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Zane Merva & John Goreham GM-Trucks.com 10/16/2015 The time has finally arrived. You are just weeks away from being able to buy General Motor’s 2.8L Duramax Diesel in the midsize Colorado and Canyon. Two GM-Trucks.com staffers recently had a chance to take a 2016 GMC Canyon with this engine for a spin and here’s what we thought. Zane: The 2.8L Duramax is an engine that will extend the capability of the Colorado and Canyon to within a stone's throw of the full-size Silverado and Sierra. From the moment you turn the key, there’s no mistaking this as a diesel engine. Noticeably louder than GM’s other gas engine offerings, owners will probably enjoy that their pickup sounds remarkably similar to the bigger 6.6L Duramax V8. In our short drive time we were impressed by the massive amounts of low end torque for a vehicle of this size. 369 lb-ft of torque at only 2,000 rpm goes a long way. However, with only 181-horsepower, the Canyon 4x4 crew cab we drove didn’t feel as quick as its 3.6L gas-powered counterpart. Point the nose of the GMC up a steep hill and the Duramax diesel’s benefits are immediately apparent. Nothing is going to stop this truck once it gets moving and you feel like the hand of God has your back. Acceleration is smooth and linear through the entire engine range. That’s the experience diesel truck buyers want and GM has given it to them. Bolder, louder and purposeful in nature. Oh and did we mention fuel economy? Prepare to be impressed. We saw over 30 mpg on our drive loop. GM executive Mark Reuss confirmed to us that the final EPA number should be very close to our results. That would place the Colorado and Canyon has the most fuel efficient trucks you could buy. No wonder GM is exploring options to increase the number of Colorado and Canyon it can build. John: What struck me first was the great look of the Canyon. Particularly from the front ¾ view. I had just left off-road testing in a 2016 Tacoma and in terms of looks, the Canyon wins hands-down. My tester was a $45,280 SLT Crew Cab with 4WD. Trucks are expensive now, but this one had it all. Premium Bose audio and Nav ($500), Spray in bedliner ($475) and Chrome assist steps ($725). I was impressed that the Canyon had Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Alert at no extra charge. That will cost you $500 on a Tacoma. The biggest single adder was the $3,730 Duramax engine. Although that buys a lot of gasoline, the Duramax has benefits beyond fuel economy to its fans. Hills surrounded the venue we were attending, and they were steep. Like Zane, I was immediately impressed by how strong the Canyon I drove felt. I too noted the fuel economy. Over the past 50 miles that it had been driven in rural NY the vehicle had averaged 22.2 MPG and its peak had been 34.5 MPG (according to the truck). Writers at this event were passing up track time in a Corvette to drive the Canyon on-road. It was one of the most popular vehicles at the event. The new Canyon and Colorado Duramax will not disappoint. GM is proud of this new truck, and as Zane’s interview with Mark Reuss proves, GM is looking hard for places to build more. The Canyon Duramax looks, drives, and acts like a winner.

Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 9/9/2015 Update 10/5: See below post. TDLR- I'm sick and won't be able to attend this drive. We are excited to announce our next Live Post First Drive. On October 6th we will step behind the wheel of the refreshed 2016 GMC Sierra and all new 2016 2.8L Duramax Canyon. We can't wait to share our experience driving of these exciting new GMC models as it happens. If you've never seen one of our Live Posts, check out what we've done in the past. In the meantime, we're looking for your suggestions and comments. What do you want to know? What do you want us to check out? Even highly technical questions are welcome as we will have an opportunity to chat with engineers and product managers. See you all LIVE on October 6th!

