Regular Cab photo gallery

Chevrolet introduced the second generation of the S10 pickup in 1994, giving up the squared shapes of the first generation, and making the car more family-friendly.

After just three years on the market, the S10 received a facelifted version, which made the car looks more like a Chevrolet Blazer than a utility vehicle. Its rounded body panels and flush front fascia that integrated the headlights didn't turn too many heads, but it still offered the appropriate look for a pickup.

The Regular Cab was the base version, which was built as a work truck more than a family vehicle. A chromed horizontal slat ran across the front fascia separating the headlights from the turn signals, following the mid-90s Chevy's design language. Thanks to the separated bed, the owners could enjoy the lack of noises transmitted through the quarter panels to the cabin.

Inside, the S10 Regular Cab provided room for two occupants at the front. When fitted with a manual gearbox, the gear stick popped up between the seats, while Chevrolet fitted installed a lever behind the steering wheel for the automatic version. For the 1998 model year, the S10 received a redesigned interior with a rounded dashboard design. It looked more like an SUV than a utility pickup. In addition, Chevrolet installed a pair of bucket seats at the front and a tall center console between them.

Under the hood, Chevrolet installed a choice of two engines: a four-pot 2.2-liter or a 4.3-liter V6. The former was available with a five-speed manual, while the latter was exclusively offered with a four-speed automatic.

full description and technical specifications