When it comes to compact pickups, U.S. consumers have a few options on the table, with more on the way. Hyundai and Ford are both in the segment, while Ram will be soon. While GM does offer a compact pickup via the Chevy Montana, it isn’t sold stateside. So then, in light of the expanding compact pickup segment in the U.S., the question has to be asked – what would it take for GM to sell the Chevy Montana in the United States?
Let’s start by briefly summarizing the situation so far. At present, the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz both fill the compact pickup niche, while GM Authority recently reported that the forthcoming Ram Rampage would be introduced in the U.S. market as well. That leaves GM high and dry without a clear rival for any of these models.
That is, at least in the United States. GM already offers the next-generation Chevy Montana in South America and Mexico, so why not sell it in the U.S. as well?
For a number of reasons, actually. For starters, the Chevy Montana would need to pass crash test certification, and thus would require a rework in terms of materials and front end design. Further modifications would need to be applied to the suspension system in order to adapt to U.S. roadways and meet customer expectations.
The engine would also need to get swapped for more power and emissions certification, with the most obvious choice being GM’s turbocharged 1.3L I3 L3T gasoline engine, which puts out 155 horsepower and 174 pound-feet of torque in models like the Chevy Trailblazer and Buick Encore GX.
That said, the L3T is only built in South Korea, so other engine options could include the turbocharged 1.5L I4 LSD (175 horsepower, 203 pound-feet of torque) equipped by the Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, or the turbocharged 2.0L I4 LSY (228 to 235 horsepower, 258 pound-feet of torque) equipped by the Buick Envision, Chevy Blazer, Cadillac XT4, and others. In addition, the Montana is front-wheel drive only.
Then there’s the problem of assembly. Ideally, a U.S.-spec Chevy Montana would be produced in North America, as the pickup is currently built in Brazil. But where in North America? Given the Montana’s affordable price tag and low margins, a lower-cost production region would be preferable, with the GM San Luis Potosà plant in Mexico being one option, if there’s capacity. Outside North America, China is obviously out, but the GM Bupyeong plant in South Korea could be one option. If production in the U.S. is a must, the GM Fairfax plant in Kansas might work, as the Fairfax facility currently builds the Chevy Malibu and Cadillac XT4, but has no future products announced thus far.
So, to sum up – selling the Chevy Montana in the U.S. would certainly be a challenge, but not impossible.
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Comments
To do this right it needs a total redo.
It needs to be a little larger. More content, built in Mexico to avoid chicken tax, it needs a turbo 4 no less.
People see these photos but you seldom give them much context on how these are a more basic model that was never intended for Americans till this story.
Second just how big is this segment?
The Maverick may sell over 100k this year. But the Bronco Sport is dying. It is clear where the sales came from. So is that really a net gain?
The Hyundai sales are like the Honda noting yo brag about.
To do this GM needs to build it on an existing platform, the Nox?
Then the question is can they so it cheap enough to make money at lower volumes.
People forget the El Camino was taken out of production because its sales declined.
Then the First gen Colorado died due to low sales.
Even now the mid size trucks went up in price because they were not very profitable as they were.
The dream of a $9999 S10 base model is gone. Nothing worth having today is cheap.
Automakers would like to offer cheaper models but most will not buy them. The cost of materials along add up fast.
Now should Ram enter and anyone else will we see them all fight over the small share of the market? Most may just rob CUV sales as Ford is doing. That is like shooting one’s self in the foot.
This is a much more complex deal than just to say build it.
Even the G8 ST that GM planned was expected to only 10k or less models a year and they back the were going to be in the $40k range. Why because they expected limited sales. I wanted one but I was only one of a few.
Making it larger would defeat the point of it. Might as well buy a Colorado or Silverado.
I see you really don’t understand this is smaller than a Maverick.
As for might as well buy a Colorado there is a who,e different argument for that.
This is a very small truck and not the size you think.
https://fordauthority.com/2023/01/ford-bronco-sport-sales-numbers-figures-results-fourth-quarter-2022-q4-2/
https://fordauthority.com/2023/05/ford-bronco-sport-sales-numbers-figures-results-first-quarter-2023-q1/
They are doing very poor in the segment, mid pack well behind the Nox.
The plant has capacity of 300,000. Yet they can’t build more? Get Real!
