10 Models with Geographically Inspired Names

Naming a car is an art. While some automakers settle for a combination of letters and numbers, others spend a lot of time researching a name that will stand out and resonate with customers.

Geography seems to be a good place to find cool names for cars and trucks. Here’s a list of 10 models named after a city, state or some other location.

Chevrolet Malibu
California dreaming… Chevrolet has been using the Malibu name for many years as a reference to the famous West Coast beach. But instead of slapping it on the body of a fun little roadster or something like that, the company chose this moniker for its midsize sedan.

Hyundai Santa Fe
The Korean manufacturer likes to name its SUVs after some American cities in the Midwest. The Tucson is one example, just like the larger Santa Fe shown above. Inspired by the capital and cultural centre of New Mexico, the latter offers plenty of space.

Hyundai Kona
Hyundai’s hot new Kona earned its name for a good reason. It refers to Kailua-Kona, a region in the western part of the Island of Hawaii.

Kia Telluride
Despite wearing a Korean badge, Kia’s latest SUV is as American as a cheeseburger. This U.S.-built three-row vehicle is named after the city of Telluride, Colorado, which is renowned for its ski resorts.

Chevrolet Colorado
Speaking of Colorado, this U.S. state from the Midwest is how Chevrolet decided to call its midsize pickup. Imagine spotting a Colorado with a Colorado licence plate!

Toyota Tacoma
Another midsize pickup with a geographically inspired name is the tireless Toyota Tacoma. It refers to a city of 200,000 people located in the state of Washington, just south of Seattle.

GMC Yukon
The U.S. is not the only country that inspires automakers. The GMC Yukon full-size SUV shares its name with one of Canada’s three northern territories.

Kia Rio
Kia’s sub-compact car evokes the Brazilian metropolis, which is home to more than 10 million people. In Portugese and Spanish, “Rio” means river.

Dodge Durango
Let’s go back to the U.S. The Dodge Durango is named after a city in Colorado. Are you seeing a trend here?

Alfa Romeo Montréal
Canada’s second largest city inspired Alfa Romeo to name one of its cars after it. Sold from 1970-1977, the Montréal was originally introduced as a concept at Expo 67. Ironically, though, it was not even available in Canada!