Chevy looking to sell a pickup smaller than Colorado?
The Chevrolet Colorado hasn't been much of a sales success recently. Despite competing in what many feel is an untapped market, the Colorado's sales numbers in 2007 slipped by almost 20% compared to 2006. The solution? Possibly offering a truck below the Colorado in size that combines a small footprint with a fuel-efficient engine.
Mike Levine over at Pickuptruck.com sat down with Chevy's General Manager, Ed Peper, and asked if there's a market for a vehicle similar to the Toyota A-BAT concept bound for Detroit. Peper thinks its might be feasible in the future. What form it could take is open to debate, but Levine maintains that if it slots in below the Colorado, it might as well carry a New Mexico badge.
[Source: Pickuptruck.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
Dave 9:58PM (3/22/2008)
All the Colorado needs is a good V6(who ever came up with the inline 5 ought to be fired) and some inside storage under or behind the rear seat or both. An interior other then Charocoal/black. Does not need to pull a house just a 2,ooolb boat and hunting trailor. Maybe a little better outside styling, but do not make it look like the new uglu Silverados.
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Jerry Hooker 8:28PM (1/03/2009)
What to do? I love my 96 S-10, but want to replace it. The extended cab truck has served me without any major repairs for all of its 309 thousand miles. It gets 24 mpg on the highway, uses no oil between changes and just keep on going, but it is wearing out with lifter noise and rear end vibration. I want a new truck and looked at the Colorado, Ranger and Dakota. I won't look at a foreign vehicle. I don't want a full size truck, but am swayed by the reviews for the Ford F-150. That and the Silverado or Ram are much more truck than I need aside from the fact that I could barely fit one in my garage. Frankly, I am afraid of the Colorado and it is my first choice. I have always been a G.M. customer, but certainly am not happy with the way they have run their business. It is sad that I may have to go to a full size vehicle to get the reliability I am used to. What to do? What to do?
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pixelnate 4:38PM (1/09/2008)
The reason why the Colorado isn't selling is because you can get FULL-SIZE pickups now for the same price with basically the same gas mileage! It is *way* overpriced for what you get for the money, especially in 4WD trims.
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j_diesel 4:50AM (1/10/2008)
you got it exactly right. completely loaded the colorado should be about the same price as a modestly equipped 1/2 ton. right now you could get a loaded colorado or a base 2500HD. that kind of overlap doesn't make sense.
B-Rad 4:38PM (1/09/2008)
There may be something in this. Small engined, light puck-ups get pretty good mileage while offering plenty of utility. As long as you don't put anything in the bed too heavy for just two people.
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Dave 10:53PM (1/09/2008)
It would be even more efficient with FWD.
Like a VW Rabbit pickup, a Dodge Rampage, or a Subaru Brat.
The platform is already there. Remove the back seats, the back window, and 2/3 of the roof from an HHR and we'll have a FWD pickup with a 600+ pound payload.
VP 4:40PM (1/09/2008)
With Ford not renewing the Ranger, this is a great idea. As pointed out the Colorado is not a great deal. For a little more we can get a base silverado. I would love a pickup truck for the utility since i never haul anything that reqyuires the brawn of a Silverado.
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Paul Y 4:45PM (1/09/2008)
As much of a POS as it was, I sort of miss my old GMC Sonoma, precisely because it was relatively small, got decent mileage (30mpg highway, regularly), and could handle anything I would ever throw at it (i.e., I never do anything to warrant a full size truck, but a small one is super-useful).
If GM bothers to build a genuinely small truck again, and doesn't half-ass it (if their recent supposed upturn in quality is more than a fluke), they'd have a winner on their hands, and actually convince me to buy American, ever.
Mike 4:52PM (1/09/2008)
My 89 Comanche was indestructable. It was an intriguing mix of Frame and Unibody construction, solid axles, and the proven 4.0, AX15, NP231 driveline. I loaded 3/4 yard of river rock in it one one trip... if I went over 20mph the front would gently sway back and forth... so I kept it slow and she took it like a champ. It never failed me on the trails, and never had issue swallowing any load I gave it. Rock-solid reliable.
On the plus side, the price of Comanche's (desireable years, 89-93) has actually gone UP since I purchased mine in 1998.
Mike 4:48PM (1/09/2008)
Wow. After YEARS of internet chatter, is an automaker listening? Mighty Max, Ram50, Comanche, B2000, Hardbody, a Toy without a name, S10, Sonoma...
The Ranger is the only 'compact' pickup left, and its sales are lagging because there has been no real updates since the early 90's.
