H Body
The General Motors H platform (or H-body) is an automobile platform used by subcompact cars from the 1971 to 1980 model years. The first subcompact car design developed by GM, the rear-wheel drive H platform initially underpinned the Chevrolet Vega and its Pontiac Astre counterpart. For 1975, the H platform was expanded from entry-level vehicles to sport compacts, adding the Chevrolet Monza, Buick Skyhawk, Oldsmobile Starfire, and Pontiac Sunbird.
In contrast to the globally-developed T platform (later sold alongside it), the H-platform was sold nearly exclusively in North America.
Following the downsizing of its larger car lines (the B-body full-size, A-body intermediate, E-body personal luxury), GM moved to redesign the rest of its major model lines. Following the 1980 shift of the X-body compacts to front-wheel drive, the H platform ended production for the 1980 model year. For 1982, the H-body vehicles were replaced by the front-wheel drive J-body; while again shrinking in length, the interiors of the J-body vehicles grew in size, becoming compact-segment vehicles.
From 1986 to 1999, the H platform designation was revived for front-wheel drive full-size sedans of the Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac divisions.
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