Poll: Should GM Offer A Compact Chevy Pickup To Rival Ford Maverick?
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For those out of the loop, Ford unveiled the 2022 Ford Maverick in June as a new compact pickup model starting around $19,995, equipped with a standard 2.5L four-cylinder hybrid powerplant rated at 191 horsepower and 155 pound-feet of torque. For the moment, General Motors does not offer a compact Chevy pickup to rival the Ford Maverick, which leads us to ask – should it?
As reported by our sister publication, Ford Authority, Ford has accumulated some 80,000 reservations for the new Maverick, suggesting that there is undoubtedly demand for such a model in the U.S. So then, if GM did offer a compact Chevy pickup to rival the new Maverick, what might it look like?
For starters, it would have a unibody construction, rather than a body-on-frame construction. This hypothetical compact Chevy pickup would also slot in underneath the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon in GM’s vehicle lineup, given the Colorado and Canyon’s designation as midsize offerings.
Then there’s the price. With the Maverick starting at $19,995, we imagine a rival from Chevy to slot in around the $20,000 mark as well. Indeed, there’s room in Chevy’s lineup for exactly that, with the 2021 Chevy Colorado starting at $25,200, and the 2021 GMC Canyon starting at $26,800. Throw an extra $5,000 or so on top, and you’re looking at the starting prices for GM’s full-size models, the Chevy Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500, which means this hypothetical compact Chevy pickup would round out the lineup nicely.
For the moment, General Motors is indeed working on a next-generation compact pickup, namely the new Chevy Montana. Interestingly, the new Montana will run a unibody construction, and is based on the GM GEM (Global Emerging Markets) platform. GM says the new Montana will redefine the nameplate’s legacy, with several teasers released to hype the pickup’s imminent arrival. Production of the previous second-generation model ended in Brazil back in May.
While this all lines up nicely, GM currently has no plans to offer the next-gen Montana in the U.S. or Canada. Rather, the pickup will only be sold in Mexico and South America.
So then, we’re left with the same question as before – should GM offer a compact Chevy pickup to rival the Ford Maverick in the U.S.?
Let us know by voting in the poll below, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more GM competition news, Chevrolet Montana, Chevrolet news, and around-the-clock General Motors news coverage.
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hell no. theres already too much underpowered fwd unibody vehicles on the road. buy a used colorado if you want a cheap truck or something.
Make a small frame and put the 2.7 turbo in it. They should also only offer it in awd. It would be a good rival to the maverick and upcoming Santa Cruz.
The substantial amount of interest in and reservations for Maverick and Santa Cruz should show you that this is a new segment that GM needs to enter ASAP.
These compact trucks are not for your typical truck buyer. They are for a new customer that’s very different than the folks who buy Colorado and Silverado. The customer is more akin to a sedan customer than anything else.
One thing I haven’t heard anyone talk about, and it’s probably because we have no idea, is what will the resale value of a small truck look like. If these things come close to holding value like most trucks, with such a low starting price, fuel efficiency, and the added flexibility, I anticipate these small trucks pulling more “car” buyers than many are anticipating.
Yes, yes, and yes. The manufacturers keep building bigger (and heavier) pickups while changing the size categories. Their “midsize” is as big as a 1970 C10. Stupid Ford discontinues its Ranger and then replaces it with a BIGGER Ranger. They sold millions of Ranger pickups. MILLIONS. Don’t make it bigger — make it better.
I had an ’07 extended cab Ranger for 12 years. Good size, good gas mileage, good truck. They should have kept that size and made it better.
There is nothing cheap about a used second gen colorado or canyon.
You are incorrect
I don’t always need to fire up the f350 to go pick up something from town. This is a great cheap addition to keep miles off real trucks.
the ranger exists no?
Chevy and Dodge will build something after they see the money they are losing. Montana was the name of the Pontiac van.
Ram rather than Dodge, but yes.
this isn’t necessarily about price, not everyone wants a big truck – I would say the Col/Can are narrowing in on the full size segment. I don’t see me ever purchasing a “big” truck, but I must admit the new Maverick has peaked my curiosity especially the hybrid at 191 hp and 40 mpg. Why can’t they produce a car or small suv/cuv with these stats at this price point?
The better question is, does the size of the market justify or warrant entering the market compared to other capital opportunities?
Yes, out of the Chevy Traverse.
I’d go smaller than the Traverse, which is mid-sized.
