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Let's look back, and then at where this market is now. Last year the Tacoma and Nissan Frontier were the mid-size market. Honda had dropped out temporarily and put its Ridgeline on ice while it redesigned its car-like truck. Toyota was selling roughly 10,000 to 11,000 Tacomas per month and had been for a long time. Toyota Tacomas share their production with the Tundra, and Toyota was at two full shifts and happy as a clam. The Frontier's sales were more volatile. Monthly, the Frontier typically sold about 6,000 units if we had to pick one number. Thus, the size of the market was about 16,000 trucks every month. Then GM wisely saw an opening in the market to come back with a new, better, and slightly larger Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon. That truck has now been in the market for over seven months and according to a recent press announcement, "Demand for the all-new Colorado midsize pickup is rising faster than GM’s ability to increase production, even with the addition of a third production shift in March." Since there is not much room for added capacity after a third and final shift, some plants now have workers skipping lunch to make a few trucks and earn some welcome overtime pay. After that, there is not much more room until and unless GM adds a production line, which will take time. Last October Toyota released a quiet note amid the fanfare surrounding the new Colorado saying it thought it could sell more Tacomas and would, therefore, ramp up its truck production lines to three shifts from two. It said that the capacity would be on-line in Q2 2015. This past month of May, that production came on line, and Toyota sold 17,520 Tacomas. That is a 60% increase in sales and truck production in a single month (since 6,500 is 60% of 11,000). The Frontier was down a bit, but in total the mid-size truck market is now running at a monthly rate of about 35,000 vehicles per month. GM's said yesterday about the Colorado, "With 8,881 sales in May, the Colorado controls about one-quarter of the retail market for midsize pickups..." So multiplying by four we see that our estimate of the market's size is about right. With both Toyota and GM now selling all the mid-size trucks they can in a market that increased in size more than 100% in just 7 months, the real question is how did Ford and Ram not see this coming?

View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon32.jpg View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon31.jpg A new start Last offered in 2012, the Colorado and Canyon were honorable replacements for the old but respected S-10 and Sonoma. Developed by Isuzu and adapted by General Motors, the first Colorado and Canyon never represented the integrated product that the Chevrolet and GMC lineup deserved. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon35.jpg The 2015 models are the exact opposite. Developed entirely in-house, the company has been able to engineer two new pickups that mirror the features and packaging of their larger, full-size family members. Now buyers can choose full-size or mid-size without giving up features, options, or comfort. Like many automakers, GM is not linking the size of the vehicle to how comfortable and feature rich it can be. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon37.jpg That means that the new Colorado and Canyon can now be equipped with features you could not previously find in the last generation. The same Chevy MyLink or GMC Intellilink systems from the Silverado and Sierra are available, with the same large 8-inch screens and same optional navigation. Heated seats, hill-descent, Bose sound system, and a tow-haul mode have also migrated from the full-size models. The 2015 Colorado and Canyon can be purchased with one of two engines. Each has it’s purpose and strong suits. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon28.jpg 2.5L I4 - 200 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque The base engine, a four-cylinder, is on the roster for customers who need fuel economy over all else. Power is adequate but if you’re planning on any amount of towing or hauling, you’re going to be better off with the V6. With that said, fuel economy is excellent and a two-wheel-drive truck with the 2.5L is rated up to 27MPG on the highway. A four-cylinder, extended cab, two-wheel-drive base truck is offering a significant value to someone who wants a small, affordable, versatile and comfortable vehicle. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon43.jpg 3.6L V6 - 305 horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque The optional 3.6L V6 is the same engine you’ll find in other GM models like the Camaro. It’s been recalibrated and specifically tuned for use in a truck. Low end torque is improved and the entire engine RPM range feels beefy and powerful. With the optional frame mounted hitch and a 3.6L V6, the Colorado/Canyon can tow up to 7,000lbs. Considering most full-size truck owners tow on average under 5,000lbs, a 305-horsepower mid-size will accomplish a lot more than you might think. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon45.jpg Two cab sizes Aside from two engine choices, buyers can also pick between extended cab and crew-cab models. Short and long bed options are also available. No regular cab is offered (yet) but the seats in an extended cab can be deleted if a customer desires. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon54.jpg Behind the wheel This new pair of pickups understandably share the same driving experience. Aside from the outside looks and interior appointments, the engine, suspension, and chassis tuning is exactly the same. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon02.jpg After a few hours behind the wheel of a few different examples, two things really stand out as major and noticeable improvements over the past generation of Colorado and Canyon. First, the pair now drive far more like a crossover than a truck. A fully boxed frame means less wiggles and shakes, along with a planted feel. Properly tuned steering provides for a lot of confidence that the truck will end up where you intend on the road. These are every-single-day comfortable vehicles. Second, the trucks are surprisingly maneuverable. From super tight u-turns, squeezing through small back city streets, to tight off-road trails; the Colorado will fit in all sorts of places the Silverado never could. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon19.jpg A few shortcomings For all that the 2015 Colorado and Canyon do right, we still found a few things we didn’t like. For example, the interior is bland and boring. GMC models get a soft touch dash to make up for it but the Colorado is left with a rather cheap looking plastic. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon30.jpg View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon36.jpg We’re a little confused with the styling direction taken by the two brands. We’re excited that the two pickups look very little alike but while the Canyon is a carbon-copy of the larger Sierra, the Colorado looks nothing like the Silverado. View attachment: 2015_Colorado_Canyon50.jpg Final Thoughts GM argues that many midsize pickup buyers have been disenfranchised by the lack of options over the past decade. They are confident that by offering models in this segment that have the refinement and features of other modern vehicles, they can lure back customers from the crossover and suv segment. With the competition in such rough shape, that argument holds a lot of water. However, a redesigned Tacoma can’t be that far off and it will take time to see if the Colorado and Canyon can establish themselves as the new leaders in this segment. It will be hard to declare these trucks an overnight success but the cards are stacked in their favor. There is no doubt these are the most feature rich midsize pickups ever built. It’s exciting that customers can finally choose a pickup’s size and features independently of one another. That's not something any other automaker offers.

