The Dodge Dakota and Ford Ranger are gone, but rumors of the demise of the mid-size pickup have been greatly exaggerated. It’s true, there’s been some serious attrition in that corner of the market lately, but the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier are soldiering along just fine, and next year Chevrolet plans to rejoin the fray with an all-new Colorado.
Chevy plans to unveil the new Colorado, which has been seen testing worldwide, at the Los Angeles International Auto Show next week. Chevy hasn’t let many details slip, saying only that the new Colorado will “reinvent what a midsize pickup should be.” Considering the truck’s smaller size and the market’s emphasis on fuel economy, some experts speculate that this could mean that a diesel engine will be offered. With diesels becoming more common in cars as well as light-duty trucks, and the Ram EcoDiesel just hitting the streets, a diesel Colorado might be just the shakeup that Chevy needs to cause. Overseas versions of the Colorado are available with 2.5 liter and 2.8 liter Duramax four-cylinder diesels, so there’s no doubt that it’s possible.
Expect four- and six-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engines as well.
Styling-wise, spy shots of the new Colorado show a truck that takes a bit of influence from Chevy’s passenger-car lineup, with a big chrome grille sash and curvy but upright styling. Of course, there’s no telling what’s really under the cover. We’ll have the full story next week.