I never made up the low profits of the mid size truck. The manager of the Ranger program outlined the difficulty of making money on these models.
The Tacoma is not closing in on the sedans. The sedan sales have declined back to the Tacoma.
You my misguided friend are the one full of BS.
120k cars is a drop in the bucket to the leading classes. Serious numbers start at 300k for a model.
There is a place for a mid size but only they focus on profits. The numbers they sell are not even close to a half ton model. This means profits are more important.
Sorry but when real numbers get involved it is a lot more involved as to where the real money is.
Ford is working on adding another shift but time will tell if that changes the next quarters Bronco Sport sales.
Still the Montana is a much smaller truck than the Maverick and would be at a major disadvantage at the same price.
It needs to be in a Nox size platform. A little longer and wider.
It makes too much sense to have a truck this size for G.M. sold in the U.S… so it might be a long wait.
A little more competition maybe? No that would chase these scaredy cats away. We may well see the new Ramage here in the US so once again lazy ass gm fails.
I for one like the style and looks, would fit as my second vehicle, that way I can have a bow tie in my garage
What would it take ?
Mary B., would have to roll the dice and stop listening to the bean counters !!!
I hate to hear: ‘Killed by committee !’
P.s. Build it in Fairfax, Ks. – USA #1 !!!
The cold harsh reality is this. All mfgs are in need of investing to have EV models no matter if they want them or not.
If it were not for the forced regulation GM would not be investing in EV products.
On the other hand Ford has been behind as the Mach E and lighting were just PR deals to make it look like they were working hard on EV. Neither are part of their future.
Ford had to let go 8,000 people to pay for the EV investment 5hey are now making. Many engineers that were responsible for quality. This is why all their products are being recalled for poor engineering.
GM has used a balanced approach to not abandon what they have that makes money and still invest for the future so they are not caught short.
Trucks like the 400 Hp Ranger are cool but they will not save Ford from their money issues. Same for the Raptor.
Things are going to get very ugly moving forward,
You think you hate it now just wait.
WHY EVEN BOTHER!!! …just bring back a pick-up most of us who really use a truck for a truck want …a smaller truck than the current Colorado/ Canyon …..make it a 2 door extended cab with a FULL sized bed and with more floor space to at least fit a tool box behind the drivers seat and those mostly useless jump seats. Add a V6 and 4WD for those who want excitement. Skip the turbo and that idiotic stop/start system. I’ll be the first one in line to get one ….i miss my old S-10 extended cab….it ran great, was easy to work on, and best of all, it was fully functional for both work and play.
Why not just skip it? Since we’re going to be forced to buy electric vehicles, go in that direction and be first.
Because the fear of them over pricing it would make it hard to buy . If it has 45k price point isn’t really worth buying ? Compact trucks 1st perk is the price .
Regular Cabs! C.a.f.e. needs to die.
Pushrod V6s! Colorado needs not be so wide.
Extended cab started the too long truck bs. That choice has to be a crew.
Do 3 wheelbases: cc+6′, cc+shorty and rc+8′, rc+6′ and NEW S-JIMMY.
Needs a real low-tech trim, then Colorado as high-country S10.
Segment Not for EVs.
Leave off the 3 cylinder corn popper that goes back to the GM 1980’s GEO brand. No less than 4 cyls, No CVT’s. Style it like a vehicle that doesn’t resemble an atomic cockroach and you have a player in the small truck market. If not, don’t waste an American’s time. Bad GM Mentality killed great brands, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, SAAB, and gave business to Japanese and Korean manufacturers. Change needed or GM Will go the way of Chrysler.
Wow, interesting! So because it doesn’t come to the US, they are allowed to build them in an unsafe manner?? I’m quite surprised GMA is allowed to print this story. I guess we’re lucky to not live in a third world country, with the likes of Mary B. signing off on building an unsafe vehicle.
I’m all for leaving the Chevy Montana in South America
On the contrary they are built to the safety laws of the market they are in.
These fully meet the standards of the markets they are in just as the other cars in these markets.
Almost all new GM models manufactured in Brazil use the new GEM platform, which has been earning ass 5 stars possible in LatinNCAP tests, which currently adopts protocols similar to EuroNCAP 2014, therefore not so insecure.
