GM lifted the curtain and showed the world its 2015 Chevy Colorado at the 2013 LA Auto Show. The new truck is almost entirely brand new and will be a direct competitor to the Toyota Tacoma – the current midsize truck king. Here is what you need to know.
The new truck mirrors the look of the all-new Chevy Silverado and yet stands apart. It is much more rugged and stylish than the outgoing model and that should bode well for its sales success. By comparison to the large 1/2-ton models, this truck is almost 6 inches narrower, 18 inches shorter, 3 inches lower and almost 1,000lbs lighter. This size fits GM’s sales plan of having a small, medium and large truck lineup.
Powering the truck, and probably the most exciting news, are three new engines choices. The base engine is a 2.5L 4-cyl engine rated at 193 HP with 184 lb-ft of torque. Also being offered is a 3.6L V-6 with 302 hp and 207 lb-ft of torque. Yet, the BIG news is a 2.8L, 4cyl DIESEL engine. This “baby” Duramax will use a U.S.-tuned diesel engine from overseas. It will be the first time in recent memory that a midsize truck will have a diesel engine offering. Expectations are that it will offer the same 200 hp and 368 lb-ft torque that the overseas model does.
Chevy will offer the truck in three trim levels (WT, LT, Z71) and two cab configurations – extended and crew cab (notice, no regular cab). It will also offer either a 5-foot or 6-foot bed.
On the inside, the styling has many similarities with the Silverado including the instrument panel. It features an 8-inch navigation screen with GM’s MyLink infotainment system. It will have “kids-sized” seating in the extended cab model. The seats in the extended cab can fold flat or can be removed entirely as an ordering option. Chevy will also use the triple seal technique from the Silverado to create a really quiet cabin.
The Colorado will probably start at under $20k in order to create a sufficient price gap between it and the full-size models. Expectations are that it will hit the mid 20s in fuel economy.
While the new truck offering is exciting, the big question is: did GM do enough to cut into Tacoma sales? That remains to be seen.
