Introduced into the market, keeping in view the massive success of Japanese pickups at the beginning of the1980s, the Chevrolet S-10 soon acquired the status of being one of the prime competitors in the compact pickup truck line. The model is reasonably priced and highly configurable, making it every man’s ideal truck. Besides, it made the perfect choice for anyone not needing payload and high capacities in their full-sized pickup.

Model overview

During the model’s 23-year lifespan, two generations have been introduced in the market. People are more likely to opt for second-generation trucks because of their novelty and reliability.

The second-generation Chevrolet S-10 trucks were released in the market between 1994 to 2004. The model was offered first in regular, then extended, and later in crew cab bodies with long and short beds. The Sportside bed entered the market in 1996 beside the cab with three-door access. It was in the regular-cab short-bed models that the ZR2 package was made available. In 1995, it came with an extended cab, while the SS package came with a high-output V6, alloy wheels, and sport suspension.

Nevertheless, the boulder-crawling ZR2 package introduced some machismo to the S-10 series that was hardly present in the LS and the regular versions.

The ZR2 models came with robust suspension components and larger off-road tires with standard four-wheel drive. On the other hand, the extended versions of the S-10 model lineup came with a third-door access panel fitted on the driver’s side to help in loading pets, cargo, and any unfortunate passenger into the compartment at the back, having a fold-down jump seat.

1994 to 1997 S-10 Models

From 1994 to 1997, the S-10 models ran on a standard 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with rear-wheel-drive, producing 118 horsepower. Besides that, a 165-hp 4.3-liter V6 engine was offered as an option in the 2WD version and as standard in the 4WD. This high-output V6 engine emitted approx. 195 hp was subsequently upgraded in 1996 to produce more torque and horsepower.

As far as transmission choices are concerned, two alternatives were offered, including a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual.

Regarding safety measures, even though the models were sufficiently well-equipped, they often went light compared to other Chevy lineups, specifically in the initial years of this generation. Despite the standard rear antilock brakes, the four-wheel ABS was optional in the four-cylinder models and standard in the models with the V6 engine. Nevertheless, all S-10 models came with four-wheel ABS after 1996.

In 1995, a driver airbag was introduced to level up the safety measures. However, for passenger protection, the required pieces of safety equipment were made available only after the 1998 update. Thus, the first-generation Chevrolet S-10 series initial models were pretty rustic regarding safety measures.

1998 to 2004 S-10 Models

From 1998, the S-10 lineup went through a midlife makeover with aggressive front styling and enhanced interiors with dual airbags. The S-10 Xtreme, introduced into the market in 1999, was basically the street-oriented counterpart of the ZR2 lineup. It came with only rear-wheel drive and a 2-inch-lower ride height. Besides that, a body-color grille and bumpers were added along with full-ground effects and wheel flares, 16-inch aluminum wheels, and sport suspension.

Following this, the only other significant change that the S-10 lineup went through was in 2001, when the latest four-door crew cab model was launched in the market with a capacity for taking in five passengers.

Chevrolet S-10: A review

Overall, the Chevrolet S-10 can be considered a reasonably-priced, versatile vehicle for customers looking for compact pickup trucks. The lineup improved with periodical revisions and eventually featured superb ergonomics despite the low-rent materials in the interiors. The production continued in 2004 until Chevrolet decided to replace the S-10 with the Colorado lineup.