The Colorado is a bloated p/u. Thus, a run around, light duty pick up would be very successful. Like the Sonoma in size.
No, Build a Camaro EL Camino. The sports car frame should be able to handle heavier loads than Ford’s Maverick or Hyundai’s Penelope Cruz.
Plus endless burnouts.
3rd RWD better for Towing.
The camaro is unibody, no frame.
Before we say yes or no let’s just see how well they do.
The Ridgeline never has sold well it sells only a fraction of the Colorado and Canyon let alone the Toyota. Every FWD based truck to this point in America has failed.
Also the Maverick once loaded up is the price of a 4×4 Colorado LT V6 so it is not really cheaper.
The Maverick will see a wave of sales to start like the Ridgeline but after these initial sales will they level off like the Ridgeline?
To get the price down a Chevy would need to be on the Nox or Trailblazer. It is possible you may get stuck with a 3 cylinder turbo. So be careful for what you with for.
The starting price for the 2021 Colorado LT $35,500 is $10,000 more than the most expensive model Maverick Lariat Supercrew $25,490 starting price. Not to mention it gets 40 mpg compared the Colorado 24 mpg. So as you see it’s way cheaper and more fuel efficient
The LT can be purchased for under $30k in two wheel drive with a V6 and for just over$30k with 4×4 with a V6.
The Maverick will be over $30k very soon as these intro prices will not hold and if they do what corners did they cut.
Only the Hybrid in FWD will het that mpg and it will not tow or haul much.
The Turbo option engine is what most will pay extra for.
The Ridgeline starts at about $35K. The backlog for a new Ridgeline RTL-E is about 4-5 months right now. I just canceled my order for a 2021 (after waiting 4 months) when they said that it may get built with a black interior instead of the gray i wanted. The 2022 only comes with black. Sad when the buyer gets pissed and drops an order over something simple like that. They purposely restrict build quantities to keep demand/price up, that’s why they don’t sell as many.
Ford is doing with the Maverick what Honda should have done with the Ridgeline–making a small, fuel efficient, and very affordable truck. The 1st generation Ridgelines were big, ugly, not particularly efficient and expensive. The 2nd generation, while being smaller and better looking, are still not particularly fuel efficient and still nearly $20,000 more than the starting price of the Maverick. The Colorado is a much better vehicle than the Ranger, but GM is missing out by not making a compact truck that rivals the Maverick in price, fuel economy, size, and good looks. But, so is Honda, Ram, and other manufacturer’s who make similar trucks overseas–looking at you Volkswagen, Mazda, etc.
I rarely say positive things about F-rd here but they’re going to eat a lot of lunch between Maverick, M/E, Fusion replacement and Bronco line for the next 3 years, hopefully lots of Asian cuisine..
OTOH, plenty of mechanic schools will have new recruits
Familiar Of Repair Directions…
Yes. I’m not a car guy, just like the vast majority of car buyers in America, but I am in marketing. The small truck will be the next minivan. No one thought they needed a small van till they started producing them. In fact, the question is still not do people need a small van. The question is do people like the benefits of a small van and the flexibility when needed. The answer for decades has been, oh yes! With younger generations valuing experiences over many other aspects in life, the demand for a vehicle that gives the most opportunity for flexibility, lower price, and better full economy will sky rocket. The real question is not if GM should start offering a small unibody truck in the US but when.
Remember the S10-S15 pickups of the 80’s -2000’s? They were everywhere and did a great job of daily driver, and weekend trips to home center.
Should have never stopped producing them. Would love to have a S10 saved truck
“With younger generations valuing experiences over many other aspects in life …”
That statement has very little semantic content. Nothing does, nor can, have any value to human experiencers outside of some experience of something.
Do you mean something like kids would rather travel to a foreign country than buy new furniture or a new vehicle? All of that involves “experience.”
A couple things to also consider.
One appeal about the 2022 Ford Maverick is the fact that it has a low starting price. The base model has an MSRP of $19,995. This is the only truck you can buy new for under $20,000. But this price is listed before the destination fee, and dealership markups have been added.
But why is the Ford Maverick so cheap? It shares the same frame with the 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, which has an MSRP of $27,215. The hybrid powertrain is also shared with the 2021 Ford Escape Hybrid, which starts at around $28,303.
So, where are these savings coming from? Ford may have cut corners to reduce production costs.
