During a tumultuous time in automotive history, just before the oil crisis — when emissions standards sharply increased — Chevrolet debuted the LUV. The compact LUV pickup is clearly inspired by the trucks Japanese manufacturers were selling at the time. The LUV stands for “Light Utility Vehicle,” and has a 1.8L 4-cylinder engine. With a smaller engine, the LUV couldn’t handle the more rugged tasks of a full-size truck, but was more fuel efficient. LUV buyers got 75 horsepower and 88-pound feet of torque, which wasn’t all that impressive. However, the little truck did achieve over 32 miles per gallon on the highway, saving drivers money at the pump.
Not only was the LUV more efficient in terms of fuel economy, but it was also fairly inexpensive. In 1972, you could drive a new LUV off the Chevrolet lot for just $2,196. Adjusted for inflation, the LUV would cost $15,477 today, which is a far cry from the cost of a new 2024 Chevy Colorado (Chevy’s smallest truck), which starts at $29,500. Fondly remembered, the LUV is the classic mini-truck we wish Chevrolet would bring back.