Chrysler: people have been BEGGING for the M80 for years now.
The current Tacoma 'midsize' is larger in every dimension then Toy's first forray into the 'fullsize' segment: T100.
The disposable, workhorse compact pickup is a market that is absent. I do not want leather in a truck. I want solid axles and bulletproof drivetrain. I want A-pillars that do not obstruct 45 feet of my view. I want a workhorse that will fit on the trails for $15-20k. Anyone listening?
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Paul Y 5:22PM (1/09/2008)
The worst part about the Ranger is that getting a 4-cylinder one is almost impossible, and the 4.0 V6 is less efficient than a 5.4L F150, somehow. I know this, because my brother just bought an F150 a few months ago, specifically because it was impossible to find a Ranger in a configuration he actually wanted. Ford really dropped the ball on that truck, which is unfortunate.
geo.stewart 5:35PM (1/09/2008)
tacoma is 5-10% smaller than the last gen F150. pretty crazy.
I wanted a small/midsize pickup when I bought recently but nothing worked. wasnt into the Frontier. the GM product is just all wrong. ranger is dated though the right size, toyota looks good but is huge (as noted). Dakota is about as bad. the snout on it is as long as the truck bed.
something like mazda's BT50 or the toyo abat would be fine.
TriShield 4:49PM (1/09/2008)
Sounds like they need a new El Camino, too bad they're giving it to Pontiac.
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Reality Check 5:24PM (1/09/2008)
I didn't realize an emblem made a Truck bad, or just a dumb buyer?
Throwback 4:49PM (1/09/2008)
I have long thought the "small" pick-ups have outgrown their market. Remember the Chevy Luv et al? I think there is an untapped market for a small pick-up with a 4 cyl gas and diesel engine. Although I am no fan of the styling, I think the A-BAT is a good idea. A uni-body small pick-up with RWD/AWD would do well especially as a first vehicle or runabout. No need to make multiple versions just do a space cab version with the flexibility of the A-BAT. The key is the base version needs to be priced under 18K.
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JWIL 4:51PM (1/09/2008)
I thought it was a mistake to discontinue the S-10 in favor of the larger colorado in the first place. And with the way gas has gone over the last few years, not to mention where it is heading, a small truck is a great idea.
And ford is doing the wrong thing to discontinue the ranger. I owned 2 of them and my father currently owns one. They are good trucks for light duty/day to day driving that get good gas mileage and are almost indestructible.
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Pan_theFrog 8:57PM (1/09/2008)
"Almost industructible" is why they are going to quit making them. If you are not buying a new truck every other year, how are you helping pay Ford's stockholders (Not to mention the CEO).
Now if anyone can come out with a Chevy Luv sized pick-up with front wheel drive and a small diesel motor (1.2-2.2 liter)...
I want a truck that comes in a bare metal, no pretty model for under $13,000. Once they do this they can offer the 22" AWD, oversized motor, 47 cd changing, 2 tons of crome version to the folks that want it. I need something to get around on the farm with. I am even willing to pay the $500 extra it cost to convert a diesel to run on 100% bio-diesel.
PapaWhiskey 5:52PM (1/09/2008)
I have had six S-10's from a 84' to the 93' that I drive now. Two were 2WD, and 4 were 4WD. The current 93' that I drive has 176,000 miles, and runs very well. It is an extended cab Tahoe 4WD with the 4.3 liter engine. I did just have to replace the torsion bar bushings, muffler, thermostat, temperature sending unit, and heater core, but other than that I have had only minor repiars since I bought it 120,000 miles ago. It has the higher ratio rear end so it get's about 20 MPG, but it can tow over 5000 lbs.
I too was disappointed that the S-10 was discontinued several years ago, and never liked the Colorado.
If Chevy brought back an S-10 size P/U, I might consider it, but only if Chevy's reliability scores from Comsumer Reports continue to improve.
JWIL 10:40PM (1/09/2008)
Hey Pan theFrog, are you suggesting that Ford should build trucks that fall apart every couple of years? Cause I'm pretty sure all Domestics have been trying hard to improve their image.
I live in Atlantic Canada and I see more Rangers on the road than full size trucks. And that is not an exageration at all.
If Americans weren't so "big truck crazy" Ford would make more money from Ranger sales and thus they would be giving it a redo instead of pulling the plug.
Menice 4:56PM (1/09/2008)
my '91 b2200 mazda was a great p/u
186k miles and i finally donated it to charity... wish i still had it.
that market is plenty alive and starving for an inexpensive small p/u.
Hyundai talk is already on the move w/one according to rumors.. they should hurry.
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