First Drive Review
The dinosaurs of GM's lineup, the Chevy S-10 small pickup and its twin, the GMC Sonoma, are dying a slow death. The duo's eventual replacements, the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon, will roll out this fall as 2004 models.
We say "eventual" because the S-10 crew-cab pickup will still be available for another year or so. GM must want to continue milking the design that first appeared in 1981 as a 1982 model. And you thought only creaky British roadsters enjoyed such extended model lives.
After a brief look at the new truck-we weren't allowed to drive it-we can't imagine opting for the old model. Not only does the new truck's frame promise better ride isolation, but there's also a tad more room inside, and two new engines.
Unlike the S-10, which was available in three different wheelbases and lengths, the Colorado and the Canyon are available in only two because there isn't a long-bed option. On a 111.3-inch wheelbase, the Colorado is available with a two- or three-passenger regular cab and a bed that is 73.0 inches long. Two different cabs are available on the 125.9-inch-wheelbase chassis: an extended cab with two small rear-hinged half-doors to access a pair of forward-facing small rear seats, and a 73.0-inch-long bed; and a crew cab with a larger sedanlike passenger compartment that features four forward-hinged doors, a rear seat sized for adults, and a 61.0-inch-long bed.
Although the new trucks, model for model, are a few inches longer than the old, the Canyon and the Colorado are still a few inches smaller than the class-busting mid-size Dodge Dakota, which is why we still consider them compact pickups. And the new GM trucks don't offer a V-8 engine as the Dakota does.
Two engines are available: a 175-hp, 2.8-liter four-in-line and a 220-hp, 3.5-liter five-in-line. Both of these engines are basically cut-down versions of the straight-six engine that was unveiled in the Chevy TrailBlazer sport-ute in 2002. Like the six-cylinder, the two new units feature double overhead cams, aluminum engine blocks, four valves per cylinder, and variable exhaust-valve timing. About 90 percent of the engine parts are common among all three engines, but the four- and five-cylinder units employ balance shafts to reduce vibration.
The Canyon and Colorado's competition each offers an optional V-6 engine, but GM's five-banger outpowers them all, even the supercharged 210-hp V-6 available in the Nissan Frontier. A five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic is available with either engine, as is a part-time four-wheel-drive system.
Maximum towing capacity has been reduced from 5900 to 4000 pounds. The company says those who wanted to tow more than 4000 pounds were stepping up to full-size pickups, so it lowered the maximum trailer weight to gain some ride and handling benefits.
As noted earlier, we weren't permitted any drive time, so we can't confirm that, but we did get to sit in the new trucks. We wouldn't call their interiors aesthetically pleasing, but at least they include plenty of storage bins and cubbies and the front seats have the right amount of firmness.
In the crew cab, the folding rear seats feature shoulder belts for three passengers and a reasonable amount of legroom. But the seatback is so upright that it would quickly become uncomfortable. The situation is even less tolerable in the extended cab.
At least the designers did think to include a nifty toolbox under the rear seat in the extended-cab models. Other handy details include a standard locking rear tailgate that can be positioned at a 55-degree angle to support four-by-eight sheet goods, anti-lock brakes as standard equipment, optional curtain airbags, and optional traction control on rear-drive models.
Another option is an on-road handling package called the ZQ8. It's only available on two-wheel-drive models, and the company claims it makes the pickup handle as well as the Pontiac Vibe. Again, we'll have to wait until we drive one, but since the Canyon and the Colorado still use a solid rear axle and rear leaf springs, we wouldn't bet on that one.
The off-road-racer look-alike package, called the Z71, carries over, but now it will be available on two-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive trucks, whereas previously it only came with four-wheel drive.
Prices have not been set, but GM promises there won't be a substantial price increase. The base regular-cab model should start at about 15 grand, and a fully loaded crew cab should come in at about $25,000.
