Community Question: Should Chevrolet Offer A Smaller, Global Pickup Truck?
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Pickup trucks have finally gone global. Once a staple of American workmanship, the handy-dandy pickup truck has found love across the globe over decades. Specifically, Chevrolet went on the offensive with its global Colorado pickup truck, which is sold in various markets across the world.
However, Ram has recently taken to undercut the Chevrolet Colorado, introducing the Ram 1200, a rebadged version of the Fiat Fullback. Fiat-Chrysler Authority reports the Ram 1200 is available with a 2.4-liter gasoline engine or 2.5-liter diesel and comes with a six-speed manual transmission or an optional five-speed automatic.
It’s no slouch in the payload department either, with the 1200 capable of carrying 2,425 pounds when tasked.
Therefore, we’re here to ask if Chevrolet should make a similar move in the global market. Should Chevrolet offer a scaled-down alternative to the Colorado pickup?
There’s room, and a bare-bones truck could do well in global markets, where expectations aren’t nearly as high as in North America. That in itself revisits the question of should Chevrolet offer a smaller truck under the Colorado in North America, too. After all, Chevy has stated there are always opportunities.
We’ll turn it to you now. Vote in our poll and discuss below should you feel compelled.
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Seem to be forgetting the Chevrolet Montana…
Nick,
True, the Montana/Tornado exists, but only in select Latin America and South African markets. In contrast, the Colorado is truly global, spanning Latin America, Asia, Australia and North America. The ASEAN market is hot for trucks right now, and that’s where the basis of this community question comes. Thanks for your input!
Cheers,
-Sean
They start selling the Montana/Tornado in other markets. It is very similar to the RAM 1200.
Last time I looked the Montana had a 1.8 liter engine. Nice truck but likely wouldn’t pass USA safety requirements.
Agreed. But would it be easier to modify it to pass or build something entirely new as the article suggests? I’m sure it depends on the vehicle. It’s a numbers game. Design a vehicle for the US market and it will be over built (cost too much to be competitive) for the rest of the world or beef up an existing non US spec model.
A truck like the Montana would need reworked not only for safety but also for the American market. Even the Colorado is changed much for our market due to expectations and applications.
Even this takes time and money in a segment that would prove less profitable than many of the CUV segments as of now. They need to pick the ripest segments first and then work to these others as they become more needed in the future.
It is not a matter of if but when.
They will offer one but the timing of the market needs and timing of available development money will be in play.
With rising prices of trucks and the rising CAFE ratings will make this a must have in the market at some point.
The way trucks are sold and marketed will have to change as there is no way they can meet future regulations with out the changing of the line up from the present 1/2-3/4-1 ton ratings. Regulations treat the classes differently and it will call in the need for other options as you can only cut so much weight and only so many cylinders. Aluminum is not going to fix it all.
The Colorado is plenty big, too big for some. There probably is a market for something in the slightly bigger than a BRAT and smaller (and cheaper) than a colorado…an updated Montana with the 1.6t diesel might fit the bill.
Absolutely there should be a model to slot below the Colorado. Something around the size of the original S10.
It should have a 4 cylinder engines, all the modern amenities and 4×4 availability to truly be a lifestyle vehicle and light commercial applications as well.
Consider also that Hyundai has greenlighted the Santa Cruz which will slot below the Colorado. Chevrolet should not let moves in that market go un checked.
The Colorado/Canyon trucks have revitalized the ‘medium sized ‘ pick-up truck market so GM should take the lead in the small truck segment as well.
Bring the Montana/Tornado here if there really is a market for it.
Yes but it would have to be heavily modified to pass US safety and emission standards.
In Mexico they have something look like a small truck is funny in Mexico they have vehicle we don’t have in North America
Last time I was in geography class Mexico was part of North America.
A vehicle like the “old” S-10 Pick up would be nice.
I would buy one.
Thank you
A pickup sized like the 1st gen Colorado would be perfect.
But give us a ZQ8 option for crying out loud.
Chicken Tax… It’s hard to make a global light duty truck.
That said, I wish they brought the Montana truck to the USA, and also brought the UTE SSV over to the USA.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicken_tax
Bring it here and name it the S10. I have always said that Chevy should have stayed with a Truck the size of the S10 and let GMC handle the midsize. Seeing as that didn’t happen I still think there is room for a truck below the Colorado.
Smaller version of the Colorado would be nice but what I would really like to purchase and see offered in the USA is the Chevy Trailblazer that’s offered in India.
I’d go back to something like an S10. Had a couple over the years. My Silverado is too big for homeowner in suburbs. So is Colorado for that matter. El Camino would be perfect but that ship has sailed
I am personally all about smaller trucks, old school… So yes in my opinion they should… As our economy continues to evolve their will be a need for more reasonably priced fun to drive small pickup trucks. Yes the Colorado is nice but no it is not reasonably priced even in its lowest trim option with a 4 banger. Please make a small fun to drive Truck. GM stop being the follower and grow some balls….
I understand this is about economies of scale and investment into something new. But like Scott3 said things are changing rapidly. How something like this is not in the works Is shocking at best. Similar to the fact that GM has nothing planned to counter the euro vans on the commercial side… Mind blown…
Who says there is nothing planned?
Just because it is not in the media does not mean there are things in place.
Also GM has had a lot to focus on and fix that are much higher profit and volume models. They have a small van coming but do not have the time and man power allocated to it as they are already on more higher volume things like the Colorado and coming full size trucks.
They bought time with the re banged Nissan and stated they will bring theirs out in the future.
Even a company as large as GM can not afford to do all the programs they want and need at one time anymore. .
I like the model that is in second photo, that is being used for this discussion !! Call it the Colorado S-10 and use the 2.5 gas and 2.5 diesel engines.
GMC Granite CPU pickup truck compact, Chevrolet S10 pickup truck compact, global trucks on these new D2xx chassis. This has been talk about before, two or three years a go, how gm was going to build a small compact unibody truck. There going to build it, because people are most like going to medium and then too small in the future.
Everyone is forgetting that selling something is about making money, not to sell as much as you can and lose money; which is the old GM. GM has already looked into this, especially S.E. Asia. If you remember, a couple of months ago, GM said that they would no longer be offering work trucks for the Thailand market, but high end trucks instead. And that GM and Isuzu would go there own ways, since they both sell to different demographics. A low end work truck is going to have small margins where 30k to 40k pickups are like printing money. GM will go up market, yet keep volumes steady as demand rises; thus make more money that investing (risking) investments in new factories for a low margin vehicle. Lastly, any down market vehicle will compete with high end products forcing reducing aggregate margins and profitability.
This is important to note… its also the argument I use when people talk about why doesn’t GM sell more stripped down cheaper trucks.
You only sell something to customers when it is financially worthwhile, and people gravitate to the vehicle that fits their needs best. If you need a small truck and there ARE NO small trucks, what do you gravitate to? If its a higher margin midsize or even a higher margin sedan or SUV, great for GM!
They aren’t there to just move metal. They are there to maximize profit.
HELL YEAH! If I were Mary Barra I would call it the S10. The base engine would be 2.0 litre turbo 4.
Exactly Tom, 100%. I had a 1985 GMC S15 with the ZQ8 option (the first year for it) and loved it. The one thing it needed was more horsepower. We have the 2.0 litre turbo in a 2008 HHR SS and really like it. Sold the S15 to buy a 1992 S10 Blazer Sport with the 200hp 4.3 V6 which at the time was good power, loved it too. A note about the size of the current Colorado, it’s the size of my 1981 GMC 1500.
You forget in your global perspective that South Africa has used pick ups for decades