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Both Chevy and GMC have introduced third-generation pickups, the Colorado and Canyon. Below, we see how the latest iterations fare against each other.
A lot has been happening on the internet since Chevrolet unveiled their third-generation Colorado last month. Chevrolet has finally decided to redesign its Colorado, and it is a crucial standpoint for them. Chevrolet has equipped Colorado with the Silverado 1500's engine, abandoning the previous engines. A new fascia, a redesigned cabin, a better set of features, and plenty more waiting inside.
On the other hand, GMC has recently introduced the third generation of the Canyon, and it looks amazing inside and out. Of course, they have used GM's new 2.7-liter turbo engine and equipped the truck with even more features. A freshly brewed Canyon AT4X joins the team along with some compelling packages and new colors.
So, how do these two awesome pickup trucks fare against each other? Does the sibling rivalry get better? Let's see!
Related: The New 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Is Ready To Take On The 2022 Toyota Tacoma
Both GMC and Chevrolet axed the previous engines in favor of a more powerful and efficient 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine.
For the new Colorado, Chevrolet offers only one engine choice, but the engine comes with three different tunings. The 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine inside the WT and LT offers 237 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. The costlier Z71 and Trail Boss trims offer a Turbo Plus variant of the engine, capable of churning out 310 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque. Both the Turbo and Turbo Plus engines can tow up to 7,700 pounds, making them excellent machines for daily work. The top-line ZR2 offers a "High-Output Engine" cranking out 310 ponies and 430 lb-ft of torque. Although this unit offers more torque, the towing capacity is limited to 6,000 pounds because of modifications.
GMC offers the Canyon with only one tune, unlike Colorado. The 2.7-liter Turbo High-Performance engine is standard on all models. This unit makes 310 horses and 430 lb-ft of torque. The AT4, Elevation, and Denali trims offer up to 7,700 pounds of towing, which further decreases to 6000 pounds in the AT4X trim and 5,500 pounds after you equip the AT4X Edition 1 Package. However, the Canyon comes equipped with a 21.5-gallon fuel tank, which will provide more fuel range.
While we are unaware of how fast both these trucks will accelerate, we expect the GMC Canyon to be faster than Colorado. This is for two key reasons—one being the lower curb weight and the other being larger wheel dimensions. The base model of the GMC Canyon weighs 4,430 pounds, whereas Colorado is heavier at 4716 pounds. Moreover, the lower models of the Canyon offer better off-road performance with 9.6-inches of ground clearance.
If you are familiar with the previous GMC Canyon, you’ll know how badly it needed a redesign. Fortunately, GMC has given the Canyon the herculean appearance it deserves. The Canyon’s fascia has the bad-boy look with a large headlamp unit containing the L-shaped sleek DRLs running from the above to the below. This unit includes a set of LED lamps for the low beams and a large LED lamp for the high beams. The new grille incorporates a distinct design with rectangular chrome or black accents and a honeycomb grille behind it. In addition, the AT4X trim looks sportier with a new off-road bumper containing a wider winch, a performance skid plate, a safari bar, and a new 30-inch LED bar for better visibility in darker conditions.
Chevrolet has introduced its third-generation Colorado after eleven long years. They have redesigned Colorado’s exterior and provided it with a muscular and modern appearance. The new Colorado looks meaner and more upscale than before. Colorado’s fascia is dominated by a pair of wedge-shaped headlamps housing a set of bi-LED headlamps and thin DRLs. At its center, the fascia shows off a large black grille with honeycomb housings and a thick black belt including a Chevy bowtie and ZR2 or Z71 badges. The hood is more muscular than before, and the contoured body lines enhance Colorado’s muscular outlook. Overall, Colorado looks more mature and buffed up.
Overall, we like the GMC Canyon’s exterior design more because of its sportier styling, more features, and more rugged demeanor.
Related: This Is The Best Feature Of The GMC Canyon AT4 OVRLANDX
GMC has packed the Canyon with a gorgeous cabin, which is hard to find in pickup trucks, to say the least. The interior looks absolutely upscale, with a sleek design and quality materials all around. Durable seating materials, quality hard plastics, leatherette pieces, and good quality interior parts elevate the luxury quotient. The dashboard comes with open-pore wood or carbon fiber accents. Additionally, most interior parts are decorated with quilted leather surfaces or white leatherette with red-accented stitching.
Colorado’s interior looks very similar to the Canyon's, and it looks amazing for a work-focused truck. Still, Chevrolet has adorned Colorado’s cabin with durable materials, promising excellent quality. The dashboard design is similar—two displays flanked by a metal-look piece. Just like the Canyon’s dashboard, the controls are very intuitive, clearly labeled, and ergonomically placed. The parts of the dashboard are decorated with either jet black interior accents or Artemis interior trim.
Both the Colorado and Canyon seats are excellent in terms of comfort and space. Premium cloth, vinyl, or perforated leather seats are offered. The front seats offer 40.3-inches of headroom and 45.2-inches of legroom, making life inside very comfortable. Even rear passengers get 38.2-inches of headroom and 34.7-inches of legroom, which is suitable for medium-sized adults.
Colorado offers vinyl, premium cloth, or perforated leather seats, power-adjustable front seats with lumbar support, and heating. The driver gets an 8-or 11-inch cluster, an 11.3-inch touchscreen, a premium audio system, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and a wireless charger. For safety, Colorado offers the Chevrolet Safety Package, blind zone monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, ACC, HD rearview camera, and pedestrian alert.
The GMC Canyon is costlier than the latter, but it adds all the above features and distinguishes itself with an 11-inch cluster, 6.3-inch HUD, wireless Android Auto, and Apple CarPlay, and a seven-speaker Bose Audio system. In addition, a safety alert seat is added in the Denali and AT4X.
The GMC Canyon AT4X is the first pickup truck to feature a front and rear underbody camera with a wash function, an off-road safari bar, and a 30-inch LED bar. So, it’s better equipped than its Chevy brother, Colorado.
After comparing both the trucks, it's pretty obvious that the GMC Canyon is the superior of the two. It comes standard with a muscular engine, looks brawnier, offers a luxurious cabin, and provides a superior set of features. However, Colorado is great for folks with lesser budgets.
Sourav hails from Siliguri, a city very close to the Himalayas in the northern part of West Bengal, India. Anything that has to do with wheels fascinates him. He has a soft spot for Lexus and BMW. He rides a Royal Enfield Thunderbird and is often seen with his group of friends in nearby hill stations. He also loves doing photography and making music. After working with CARHP and CAR INDIGO for more than 15 months, he joined HotCars to continue in automotive writing. He's currently crushing upon the Triumph Tiger 1200.