Buyers are also attracted to the smaller size of the 2022 Ford Maverick. But it’s not much smaller than the Ford Ranger. It’s less than a foot narrower than the Ranger. It’s also a few inches shorter than the Ranger.
You may benefit from the additional headspace and passenger room in the Ranger. Plus, the Ranger has a longer truckbed for doing truck stuff. It’s capable while still being easy to maneuver in tight city areas.
Plus, it’s stronger. The Maverick can tow between 2,000 to 4,000 lbs. This is enough muscle for tiny campers and trailers. But the Ranger can tow up to 7,500 lbs. If you want a truck for truck stuff, it’s worth it to go slightly larger.
Not saying good or bad here but things to consider. The Maverick is based on a cheap CUV that is aimed to share cost the Ranger does not enjoy. The Ranger shares little with anything else and it is a less profitable vehicle due to this.
Ford wants to make the Maverick not so much for market demands but because if they can convince people to change over it will eliminate a platform that cost more and makes less money.
The Maverick is more a Business move than a customer move. If it canibelize the Ranger it could kill it.
The mid size trucks are not high profit as the full size that sell so many more units.
To be honest to do this truck right would be a full frame like an old S10 but there is no small RWD platform like the old A body to share it with any longer.
I have had three compact pickups since 1973 and loved each one for what it was bought to do, a ‘73 Chevy Luv, a ‘78 Ford Courier, and a ‘97 Mazda B2300(Ford Ranger 2.3L). They all performed for what I bought them for, and at the time delivered mpg far better that their big brothers. Today’s midsized pickups are basically the size of yesterday’s full size. I currently drive a Nissan Frontier and was parked next to a full size Ford F-150 from the nineties and there was only a difference you would have to use a tape measure to see, length, width, and height looked almost the same. I pull a 5000+lb camper with no problems, so today’s midsize is yesterday’s full size. Today’s full size have gotten so big and expensive I wouldn’t want one. So yes I believe there is room for a compact pickup for suburbia, GM should one up Ford by making it a little bigger and more powerful, more usable for something besides taking two garbage cans to the curb. Big enough to carry an ATV or dirt bike in the bed.
Couple thoughts and counter points:
The main reason the maverick is so cheap is because its a parts bin special. The bronco sport also offers a few offroad goodies and standard awd which helps jack up the price. Once you add awd to the maverick that price closes in quickly. Ford has already stated that most people are getting mid spec Mavericks with the upgraded engine/drivetrain.
The maverick actually has more interior space than the ranger for front and rear passengers since its not body on frame. That construction method eats up interior space like you wouldn’t believe.
Besides that though its not as capable as an actual truck, though most people dont really need that capability and just wanna be able to tow a small pop up or haul a couple dirty mountain bikes back to their apartment. The thing is gonna sell well for ford even if it has limited capabilities.
I have a Silverado rcsb that I got in 2014 when there was only one Chevy truck line. Prior to that had S10 crew cab 4wd. Before that had Sonoma 3dr 2wd with ZQ8. Silverado is good truck but for what I need a smaller truck fills the bill better. Hard to believe that the small truck market has been underserved for so long. Seems Subaru was ahead of its time with the Baja. Four door car based truck. Not a fan of fwd truck idea. I really miss the handling and ride of that ZQ8 Sonoma. Was perfect for me.
ZQ8 all the way. I have had 6 new of them. All new too.
I think Ford will sell a ton of these. By and large most of the buyers will not be traditional truck buyers so it shouldn’t hurt the Ranger sales too much. Just think of the average suburban homeowner that just needs something they can use to get mulch and flowers, carry a lawn mower or snow blower, etc. Or an urban young person that wants something tougher looking than a Civic and can carry their bike/longboard. Once the initial buzz wears off you can bet there will be some special editions to keep stoking the fire.
Plus all automakers will have to make tough choices to meet future MPG standards. A small truck could help there as well.
I say no because I do not see a big market for it. I think its too small for the typical F150 buyer who feels safer and more ‘truckier’ sitting higher above the car traffic around him.
Yes bring back the S-10
Would like to see survey of what former mini truck drivers purchased when they had to get a replacement. Between my 2 Sons and my brother I think we had (10) S10 trucks and Blazer. Half were manual trans version.
I skipped the first gen Colorado with an HHR SS now in second gen Canyon.
Just could not like the first gen no matter what.
