Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon Aim at Mid-Size Pickup Market

Cars and Drivers

Published: June 21, 2014 9:50 am

General Motors Co. (NYSE: GM) already has had a great deal of success in the full-size pickup market, which only has three significant competitors. Its Chevy Silverado ranks second among the big pickups in sales, behind the perennial leader, Ford Motor Co.’s (NYSE: F) F-Series, and ahead of Chrysler’s Ram. The much more competitive mid-sized market is about to get two new entries: the new Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon.

Options are one of the critical factors that make a pickup successful. The F-Series has dozens of combinations, which can drive its price from $25,000 to more than $60,000. GMC and Chevy will cater to this with two engine sizes and towing capacities. These separate the recreational driver from those who actually use the trucks for work.

The standard engine for the 2015 Colorado has only four cylinders, which makes it stingy with gas. It puts out 200 HP and 191 lb.-feet of torque. The larger engine has 305 HP and 269 lb.-feet for torque. It can tow 7,000 pounds.

The two trucks face entrenched competition. Interestingly enough, these are primarily from the Japanese, which have failed in the full-sized market. They are the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Motor Corp.’s (NYSE: TM) Takoma. While the GM models have not been given prices, the base price for the 2014 Frontier is $20,510. For the Takoma, the base is $18,125. GM will not price its new trucks above that. But, like its Japanese rivals, options and packages can push prices to double their bases.

In introducing the two new pickups, GM was plain about its understanding that the products have to be customized by drivers to make them successful:

“Every decision we made considered the wants and needs of midsize truck customers. The 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are engineered to deliver class leading horsepower,” said Anita Burke, vehicle chief engineer for Midsize Trucks. “Not everyone needs the size or the capability of a full-sized pickup. Now customers have a viable option in a smaller package.”

Next year, the industry will find out if that is enough.

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