{"id":69923,"date":"2014-01-12T08:43:37","date_gmt":"2014-01-12T13:43:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=69923"},"modified":"2014-01-13T00:45:08","modified_gmt":"2014-01-13T05:45:08","slug":"gmc-canyon-aims-to-draw-buyers-back-to-midsize-pickups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2014\/01\/gmc-canyon-aims-to-draw-buyers-back-to-midsize-pickups\/","title":{"rendered":"GMC Canyon Aims to Draw Buyers Back to Midsize Pickups"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2015 GMC Canyon makes its world debut in Detroit. The midsize pickup truck delivers 193 horsepower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To paraphrase the familiar quote from the film, \u201cField of Dreams,\u201d if General Motors builds it, will they come?\u00a0 Midsize pickups, that is.\u00a0 And with the launch of the 2015 GMC Canyon at the North American International Auto Show, the Detroit maker is bucking a trend that\u2019s seen this once wildly popular market segment dwindle to little more than an insignificant niche.<\/p>\n

Over the last couple years, both of GM\u2019s cross-town competitors have abandoned the midsize pickup segment leaving only Toyota and Nissan to carve up the relatively few remaining buyers.\u00a0 Back in the 1970s, midsize trucks actually outsold full-size models, and sales still were in the million range in the \u201890s. But in 2013, demand dipped to a mere 227,000.<\/p>\n

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Subscribe and Stay on Top!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

That was a 14% year-over-year decline even as big rigs like the Ford F-Series, Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra were enjoying a huge turnaround, collective sales surging to 1.9 million, up from just 1.1 million during the depths of the recession.<\/p>\n

Despite that downward trend, GM introduced the all-new Chevrolet Colorado during the L.A. Auto Show last November and is following up with the sibling GMC Canyon in Detroit.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
New GM CEO Mary Barra helps to introduce the GMC Canyon midsize pickup.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to bring out trucks that redefines the segment,\u201d insists Dan Ammann, the GM executive who will become the maker\u2019s new president this week.<\/p>\n

During a background session on the Canyon, GMC marketing chief Tony DiSalle added his own upbeat belief that, \u201cThis segment has a tony of opportunity for growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

DiSalle cites research that indicates there are plenty of buyers who would prefer a smaller, more nimble and fuel-efficient truck if they didn\u2019t mean sacrificing comfort, convenience and performance.\u00a0 In other words, they don\u2019t want the pickup equivalent of stripped-down econoboxes.<\/p>\n

(Ram reintroduces the Mossy Oak 1500 pickup. <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for a closer look.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Both the Chevy and GMC models start out with the same basic underpinnings, GM promising that provides a more rugged foundation than was offered in the old midsize trucks the maker dropped several years ago.\u00a0 But like the full-size Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra, a lot of engineering time was spent on improving the way the new midsize models feel and handle, with emphasis on quietness, comfort and safety \u2013 six airbags and a rearview camera being standard equipment on the GMC Canyon.<\/p>\n

(Recall of 370,000 full-size pickups comes at a particularly bad time for GM. <\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for the full story.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The exterior designs are close enough that it\u2019s easy to recognize the family resemblance, though the GMC model is a bit more refined, echoing the brand\u2019s \u201cprofessional grade\u201d tagline.\u00a0 The Canyon features a bold chromed grille, sculpted body panels and a wider stance that both enhances the truck\u2019s athletic look and improves interior seating.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Mark Reuss, GM's Product Development guru, talks through the finer points of the new GMC Canyon.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The cabin is far more refined than traditional midsize pickups, with soft-touch surfaces, plenty of storage nooks and a list of standard and optional technology features including the division\u2019s latest touchscreen-based infotainment system.<\/p>\n

There are plenty of little surprise-and-delight features designed in, such as the bumper-mounted step that makes it easier to access the Canyon\u2019s cargo bed.<\/p>\n

The maker also aimed at holding down weight \u2013 using an aluminum hood, for example \u2013 to improve fuel economy, though it won\u2019t release mileage numbers until closer to the autumn 2014 launch.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s however, both Chevrolet and GMC could run into trouble. What is expected to be the Detroit show\u2019s biggest unveiling is a new \u201caluminum-intensive\u201d version of the Ford F-150, the full-size pickup expected to shed between 500 and 750 pounds. That could boost mileage by 5 mpg or more, and make it harder to justify a midsize model, at least in terms of fuel savings.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/span><\/a> for a closer look at the new aluminum Ford F-150.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Like its Chevy sibling, the GMC Canyon will be introduced with two powertrain choices \u2013 a 193-horsepower inline-four and a 302-hp V-6, both paired to six-speed automatics and offered in either two- or four-wheel-drive. A diesel powertrain option will follow for the second year on the market.<\/p>\n

Pricing will also be announced closer to launch, though GMC typically carries at least a modest premium over the Chevy brand.<\/p>\n

Looking back over the past decade, DiSalle notes that half of all former midsize pickup owners left the segment when it came time to trade in. But he prefers to see the half-full side of this glass, insisting the opportunity to draw buyers back is \u201chuge.\u201d General Motors will build them, now it will have to wait to see if buyers come.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

To maul the old movie quote, GM is going to build them, but will buyers come — for its new midsize pickups, that is. The once-popular segment has dwindled over the years, but Chevy and now GMC are betting upscale new trucks can bring buyers back. TheDetroitBureau.com checks out the new GMC Canyon.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":70061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[151],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69923"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=69923"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/69923\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/70061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=69923"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=69923"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=69923"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=69923"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=69923"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=69923"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}