They're back. After a brief hiatus, the GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado return with refinement and efficiency heretofore unknown in mid-size truck segment, and load and tow ratings that lean on full-sizes.
Though no longer identical twins with badges removed, Colorado and Canyon are still mechanically similar, and while many things are common between them there are also noteworthy differences.
Disclosure: accommodations, meals, and predetermined routes were provided to the author by the automaker. Vehicles driven were U.S. specification but Canadian versions are expected to be of identical performance.
Walkaround
While the Canyon looks like a Sierra Mini-Me, the Colorado breaks from the Silverado and could pass for a sleeker Tacoma with Chevy bowties and taillights. Save the doors, roof and some hardware like mirrors and handles the sheetmetal is unique for each and the Colorado and Canyon appear more like their respective brands than one another.
Just 140 mm narrower and about 120 mm lower than their full-size counterparts, these are not small trucks. To illustrate, a 6’2” bed Crew cab Canyon is only 120 mm shorter than a Double cab 6’6” bed Sierra, turns only a half-metre tighter and actually tows more in the two-wheel drive V6-engine trim. When you hear “three-quarter” truck don’t believe it.
The beds are deep and tailgates high, but most lower and lift easily; all lock and have a backup camera. Although you can’t fit a 4x8 standard board between the wheel arches, bed-side contouring will carry 2x6s to enable flat loading those sheets. A quartet of tie-downs can be augmented with plenty more.
A hitch is optional but the frame crossmember prevents dragging the rear tire or bumper off when four-wheeling. The deep front air dam can be “removed with hand tools” for better approach angle, this is likely because power tools don’t fit in there and it is inconvenient.
Interior
With no attempt at a three-wide bench there is plenty of stretch-out room in the front seats, power cushion and manual recline; those with tilt and telescope steering and power lumbar adjustment are the most comfortable but none will wear you out.
This author's attempt at getting in the back of an extended cab was almost too successful as I promptly got stuck in the reverse; it’s good for kids, medium mutts and assorted flotsam and jetsam, but adults or grown children are far better served by the Crew cab’s arrangement.
Control placement is logical, the view out very good and the ventilated front seats buy another few degrees before switching on the AC. Two-per-door pockets are on the slim side, but the tall centre armrest hides a deep bin and some input ports.
Simple clear instruments are blue on Chevy and red on GMC, the data displays vary and surprisingly so do the controls. Controls are Left-stalk mounted on the Chevy, and on the wheel for the GMC. Although Colorado offers as many paint colors, Canyon offers more than just gray and black inside, and while the materials and finishes are fine for a truck, don’t expect anything along the lines of High Country, King Ranch or Limited.
Perhaps most striking about the cabins is how quiet they are. They're not silent, but easily quieter than any other mid-size.
Tech
The base four-inch color screen offers six-speaker AM/FM, USB and aux inputs. Further upgrades to My- or Intelli-Link add up to three more USB ports, Siri eyes free, text messaging alerts, streaming Bluetooth, Pandora, voice-control and navigation, which on GMC may require the Bose sound system.
A forward collision and lane departure warning system is offered on fancier trucks, though not on the Z71 or All-Terrain packages. During the media testing no false alarms, nor impacts got past the system.
OnStar is available on all but the base models for both Canyon and Colorado, with remote link, key fob functions and vehicle diagnostics like other GM products. However, Colorado and Canyon add 4G LTE over AT&T’s network, with simultaneous voice and data and speed claims of turn-by-turn directions sent 100 times faster…maybe you should get the V6. The 4G also makes the truck a wi-fi hotspot with stronger antenna than your phone and a 50-foot wi-fi range with the engine running or in accessories position.
Driving
These trucks feel solid and stable, even pulling a moderate-weight (4,500-pound) boat/trailer combo. Scaling down the full-size pickup yielded a rigid foundation with very little twist and flex.
The ride is properly controlled, with good roll stiffness and only a little kick from the empty rear end. That’s to be expected with payload ranges in the 635-735-kg-range and not something that sends the rear end skittering about. In the old days, you could soften things by taking 5-10 psi out of the back tires, but with modern pressure monitors you might want to just carry more tools and a tonneau.
Brakes are very much improved over previous generations with nice firm, progressive pedal action and solid performance; regardless of engine, brakes are the same. Steering is electric-assist with good response right off-center and decent precision: Don’t forget these are two-ton trucks with none-too-light wheels and general-purpose tires.
Engines are both direct-injected units also found in GM cars: a 200-hp 2.5-liter inline four and a 305-hp 3.6-liter V6. Unlike competitors and GM full-size truck engines they favor horsepower over torque, so you need 4000 rpm at least to get the best of either; mashed gas saw the V6 sail right into the tach’s red zone for it’s 6,800-rpm power peak. In those upper reaches it’s a bit rowdy, moreso than the four. With economy programming and highway gearing expect frequent shifting when not cruising the flats, and potentially twice the fuel use in town as on the highway.
Base GM pickups match the most efficient Tacoma on combined consumption, with the GM’s extra gears and more advanced engine offset by greater weight. Natural Resources Canada figures for the range of Canyon and Colorado trucks run from 11.9-13.5 L/100 km city, 8.8-9.8 highway, 10.5-11.8 combined. I averaged 11-13L/100 km in various 20-60 minute drives. The NRC figures for a V6 Canyon or Colorado are less than a litre better than GM’s V6 mid-cab full-sizes, and the Ram 1500 diesel is better than all of them. Where Ford’s 2.7-litre F-150 falls remains a question.
Both Colorado and Canyone offer low-range 4WD that can be flat towed (as can 2WD manual) but the Canyon alone has an auto setting allowing on-road 4WD use. Snow plows are not recommended.
Top tow rating is 7,000 pounds; max total truck, trailer and all on board is 12,500.
Value
You can’t directly compare Colorado and Canyon pricing. Canyon comes with alloy wheels and two-years’ maintenance not included on Colorado, and equipment availability varies. The base models are around $20,000 and can be optioned to beyond $40,000. This is similar to Tacoma which runs in the $22,000-39,000 range and Frontier at $21,000-37,000. Throwing out some full-sizes complicates things further, with a more economical Ram 1500 running from $37,200 and GM’s own Silverado extended cab V6 from $30,435.
The Canyon and Colorado are far better than the last generation, offer more horsepower and lower noise levels than the competition, and available safety features are un-matched in the segment. They’ll do equally well as a second car or pulling a small vocational or recreation trailer, and fit in your garage easier than a full-size.