These mini pick up trucks, who really buys them? First off it’s the price. For many is all they can afford with a light utility use. If you really need a WT to do real work, it needs to be a mid or full size truck. Front wheel drive is not conducive to towing but other than a light utility one.
For the USA market, it be criticized as not enough HP, bed is too small, not much in creature comforts, hard plastic, etc. Take a $20K price tag and dealers would mark up the crap out of it and it would be $30k. At $20k there is so little profit but the profit is all the fluff that gets added by the dealers.
It is not Electric, So GM North America would never bring from the son to mom home !
Folks you need to investigate this model more.
This is more a lwb Trax which is smaller than the Maverick and Hyundai.
To counter here it needs to be based on a Equinox sized platform. It also needs a 4 cylinder and AWD option.
So many here are uninformed on the S10 in South America as it is. They cry for it to come here but it is here in the Colorado.
You had better know what you are asking for as you might just get it and find it was not what you thought it was.
This right here. I was a strong proponent of bringing Montana to the US until I found out just how small it really is. There’s a very detailed explanation video on YouTube about why the new Montana is actually TOO small for the US market due to CAFE regulations.
GM would be way better off building a ground-up compact unibody truck in the same segment as Maverick than importing Montana.
Blame it all on marketing. All manufactures of class A vehicles or small trucks make it appear it is nearly as large a mid size or even bigger.
People need to stop assuming and shopping photos. All marketing can do is take the photos.
Folks this is the result of being informed.
I would like to see a small version of truck. And be Electric. 5 Seat small truck would be light duty,
Or make a WT silverado ev to public, not fleet service
You could put in the trax engine in it and just tune it get to 200 hp it’s not too small . It’s fine size .
Would like to see a side-by-side picture of the Montana next to a current Colorado/S10. I remember my S10 in work parking lot next to crew cab Tundras and Rams. Looked tiny but was perfect or my needs. Really miss that truck.
Well, I don’t agree with this article. Korea’s Bupyeong plant is the first to be eliminated from Montana’s production site. The U.S. government imposes a 25% tariff on trucks manufactured in Korea. If GM makes Montana in Bupyeong and sells it to America, it will have to be very expensive.
Give us a $25K value proposition that can tow 2500 pounds, has 4 doors, and gets close to 30mpg and you’ll sell at least 100K units a year… The new Colorado, I’m sure its a great truck, but is still too large for my city driveway and crowded streets. I don’t need a truck, but it would be nice to have a small pickup bed from time to time. That being said, I’m not going to spend $40K+ on a truck too large for my needs. I would’ve have bought a Maverick three times over if I could find one or below MSRP.
Until the parking lots, fields and dealer lots empty of the full size, post cash-cow era disappear, nothing the average consumer actually wants or needs will be on the order sheets. How about a 10000lb battery silverado that can do 0-60 in 4 seconds with the added bonus of self unloading. Gee little em thinks new customers are going to drive small off-shores and then aspire to own a Gee little em product?
Too big. The Maverick and Rampage are too big for the intended class and GM could make a killing by going smaller. Certainly offer a 2-door short bed if nothing else.
The Ranger, et al, overshot their size class too and this does nothing for the class.
This. This right here.
While the GM faithful here argue whether the Bronco Sport is a sales failure, and that the Montana is “too small” and needs to be based on the Nox to be competitive with the Maverick, nobody seems to bother to point out the Maverick is quite large (famously as long as an Explorer!) and is not the re-creation of those old small trucks like the S-10 from the 80s.
There’s a market being underserved, and while GM wrings it’s hands and releases an $80k EV pickup, I firmly and truly believe Toyota is busy prepping their small truck offering. They absolutely won’t let Ford have that market without a fight.
The Toyota small pickup is called the Stout, It due to be out late 2024 ! I mention these information yesterday , So I guess my information is not worth listing ! I have been a member of GM Authority for at list 15 years, so my information worthless .
Offer a manual transmission, 1.4 T, rear disc brakes, Z71 package and skid plates!
Moderately equipped Colorados and Canyons are at $40K. Better equipped or specialty models are well north of that, headed to $50K.
GM needs something for the truck market in the $30 to $40K space for us poor folks .
GM should figure it out.
Then let’s do the impossible !