General Motors has just launched the next-generation 2026 Chevy D-Max in Ecuador, where the midsize pickup has received unique engineering adjustments to adapt it to the local market.
The automaker announced at the presentation event for the new 2026 Chevy D-Max that the brand-new Chevrolet work truck received multiple engineering adjustments in Ecuador, carried out by the Product Engineering Department that the company still maintains in that country after the closure of the GM OBB plant in September 2024. The 2026 D-Max went through a development process that adapted it to the tastes and conditions of the Ecuadorian geography.
“Our engineering work at General Motors is based on understanding our customers’ needs and developing vehicles that perfectly adapt to their demands. The new Chevrolet D-Max was developed and calibrated specifically for Ecuador,” said GM Ecuador Country Manager, Oswaldo León. “It is the result of an exhaustive preparation and calibration process, ensuring that it meets GM’ high global quality standards and adequately responds to the country’s conditions,” he added.
While it’s essentially an updated Chevy S10 Max, itself based on SAIC Motor’s Maxus T60, the new 2026 Chevy D-Max has several unique configuration and equipment features that distinguish it from the pickup variant first introduced in Mexico. In fact, GM Ecuador’s Product Engineering Department subjected the 2026 D-Max to a rigorous technical testing process for over a year and a half, in conjunction with engineering teams in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, the United States, and China.
The result was the 2026 Chevy D-Max, featuring Ecuador-specific engineering tweaks that distinguish it from the Chevy S10 Max as well as the original Maxus T60 which is also sold in the South American country. Unique technical features of the new 2026 D-Max include a 2.0L turbodiesel engine tuned for local fuel quality, a six-speed manual transmission with shorter gear ratios, upgraded alloy components, and a reinforced suspension.
Additionally, the new 2026 Chevy D-Max features exclusive design finishes such as the headlights and two-tone alloy wheels, and a new interior center console layout to adapt it to the Ecuadorian market, where the D-Max is a sales leader. The new D-Max’s validation process in Ecuador included approximately 50,000 km of testing and will continue after its sales launch, until it exceeds 100,000 km in the final stage called Continuous Improvement, which seeks to guarantee the quality and reliability of the components.
Led once again by the Equinox EV.
Ranging from 7,100 pounds to 10,000 pounds.
With double the rear cargo space.
The Vette was apparently stolen.
Celebrating the region’s boldness and pride, GM says.
Improved efficiency and power offboarding as well.
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50k kms of testing? Wow! It's ready for anything!
We need an S10 sized truck, again.
GM has one now for S10 if not what is the smaller one for
It's just a re-skin of the last one. You can tell the from the windows and handles location and wheelbase.
So that means it roughly the same size as the NA 2nd gen Colorado.
That's not a bad thing though.