George Kennedy Contributor, GM-Trucks.com 7/14/2016 It seems like everything is going “biggie-biggie” these days. From Big Box Stores to massive iced coffees, everything has to get bigger to match our tastes. Cars, trucks, and SUVs are no different, with models growing every time they are redesigned. We automotive experts call this “generation bloat,” and it seems like it is inevitable when a new vehicle comes out. But GMC did the unthinkable when it redesigned the new 2017 Acadia SUV, and actually made it smaller. The second generation of GMC’s full-size (available) three-row crossover is 7 inches shorter, 3.5-inches narrower, and has a 6-inch shorter wheelbase. GM says this new footprint, which is based on the C1XX platform (which will underpin the new Cadillac XT5), is 740 pounds lighter than the outgoing model and has a tighter turning radius. Put it next to the first generation Acadia and it appears considerably smaller from the outside, but what it loses in size, it gains in style. The first-gen’s styling was inoffensive enough, but the Lambda-platform vehicles had rather bulbous styling–not exactly in line with the brawny “Professional Grade” image that GMC tries to portray. But the new-look Acadia has a well-defined visual character, with an upright grille and brooding headlights. Thankfully GMC left off the indented faux fender flares of the Terrain. Despite the smaller footprint, the Acadia retains a lot of its cabin space. You sit slightly closer to the passenger beside you, but first and second row passengers have plenty of head- and legroom. The Acadia is available as a 5-passenger (delete 3rd row), 7-passenger (3rd row with 2nd row captains chairs) or 8-passenger (2nd and 3rd row benches) configurations. The second row features GMC smart-slide seating. One handle, one motion slides seat forward for easy access to the 3rd row. GMC says customers asked for more usable space and lots of places to put things, so they delivered, with plenty of cupholders and pockets for all your gear and devices. The re-proportioned styling also resulted in improved visibility, so you’ll use the standard backup camera as an aid rather than a crutch. The weight loss also gave GMC room to employ technologies like lightweight sound deadening, contributing to a quieter cabin A GMC model would not be complete without a Denali trim, and the Acadia does not disappoint. True to form the Acadia Denali features 20-inch wheels, hands free power liftgate, and the usual slathering of chrome to the exterior. New for 2017 is the Acadia All-Terrain. For starters, it loses the 3rd row, resulting in 79 cu ft. of storage space. The chrome of the Denali replaced by black accents, for a more menacing look. But the real development of the All-Terrain is beneath the skin, there an Active Twin-Clutch AWD System transfers torque from front to rear or from left to right. Our sources at GMC say this model is targeted at Jeep Grand Cherokee customers and its capability seems to back that up. You won’t be crossing the Rubicon trail in one of these, but the AWD can get you to the ski loge, camp site or out on to the beach with ease. The Acadia delivers a ton of standard and available technology to you’re your life easier. The automatic rear lift-gate opens simply by having your keys in your pocket swinging foot under the rear bumper. This is crucial when you’re hands are fully of groceries and can’t reach your keys. GMC has also baked a whole host of new connectivity into the Acadia, highlighted by three new apps that are accessed via the large available touch screen. The first one is Glimpse, which allows users to send their location to friends. Other Glimpse users can see you on a map, which is very handy when picking up someone from a busy airport terminal. Next up is At Your Service, which is an OnStar-type app that lets you search local businesses and it will bring up relevant deals and coupons. Finally, there’s the Weather Channel app. Seems simple enough to have a weather app on your smartphone, but this app layers on top of navigation, and will give weather related warnings and adjust travel times accounting for the weather. The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline-4 making 194 hp and 190 lb ft of torque. This engine features auto-stop-start and is good for 21 miles per gallon city, 25 highway, 23 combined (for AWD) The more powerful engine (and likely more popular choice) is the 3.6-liter V6, developing 310 hp and 272 lb ft. This engine has Active Fuel Management, which turns a V6 to a V4 when less power is needed. This engine returns fuel economy of 18 city, 25 highway, 20 combined (AWD). Power is sent through a 6-speed automatic transmission to the front wheels or available all-wheel drive. Acadia features Traction Select, which adjusts throttle response, transmission shift points, steering feel, and suspension stiffness (if equipped). You can chose from Sport, Snow, all-wheel drive, off-road, and trailer/tow drive modes, all with the push of a button. In Sport mode, the Acadia has brisk acceleration, but we found the 6 speed automatic sometimes had trouble deciding which gear to stay in. This could be chalked up to pre-production teething. Steering was well-weighted and the suspension was responsive, while still soaking up bumps in the road. An innovative feature is the available Tow Vision Camera. All models have the backup camera, but the Tow Vision Camera offers unique angles and guidelines perfectly suited for towing up to 4,000 lbs. (when equipped with V6 and towing package). The Acadia also has all of the latest advanced safety tech, including Lane Keep assist, front park assist, pedestrian detection, front auto braking, (low speed front auto braking) adaptive cruise, and forward collision alert. The 2017 Acadia is also equipped with Rear Seat Reminder: when you close doors and turn off car, there will be five reminders to look back into the rear seat. This is to prevent parents from leaving kids in the back seat on a hot day. This feature is defaulted on, but can be toggled off in the settings menu. Base MSRP for the 2017 GMC Acadia is $29,995 for the SL trim, $33,375 for the SLE-1, $39,275 for the SLT-1, and $45,845 for the Denali. The pricing suggests the Acadia wants to move upmarket in the large SUV space, and the svelte new look actually makes sense in the process. Acadia buyers seeking a premium vehicle with upscale features had more than enough space, but needed more luxury. The new Acada has that luxury in spades, and trims the fat, resulting in a stylish, well-equipped SUV with head-turning looks and a cabin that will be a pleasure to sit in for hours and hours of freeway or back road alike.

Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com November, 2015 The Chevy Colorado Diesel is just starting to arrive at dealerships. I recently had a chance to take a fully loaded Colorado Z71 Trail Boss with the all new 2.8L Duramax Diesel off-roading in the dusty Nevada desert. How does the special edition Colorado perform off-road? Does the Duramax help or hurt the midsizer? Should you upgrade your Colorado with GM's available performance parts? Let’s go and find out! Thankfully, being the first few days of November, I didn’t have to worry about the scorching heat of the Nevada desert. I was, however, warned not to wander off the road too far off the road and be on the lookout for rattlesnake. While I never did see any menacing wildlife, the prospect we might made our time with the Trail Boss all the more exciting. I’ve long been a fan of diesel engines for small pickups and SUVs. The low end torque focused nature of the diesel matches nicely with the low-speed driving most owners of these types of vehicles do most. Or at least, at least the type of driving they want to do most. So, to see the Colorado’s off-road model paired with the brand’s new small Duramax Diesel engine is satisfying. When we gave you our first on-road impressions of the 2.8L Duramax Diesel for the mid-size trucks it was on paved roads and smoother all-season tires. The Trail Boss takes the Colorado to an off-road slant, with large knobby tires, slick LED lights, a blacked out bowtie, and a tubular steel sail at the front of the bed. That’s just naming a few of the features. Traveling down what some might call a "road" in the middle of the Nevada desert, the Trail Boss Diesel I’m piloting reminds me a whole lot of the S-10 ZR2 I used to own nearly a decade ago. A fat low end torque curve and capable off-road parts leave me feeling confident as we traversed through narrow canyons and washed out dry river beds. Without a doubt, the 2.8L Duramax shines in this type of work. The key to off-road driving is slow deliberate movements. With 369 lb-ft of torque on tap at low RPM, piloting off-road at a measured crawl is a pleasure. The Trail Boss’s Wrangler Duratrac tires grip loose dirt and rock substantially better than the standard all-season radial tires that come on a Z71 model. The tubular side steps provide substantial rocker panel protection. Better yet, even if you already own a Colorado, you don’t have to buy a brand new Trail Boss to experience these upgrades. Just pick up a 2016 GM Performance Parts Catalog and turn to page 66. With a little time and money, you can turn your own truck into a Trail Boss, right in your own garage. The company offers off-road Wrangler Duratrac tires, black aluminum wheels, floor liners, color matched grilles, and even a transfer case shield. For performance oriented owners, a performance exhaust and air intake are also available. Best of all, every single one of these parts is covered within your vehicle's factory warranty. To add some depth and compare, I also drove a Performance Parts loaded Silverado High Country. While the Silverado exhibited a more plush ride, it’s wider girth made it substantially more difficult to maneuver on the tighter sections of the trail. Capable in its own right, the Silverado didn’t give me the same confidence that the narrower Colorado did. This is one circumstance where the just-a-little-bit-smaller outside proportions of the mid-size make all the difference. If you're looking for a utilitarian vehicle that can take you far off the beaten path, the Colorado Trail Boss should be right up your alley. Chevrolet has a unique offering with it's 2.8L Duramax that you can't find anywhere else. That sets the Colorado to become a popular off-road platform, ripe for modification. You can head down to your Chevrolet dealer and purchase your own Trail Boss straight from the factory, or if you already own a Colorado outfit it with the same parts from GM’s Performance Catalog. You can read the all new edition right here.

Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 10/15/15 The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon midsize pickups are selling just as quickly as GM can make them. With a new diesel engine coming online this fall, the company expects demand to “pickup” even further. Currently, Canyon and Colorado have under a 30-day supply at dealerships. Speaking with GM-Trucks.com yesterday, GM Executive VP of Global Product Development, Mark Reuss explained the company is exploring options to increase capacity at the Wentzville, Missouri plant where the Colorado and Canyon are produced. Currently, General Motors produces four models from two platforms at the assembly. The Chevy Express and Savana full-size vans are produced side by side next to the mid-size Colorado and Canyon. Reuss told GM-Trucks.com that moving the fullsize van production to another plant was a top option that the company was considering. Moving production of an entire vehicle sounds expensive but is as “simple” as moving the metal stamping forms to another production facility, explained Reuss. It was unclear how much additional capacity the move would open up but the company sold over 100,000 of the vans last year. Where would the Express and Savana go? GM isn’t commenting but the Janesville, Wisconsin facility that used to produce the Tahoe, Suburban, & Yukon has been sitting completely idle since 2008 and may be an option. The company originally expected that 10% of Colorado and Canyon buyers would opt for the 2.8L Duramax Diesel once it hit dealerships. Now, just before the downsized diesel engines hit the road, the company expects to bust past that prediction and is scrambling for more capacity. Neither representatives from Chevy or GMC would predict the ultimate take rate for the new engine but were excited at its reception so far.