The vehicles tested for the title were: Chevrolet Colorado WT and Colorado Z71 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD Ford F150 2.7L EcoBoost and 3.5L EcoBoost Ford F-450 Ford Transit 350 HR and Transit 150 MR GMC Canyon SLT GMC Sierra Denali 2500 HD Also read: Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 concept marks return of legendary moniker Beating out the Ford's all new F-150 is a huge win for Chevrolet, as Truck of the Year winners typically use the award as leverage for marketing to consumers. Plan on seeing the Motor Trend Golden Calipers alongside the Colorado alot this year. How did the Editors of MT make their decision? Chevrolet says testing regimen went down like this: To determine which truck deserved top honors, the MOTOR TREND test team subjected all of the contenders to numerous instrumented and real-world road tests. First up was standard MOTOR TREND testing, which included: 0-60 mph and 1/4-mile acceleration, 60-0 mph braking, and maximum lateral grip - all without payload or trailered loads. A specific payload was then added to each truck and van, and the vehicles were then driven more than 250 miles to the Arizona/Nevada border to evaluate ride quality and loaded fuel economy. The vehicles were driven up and down the famed Davis Dam in Bullhead City, Ariz., for further assessment, including an instrumented test designed to simulate a passing situation while carrying a load. The team then moved to a world-class automotive proving grounds for instrumented acceleration tests with nominal weight trailers. Truck and trailer were also driven through a short handling course to evaluate acceleration, braking, maneuverability and outward visibility. The final phase of evaluation involved a 21-mile road loop through hills of Arizona's Hualapai Mountains. Following the team's intensive evaluation, the trucks were shipped to MOTOR TREND headquarters in El Segundo to undergo proprietary "Real MPG" fuel-economy testing. Using advanced exhaust gas and flow-rate analyzers, Real MPG measures tailpipe emissions every second during a three-hour, 88-mile drive around the Los Angeles area to record accurate real-world fuel economy. Once testing was completed, select MOTOR TREND editors convened to determine which truck would be crowed Truck of the Year. "When it came down to it, after over a week's worth of testing, we sat down, we hashed it all out. All the judges are asked to write down their top 3 picks - and third place was the Ford F-150; second place was Ford Transit, and by unanimous vote was the Chevrolet Colorado" Edward Loh, Editor-In-Chief of Motor Trend Read Motor Trend's Article on the 2015 Colorado here View attachment: ChevyColoradoMTTOY08.jpg Motor Trend Editor-In-Chief Edward Loh (left) presents General Motors CEO Mary Barra with the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year Award for the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Motor Trend makes the announcement Wednesday, December 3, 2014, noting the 2015 Colorado emerged as Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year by a rare unanimous vote. The editors were impressed with Colorado’s clean-sheet design, “right-sized” package, excellent handling, and overall capability. (Photo by Steve Fecht for Chevrolet) View attachment: ChevyColoradoMTTOYTeam04.jpg Motor Trend Detroit Editor Scott Burgess (l to r) presents the Motor Trend 2015 Truck of the Year award to General Motors Vice President Global Product Programs Doug Parks, Executive Chief Engineer Full and Midsize Truck Jeff Luke, Vehicle Chief Engineer Anita Burke, and Executive Vice President Global Product Development Purchasing and Supply Chain Mark Reuss at a special event Wednesday, December 3, 2014 in Warren, Michigan. (Photo by Steve Fecht for Chevrolet)

Today, we'll dive into how our review Colorado is equipped. We'll also cover notable features and our first thoughts after driving it on our home roads. Wednesday, we will bring you a deeper look into the interior of the 2015 Colorado. We'll examine Chevy MyLink, the OnStar 4G WiFi hotspot, and the overall proportions of the crew cab configuration. Friday, we'll wrap it all up when we focus on the performance and handling of the new Colorado. We will examine the 3.6L V6, daily fuel economy, chassis responsiveness and towing capabilities. We hope this three part series will give you a better understanding of what the 2015 Colorado is all about. Let's start things off! Our review Colorado View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_01.jpg Here is the Colorado we're driving this week. It's a four-door crew cab equipped in LT trim. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_27.jpg Here is the window sticker. Our tester has a recommended price of $38,870. How it's equipped This long box, 4x4, crew cab Colorado has a starting price of $32,385. Here's what kind of options it is equipped with. -Luxury Package [$1,080] -18" Dark Argent Wheels [$1,000] -Leather Seats [$950] -LT Convenience Package [$615] -Bose Audio System [$500] -Chevy MyLink with Navigation [$495] -Safety Package [$395] -Locking Rear Differential [$325] -Trailering Equipment Package [$250] After $5,610 of options and a $875 delivery charge, this 2015 Colorado has an MSRP of $38,870 We'll dive into these features, how well they work, and if they are worth the price later this week. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_11.jpg View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_21.jpg Notable Features & Improvements The 2015 Colorado is completely new. In fact, it shares more with the 2015 Silverado than the last generation Colorado. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_16.jpg The interior has many similarities with big brother Silverado. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_03.jpg Rear corner steps into the bed have also trickled down from the full-size line. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_08.jpg The rear end even looks like the Silverado with the tail lamps being near matches. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_06.jpg You can even get a spray in liner from the factory. Yup, just like the Silverado. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_10.jpg The Colorado features inlaid doors for a quieter ride with less wind noise inside the cab. First Impressions This is the first time we've had a chance to try the Colorado on our home roads. It's been great to compare the Colorado to our 2011 Sierra and other full and mid-size pickups we've driven in the past. View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_04.jpg The Colorado has grown in size. It doesn't feel much smaller than the Silverado, but is it more maneuverable? View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_09.jpg Like us, you were probably disappointed that the 4.3L V6 didn't make its way into the Colorado. Is the 3.6L V6 up to task? View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_17.jpg How does the interior compare to the last generation? Is it a huge step up as claimed? Will it appeal to crossover buyers? View attachment: 2015_Chevrolet_Colorado_Review_24.jpg Is this mid-size actually more refined than the Silverado? That's a question we're seriously considering as we drive the Colorado this week What's next Check back this week as we continue this Live Review on Wednesday and Friday. Each day we'll start a new thread. Here's what you can expect. Wednesday: We take a deep dive inside. We'll explore the Colorado's interior, MyLink System, Lane Departure and Collision avoidance systems, WiFi hotspot, and the driver/passenger experience. Friday: We will explore the Colorado's 305-horsepower 3.6L V6 and how see well it serves as the optional engine in a pickup. We'll share fuel economy, daily driving observations, and towing performance. We will also explore the chassis, braking, transmission, and 4x4 system. Your turn Time for you to take part. Ask us anything! We'd love to share what driving this truck is like and will try our best to answer any questions you have about the 2015 Colorado.

Click here to Build & Price your own 2015 Chevrolet Colorado on Chevrolet.com Chevy recently began letting dealers order 2015 Colorado pickups and has seen extremely strong demand. GMC has not yet released a companion Build & price tool for the GMC Canyon. With the announcement, Chevrolet provided several potential build outs and price points that future Colorado owners may find interesting. Sample builds include: Towing: Colorado 4WD Crew Cab Short Box LT with a 3.6L V6 engine ($32,960) with automatic locking rear differential ($325) and Z82 trailering package ($250), Total suggested retail price: $33,535. Mountain biking: Colorado 4WD Crew Cab Long Box Z71 ($35,290) with the GearOn™ Cross rails tiered storage system and moveable tie-down rings ($395), all-weather floor mats ($160) and spray-in bedliner ($475). Total suggested retail price: $36,320. Commuting: Colorado 2WD Crew Cab Short Box LT ($27,985) with tri-fold tonneau cover ($595), spray-in bedliner ($475), the GearOn™ divider system and moveable tie-down rings ($495). Total suggested retail price: $29,550. All Colorado pickups will be equipped with OnStar 4G LTE Wifi through AT&T Wireless and come with a 3-month or 3GB trial. “Our truck lineup is all about giving truck buyers choice,” said Tony Johnson, Colorado marketing manager. “With the Build Your Own site, Colorado customers can equip their truck, request a quote from the dealer and even get a price on their trade-in.”