In the ’80s and ’90s I had a Toyota and a Nissan, pre-model names. I liked them but got back into cars when I moved from a house to an apartment. I got a Tacoma last decade from my father when my parents only needed one vehicle: solid, but not good for my height. I traded for a first-gen Colorado, with a wheelbase longer than my old Merc Monterey’s. I got rid of it when I decided the few miles I was driving weren’t worth having both a car and a truck. If I needed a truck, I’d gladly go back to a compact. A mid-size, maybe, but full-size trucks are so big I would pretty much need a business, a boat, or a trailer to justify one.
Yes, I think this is already in development… But Ford, hit a few high points in the Maverick.. Price and MPG will appeal to a lot of people.
GM is conducting a feasibility study to be finished in 2030 on the feasibility of a small truck, then a six year run up to production, it seems like GM is Private Pyle on the parade grounds as of late.
They may lean on the Caddy XT4 platform and go after the well healed luxury-compact truck buyers . Less volume more profit.:))
The Maverick once things settle will sell more than the Ridgeline but less than the Ranger. Ford will do ok with that number since this on a share platform.
I too had a S10 and Sonoma ZQ8. They were hood trucks for the time but now owning a crew Canyon I have more space, bigger bed, 4×4, crew ab and 308 hp. My mpg is 2 better than the Sonoma. The price was in today’s dollars similar to my ZQ8 in price.
I had wondered about the size but the added size is in all the right places in the bed and cab.
Now if GM were to do a smaller truck based on the Nox I would love to see them have a cab like an Avalanche that would open for more bed space when needed, but then you add more cost again.
People complain about price but nothing is cheap anymore. There is not going to be a S10 for $9,999 like it used to be. Even the Ford with the options most expect it will climb fast to $30k and over. Also expect Ford to bring a price increase in the second year.
Ford will sale far more Mavericks than Rangers. Ford sold 89,000 Rangers in 2019 and 101,000 in 2020. In just a few weeks, the reservations for Mavericks are at 80,000. The demand will only increase once they are available.
They will sell many at intro like the Ridgeline. But then sales will settle snd it will not be as high volume.
Comparing Ridgeline with Maverick is like apple vs orange. Ridgeline is mid-size, Maverick is compact or smaller truck. At the moment only Huyndai Santa Cruz and Maverick is comparable as both are unibody and compact. OTOH, Ridgeline starting price around mid $30k, way higher than For M.
The Maverick base model appeals to someone who has a small business that does a lot of stop and go city driving. Getting the hybrid power train with the city mileage you will get is a win already. I personally use 4 cyl pickups for my business and they get about 20-22 in the city. If I can get 30+ from Maverick I would really consider buying it if the price is around 20k
I drive a Colorado at work. By far the worst vehicle I have ever driven. Electrical problems, sensors constantly need resetting. Had to replace engine at 100k miles. They better think long and hard on a smaller size. Get it right or get out of the segment.
For most people and reviewers they got it right. Sucks you had issues but that is quite the rare occurrence, most have zero issues or a miscellaneous minor one.
GM would just make it a rental car (truck) caliber vehicle, so no.
Probably not, let’s see how the Ford and Hyundai perform once they reach customers in large numbers.
They really need to do something about the Bronco and Wrangler ASAP though.
Yes this is key as these vehicles are replacing the Mustang and Camaro with the buyers of this generation male and female.
the Maverick and Santa Cruz are two different beasts The Santa Cruz is more of a lifestyle vehicle where the Mav is more of a work vehicle.
They don’t need to waste money in that fad segment. The Bronco will see sell for a short time then sales will fall off. The wrangler has like 80 years of nostalgic and recognition backing it, people buy it, once the newness wears off they see how poor of an all around vehicle it is daily and come to fruition that looking cool and unique sucks if not off road which most do not do then many sell or trade them in for something more appropriate for their actual uses. This will apply to the Bronco, you will see tons on used sales lots in 3-5 years. GM doesn’t need to waste money in a segment like that. We are in a unique time with Covid and people wanting to be outside to distance them selves from it and that is why toys are selling like hot cakes (boats, RV’s, SXS’s, etc) and once things return to normal then sales will as well and that will apply to toy vehicles like the Bronco/Wrangler. Save the money, apply it to better future vehicles that will sell for more than a few years and staying in the black and profitable on the balance sheets. You don’t do that dumping tons of money in something with so many unique parts for a short period to get a little press…