1 of 8
John Roe
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71
The all-new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Z71 is built with the DNA of a true Chevy truck and is expected to deliver class-leading power, payload and trailering ratings.
2 of 8
GMC Canyon
The GMC Canyon is nearly identical to the Colorado, other than some front fascia and interior appointments.
3 of 8
The underside of both truck is all business, featuring a scaled down boxed frame and transfer case shared with the 1500.
4 of 8
2015 Chevrolet Colorado Interior
The most impressive feature of both trucks was how well the interiors fit. They are as though they were tailor fitted to my needs.
5 of 8
2015 GMC Canyon Interior Detail
The GMC adds some slight upscale appointments including soft touch materials.
6 of 8
Despite the easy terrain, both vehicles felt at ease off-road.
7 of 8
The Goodyear Wranglers may not have provided much grip on-road, but were at home in the dirt.
8 of 8
The Achilles Heel of the Colorado and Canyon, a deep chin spoiler, aka “the fun spoiler.”
Story & photos by Budd Stanley, additional photography courtesy of GM
Domestic Revenge - Welcome Back Little Brothers! GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado usher in new era for the mid-sized truck
And so it begins. A segment that has been decimated and left to wither and die has all of a sudden sparked back to life. While Toyota and Nissan have all but forgotten about the last two remaining mid-sized pickups left on the market, GM have been hard at work to develop the reincarnated the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in order to make a big splash in the calm waters of the mid-size pickup segment.
It wasn't so long ago that we paid our respects to the Colorado and Canyon twins. The two were one of the last mid-sizes to fall during the great killing off of the segment, but they did die nonetheless. Victims of a market decline, growing regulations and poor sales numbers. However, both the Colorado and Canyon have risen from the ashes to once again take on the monopoly Toyota and Nissan have had on the market.
Don't call it a refresh of the old vehicles; these new trucks have more in common with the successful overseas Colorado than the old North American trucks. In Asia, the Colorado not only survived, but has also flourished in the last number of years. As a result, these new examples are directly related to the global platforms, with the exception of a little North American flavour. The new units you see before you, sport extra insulation and door seals for added comfort, as well as making use of the same transfer case and frame as the 1500 full-size, although the frame has been shrunken down to fit the smaller proportions of the midsize.
GM’s aim is to redefine the mid-size truck market and they have done just that, smacking both Toyota and Nissan in the face with the preverbal glove. Not to resort to GM marketing hype, but the list of segment firsts is an impressive one. Features such as Duralife brake rotors, CornerStep rear bumper, projector headlamps, land departure warning and forward collision alert, EZ Lift tailgate, AutoTrac transfer case, 8-in colour touch screen, aero shutters in the grille, hydraulic engine mounts, electric power steering and AutoLocking rear differential can all be found on both trucks. Onboard 4G LTE wi-fi connectivity is also available through the On Star system. Not to mention GM has put together an impressive assortment of optional equipment including the rather sweet tube rocker guards you see here, and several bed outfitting options.
Getting to the oily bits, you will find both trucks powered by either a traditional 3.6L direct injection V-6 or the new 2.5L direct injection four cylinder. The V-6 runs strong with 305 hp and provides impressive fuel efficiency and towing capabilities capable of hauling 3,175 kg (7,000 lb). However, while the GM power plant provides better and more fuel efficiency technology, it's just not as lively as the fuel sucking 4.0L V-6 motivating the Tacoma. The real surprise was the 2.5L four-cylinder. With lots of grunt, the smaller four-banger pushes both vehicles along quite impressively with only 200 hp on tap, yet still capable of pulling 1,538 kg (3,500 lb).
Both power plants receive their own 6-speed automatic transmission, while working trim levels (WT) will have the option of a 5-speed manual. Regardless of the trim level, I found that the transmission tuning is near telepathic to drive, if you want to drive in a civilized manner, the transmission shifts early and smoothly making use of the engines torque for the best fuel efficiency results. Get more aggressive and the transmission sparks to life and will always have an optimal gear waiting for you and will stretch out the shift points for maximum acceleration and performance. The system also works well when descending large hills, as the transmission will down shift to a lower gear to make use of engine braking. While I was thoroughly impressed with the transmission, it was possible to catch it off guard every now and then if I lifted the throttle on up shifts, resulting in a good "clunk" emanating from the transmission.
The interiors make use of GM's latest design language and are a pleasing space to spend your time, a little more so in the GMC as it has appointments that are slightly more lavish. Visibility is good, seats are comfortable, and everything is laid out in an ergonomic design. What surprised me most was the driving feel of the both trucks. They don’t drive like cars, but the driver does get quite a bit of communication from the chassis and steering wheel. The steering wheel and shifter feel as though they were tailored just for my hands, along with an extremely anatomical seating position, you feel very well connected to the vehicles. They are both eerily quiet inside as well. Learning a thing or two from their two older brothers, the mid-size twins interior comfort and sound deadening is second to none in the segment.
A brief jaunt onto a rutted dirt path offered a watered down test of the 4WD abilities, and yielded predictable results. For the Colorado, you’ll want to search out the Z71 spec off-road edition, while the Canyon is the GMC's All-Terrain equivalent trim level. With the front air dam unbolted from the Colorado, clearances were decent for a stock pickup; the transfer case shifted seamlessly from 2-high to 4-low, while the Goodyear Wrangler All-Terrain Adventurers made short work or the dusty ruts. The Canyon All-Terrain didn’t have its air dam disconnected, so clearances were a bit more nerve racking and it's clear to see that the removable aero is a must. Not content with the limited off-road attitude of the Z71? We’re pretty sure GM are working on a more aggressive off-road edition, say… like the ZR2, that could be slotted into the lineup in the near future, however there is nothing confirmed by GM at this time.
There is talk of the 8-speed automatic making its way into the line-up, and will most likely mate to the 3.0L turbo diesel V-6 that is due out in a year’s time. I was already very impressed with the efficiency of 2.5L, if the diesel is mated to the 8-speed, it's pretty much game over for the competition... well, unless Nissan confirm that the next Frontier will receive the 2.8L Cummins. That should become a healthy rivalry.
Finally meeting the Colorado and Canyon after a long wait, my expectations were high. I'm happy to report that GM not only met my expectations, but also exceeded them with a proper mid-size truck that receives a massive amount of features for such a low price. It is a great mix between the overseas model on which it is based, and North American attitude. Not only do they make great additions to the segment, they are both rather playful trucks that I enjoyed driving. I didn't have all the time I wanted to really get to know these two, but I'll be back in a future issue when I can get more than a couple hours in behind the wheel. The only thing left now is, how much better will the diesel be next year?
SPECIFICATIONS:
- MSRP: $21,695
- Price as tested: NA
- Engine: 2.5L I-4, 3.6L V-6
- Power: 200 hp, 191 lb-ft (2.5L) - 305 hp, 269 lb-ft (3.6L)
- Transmission: 6-speed automatic, 5-speed manual
- Curb Weight kg (lb): 1,987 (5,374)
- Wheelbase mm (in): 3,258 (128)
- Ground Clearance mm (in): 208 (8.2) (Crew Cab 4WD)
- Approach Angle Deg: 17.3 (Crew Cab 4WD)
- Departure Angle Deg: 19.8 (Crew Cab 4WD)
- Ramp Breakover Angle: 22.1 (Crew Cab 4WD)
- Wading Depth mm (in): NA
- Tow Capacity kg (lb): 3,175 (7,000)
- Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): 2.5L - City: 11.9, Hwy: 8.8, Combined: 10.5
- Fuel Efficiency (L/100km): 3.6L - City: 13.8, Hwy: 9.8