Earlier this week we brought you a rendering of a modern Chevrolet S-10 – a small pickup that could fit in a white space segment beneath the current 2016 Chevrolet Colorado, which has grown significantly compared to its predecessor. The hypothetical small Chevy truck rendering captures the spirit of a no-frills work truck, offering the utility of a pick-up bed at an entry level price.
Needless to say, we’d be remiss if we didn’t include a GMC counterpart. So once again, we partnered with RM Design to bring you a modern take on the GMC Sonoma.
While the our Chevrolet S-10 served as a more utilitarian take with its single cab, long bed and plastic skirting… our GMC Sonoma rendering imagines a truck geared more toward the active lifestyle, while slotting below the current 2016 GMC Canyon. Its crew cab configuration allows for a passenger capacity akin to that of a small SUV, while its shortened bed is still large enough to fit a week’s worth of camping equipment, or family-sized portion of tailgating supplies.
The interior of our hypothetical GMC Sonoma would feature some trickle-down premium features, such as an 8-inch touch screen with Android Auto and Apple Carplay, heated seats, weatherproof floor mats, and an upmarket sound system. Under the hood could be a plug-in hybrid powertrain, a 1.6L Ecotec turbo, or even a 2.5L Duramax diesel engine for those that plan on towing an ATV or two. However, this little GMC is first an foremost an entry level truck, so whatever needs to happen to have an MSRP ceiling of $30,000 or so fully loaded needs to be considered. Even if that means forgoing the diesel option.
That’s just us. What options would you like to see in an entry level pickup truck from GMC? And how much would you be willing to pay for such a truck? The comment section is yours for the taking.
Comments
This is a LOT better looking than the Chevy you did yesterday.
Just need a fully loaded RCSB ZQ8 version with some decent hp, manual trans, sport suspension, and a LSD.
This is nice. But it has to have hi end options. Many of us need a truck but we should not have to buy a huge truck we don’t need to get high end options. Why is small cheap and big luxury… Doesn’t make sense.
Let’s go GM, get it going!! How about a nice Typhoon version…for those of us that remember that legendary truck! A 4.3 with a turbo or supercharger, all wheel drive, and sport tuned suspension would be awesome. If you could build this back 20 plus years ago, why not revive it with new technologies available today.
they always skimp on luxury options on the smaller trucks it seems.
Smaller does not necessarily mean junkier or cheaper. Size is based on one’s needs and as a 5’4″ older woman i don’t need a truck so far off the ground. Take a look at the Honda Ridgeline 2017… 5″ closer to the ground but it is classy and really nice. Just wish it had something equal to OnStar. But it is waaay up there in price. Not everyone wants a big tall off road truck.
You basically made a GMC Ridgline for better or worse.
Being a past Sonoma and S10 owner I have a vested interest here. But there are issues that are not solved with imagination. These are important as I would love to fine the true replacement for my Sonoma.
#1 The Bed is too small. This is a major issue as Ford and others have offered SUV like vehicles with small beds like the Sport Trac that got a luke warm reception. They sold but not in the numbers they could and and should have.
How do you fix it? Well how about an option like the Avalanche where you can expand the bed into the cab for those longer item.
#2 the major issue here too is Unitbody construction or full frame. Where is that going to leave towing? While you are not going to be bulling a car trailer of such you still need the ability to pull a decent size boat or box trailer. This has been an issue with the Ridgeline in the past.
#3 Options. You will need to offer plenty of options be it a Chevy or GMC. That is where the profits are as stripped down trucks unless sold in fleets do not make money. This is why you do not see many on lots anymore. How often do you see a base standard cap short bed sitting around?
#3 Price it would be difficult to do the thing above so the truck would sell and still retain a price as you wish to do at $30K or less. If you take a look around you don’t get much for less than $30K in anything anymore.
I do not see the present mid size models shrinking much as I expect the companies to move to these as the new half tons in the future. Even Ford going small on the engines and the aluminum still fall short on the future MPG standards. I still expect the mid size to take the half ton slot and the full size to be rated 3/4 ton in the future to take advantage of the breaks the 3/4 and one ton trucks will see on CAFE. Call em Heavy Halfs but they will be rated at 3/4 ton.
To meet the price and size I suspect that you would be better off taking a Nox or Terrain and putting a small bed on it. Then take the cab and let it open up with a hard cover.
If you go this direction drop the old names as they are so hard to live up to and people will be expecting more truck than new CUV. Lets face it our old little trucks were just that they really were just smaller versions of the larger trucks. Something Unitbody or the like will not be the same.
The fact remains if they build a truck like my old 97 Sonoma ZQ8 extended model loaded today it would cost well over $30K today. The sticker on mine in 1997 was close to $25,000 back then. It also had none of the fancy options and expensive options today.
That is the problem with imagining as while these are good ideas and I would love to see it they are just damn near impossible to build and sell in real life. I think we would see something like this today if it were so easy and not a risky move. While it would sell you have to consider how well would it sell vs. something else they could do that may prove to sell better.
The fact is the Sport Trac and Ridgeline were great ideas that just under performed. I hate to see that as I hold a great interest in this kind of product. But there are too few people who hold this interest as I do.
It is just hard to do cheap and make it cost too much they buy the larger truck. It is a tough nut to crack.
Even to save cost just make a pass through on the best to take things 6-8 foot and leave the rear window in place.
Remember the GMC Envoy EXT that had the sliding rood. It was a good idea that just did not work out . Why price was the main and other issues. Even Bob Lutz said if he had to do it over he would pass. Good ideas just don’t always work.
Just make a truck similar to the 2004 Silverado that did not need a running board for shorter people to get in. That was a perfect size truck and a truck just a little smaller should be the 1/2 ton and what is now 1/2 ton should be 3/4 ton. Size is going out of hand.
I’d like to have one of these as my daily driver…but I think I am in the small minority as I don’t think there is a big market for a Small size truck now that the midsize Colorado/Canyon are out in the market.