By John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 2/9/2015 American Farm Bureau members will now enjoy a $500 discount when they purchase a new 2015 Chevy Colorado or GMC Canyon. Even better, the new Farm Bureau discount does not take away from other incentives such as Owner Loyalty or GM Business Choice. The new trucks join 80 other GM vehicles on the list that Farm Bureau members enjoy discounts on. Not a Farm Bureau member? You better join soon because only members who have belonged for 30 days or longer are eligible. Members print their savings certificates at fbverify.com/gm. Need more than one truck? Not a problem as there is no limit to the number of certificates for savings that farmer-members may use. To access the Farm Bureau website just click this link.

John Goreham Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com 2/9/2015 The new Chevy Colorado GearOn Special Edition offers features not found on other mid-size adventure trucks. The innovative GearOn accessory system allows you to put bikes, kayaks and other gear up above the bed on upper rails. That frees up the lower area of the bed for all the things you need for a camping trip or any adventure. One of the coolest features is an available tent mounted in the bed of the truck. Chevy will introduce the GearOn Edition of the Colorado next week at the Chicago Auto Show, but you can see it all right here in the attached video. The Colorado LT in extended or crew cab configurations, with either long or short bed, can come as a GearOn equipped model. Of course, 4WD is available. The GearOn comes standard with the bars and divider package and tie-down rings. Buyers can have more GearOn accessories installed by the dealer. The GearOn also includes the following accessories: EZ Lift and Lower tailgate Off-road assist steps Gloss black 18-inch aluminum wheels Body-color grille Front and rear black Chevy bowtie emblems Front fog lamps Rear window defogger Remote start. Chevy dealers can add GearOn accessories to any Colorado truck.

By Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 1/8/2015 GMC is introducing a special edition, blacked out, Canyon during the 2015 model year. The Canyon Nightfall Edition is set to appeal to drivers who want an upscale, stylized, all black midsize pickup. The Canyon Nightfall edition will be offered on SLE Crew Cab models, both 2WD and 4WD. It will only be available in Onyx Black. The Nightfall Edition will include: A unique black grille black assist steps factory spray-in bedliner 18-inch multi-spoke aluminum wheels with Dark Argent painted inserts polished exhaust tip automatic climate control remote start This is on top of the standard features included on the Canyon: Rear vision camera eight-inch touch screen GMC IntelliLink system OnStar with 4G LTE Auto-dimming inside rearview mirror remote keyless entry leather wrapped steering wheel SiriusXM Radio Owners will be able to choose from both the I4 and V6 engines that are offered in the Canyon. The Nightfall Edition goes on sale during the first quarter of 2015

By Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 10/3/2014 Sales of the new 2015 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon have been halted. Automotive News reports that Chevy and GMC dealers received notice yesterday (Thursday, Oct 2nd) of a pending issue that may effect the airbags. Deliveries for the just launched midsize pickup started under two weeks ago. We just had our first drive of the Colorado and Canyon last week. General Motors has notified the National Traffic and Safety Administration that driver's side airbags are wired incorrectly and may not function as designed. The issue is reported to be fixable with a software update. So far 49 of the pickups have been delivered. Owners will be given a free loaner until the software update is available "in a few days." Source: Automotive News

By Zane Merva Executive Editor, GM-Trucks.com 9/03/2014 When the 3.6L V6 equipped Colorado and Canyon hit dealers in the next couple of weeks, customers will find fuel economy ratings of up to 26 miles per gallon. Today, General Motors released fuel economy figures for V6 and 6-speed automatic equipped version of the company's new mid-size pickup line. This is the first time the 3.6L has been used in a pickup application and will be rated at 305-horsepower. 2-wheel-drive customers can expect a range of 18-26 miles per gallon and 4-wheel-drive customers can expect 17-24 miles per gallon. Four cylinder and 2016 diesel fuel economy figures will be released at a future date. 3.6L V6 Chevrolet Colorado & GMC Canyon Fuel Economy 2WD: 18mpg city / 21mpg combined / 26mpg highway 4WD: 17mpg city / 20mpg combined / 24mpg highway “The all-new 2015 GMC Canyon adds segment-leading fuel economy to its winning resume,” said Kenn Bakowski, Canyon marketing manager. “Innovations such as available active grille shutters combine with an aerodynamic design in a smaller, more maneuverable package to set a new standard for fuel economy in midsize trucks.”