GM has filed to trademark the term “Onix” in the United States, GM Authority has learned.
Filed on February 14th, 2020 with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), the application is assigned serial number 88797485 and states that the mark will be used in conjunction with “Motor land vehicles, namely, automobiles.”
This isn’t the first time that GM has filed to trademark the Onix name in the United States. In fact, the Detroit-based automaker has done that twice in the past in 2016. One of those 2016 filings was simply for “Onix” while the other was for “Chevrolet Onix”.
| Brand | Office | Status | Number | Application Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ONIX | USPTO | Pending | 88797485 | February 14, 2020 |
| ONIX | USPTO | Pending | 87169225 | September 13, 2016 |
| CHEVROLET ONIX | USPTO | Pending | 87169248 | September 13, 2016 |
The GM Authority Take
The fact that GM is filing to trademark the Onix name in the United States is curious, since the automaker’s executives have repeatedly told GM Authority that there are no plans on making the vehicle available in the country. The Chevrolet Onix is South America’s best-selling new vehicle. The all-new, second-generation model launched for the 2020 model year in Brazil, China, and Mexico.
The all-new, second-gen model is now available in both four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles under the Onix brand. By comparison, the sedan variant of the first-gen Onix was marketed as the Chevrolet Prisma moniker.
The all-new, 2020 Chevrolet Onix is built on the GM GEM platform. Short for “Global Emerging Markets,” the new flexible architecture was developed to underpin low-cost vehicles for developing countries. It currently underpins the 2020 Onix, 2020 Chevrolet Tracker, and 2020 Buick Encore for the Chinese market. Other models based on the platform are expected to follow suit, including the replacement for the Chevrolet Montana unibody pickup and Chevrolet Spin small MPV.
We’ll continue following this developing story, so be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Onix news, Chevrolet news, as well as around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
The sedan has very nice proportions. I wouldn’t mind seeing this sold here.
Wonder what upgrades under the metal it would need safety wise. If any. Seems like the car is a home run all over world. If they can bring to USA especially if made in mexico could be low price replacement for Cruze?
This platform is not just for emerging markets like we have been told its for a lot of markets. It will be a good replacement for the sonic/cruze in the US. I know people will complain its not built in the US. But the fact of the matter is the parent company is in the US and it makes money off it and has many employees in the US who design it. Look at apple they make nothing in the US but people buy their product like its gold. Its a change that people need to deal with. Product that have good margins and can be made in the US will be made in the US. Products with smaller margins have to be made in countries where a profit can still be made when selling the product.
Good stuff joe
Well said Joe. Totally agree.
Thank you, Joe, for the very well stated and intelligent comment. It is a breath of fresh air on this forum, sometimes.
This car could easily be built at Orion to replace the Sonic. That plant has a special agreement with the UAW that allows for three tiers in the plant and suppliers that can do work traditionally done by UAW employees.
So my question is about the GEM platform for emerging markets. Although not made for this market due to safety issues (??), it’s a much newer platform than the much older Sonic and Spark, correct? Although both the Sonic and Spark have good safety ratings, wouldn’t this newer platform be better or more modern?
Anyhow, bring them here! Sell them at a very aggressive price point. Take back some of the market and then be ready for when the SUV/Truck craze tapers off and cars become a little more popular again. Hey, everything is cyclical and history always repeats itself. Cars will come back.
The new onix achieved maximum safety score
@Leonardo: Where did you find that? Was it for the USA standards or another country’s? There is a difference from our testing/requirements to others. Just curious.
I wonder if it will use the 48V mild hybrid system for stop start like the new Focus sold in Europe, which gives close to 50 mpg on the highway.
About safety: Onix scores better results than Cruze, Sonic and the last gen Malibu:
https://www.latinncap.com/po/resultados
Thanks Sigurd. It’s a little hard for me to understand much other than the stars and names of the cars, but my question would be how different the Latin tests are from our tests in the USA? But I guess it may be kind of mute, because no matter how you look at it, this new car does have better stars than the sonic. But I didn’t see anything on the Spark.
I didnt read about the methodology, but all the models were submitted to the same test i guess. Spark wasn’t tested, just the last generation, which achieved 0 stars because GM sold it without airbags!!!!!! The new Onix is a promise of apologize from GM to LatAm in safety, as Chevy models were known here as unsafety and cheap but reliable.
How far different can the mexico/Brazil/ other Latin america and china safety standards cards be from current/future us/ canada ones. Not much. I believe the Onix will be sold here with a 1200cc turbo triple and cvt.cut. if gm had any ambition they’d do it as a turbo pfi Miller cycle hybrid to ensure a consistent 50 to 55 mpg. It’d have the benefit of needing a smaller lithium battery , SO THAT ‘D BE cheap compared to a full BEV or plug in PHEV hybrid.
If they sell it here they should market it good, and make it a hybrid. One of the problems with hybrids are that if your out of juice, you cannot drive. This is because most hybrids do not have a Gas-Only mode. My idea is that you don’t market it as a hybrid, but instead as a car withy insane fuel economy. Normal mode would be just gas, and Hyper Miler mode would be hybrid. This would make selling the Onix easy, considering that Hyper Miler mode would be a major selling point. Just don’t mess it up by letting out the secret. Other ways to make it distinct-
AWD standard
1st gen sonic circular headlights
“5 door fastback” design
make it handle good
Escalade style huge dash
9 speed from Trailblazer
C8 convertible style two tone
VVT
at least 160hp
Atractive styling
reasonable pricing
2019 equinox climate control
good interior
good storage
A unique car, with lots of good selling points and no competition. A pretty good name too.