The redesign for the next GM midsize Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon trucks will be for 2023. We know some details and can also safely speculate on what these new trucks could be based on earlier predictions and what we know now.

First, a bit of global GM midsize truck knowledge. Besides the Colorado and Canyon, GM sells midsize trucks in Thailand, Australia, and many other markets outside of the US. That midsize truck shares some components with the US Colorado and Canyon, which also sells in Canada, but only some. 

For instance, frames are similar but there are differences between the global midsize and US midsize truck frames. That is going to change with the next Colorado/Canyon. 

Colorado Via Brazil

Originally an all-new midsize platform was being developed in Brazil. A combination of difficulties in South America and changing metrics internally have resulted in GM dropping what was called the 32xx platform according to Muscle Cars and Trucks. 

The new platform is called 31xx-2 and will be common to GM’s midsize trucks globally. As the current midsize trucks are part of the 31xx program we can expect that the next version will be evolutionary rather than completely new. That’s a good thing.

The current Colorado/Canyon needs a freshening with a better interior and more safety/driver-assist features. Those features can all be comfortably packaged into an evolved 31xx-2 platform. Why reinvent the wheel?

Spin-Offs

To get more bang for its but GM could spin off a number of different models sharing similar underpinnings to take advantage of consumers’ major shift to trucks and SUVs. An SUV from the new platform makes lots of sense. 

Not every SUV in this segment has to be a crossover. A rugged body-on-frame SUV could be the basis for a great Bronco rival. With all of the buzz around the new Bronco you can be sure it has not gotten past the GM product planners.

The ZR2 has been a successful Colorado model. Chevy could expand that idea to develop a sportier version with a more powerful V6 and throw in better handling. This could be a return of the GMC Syclone, or something close

A Chevy Colorado EV?

The one thing GM probably won’t spin-off of this architecture would be an EV pickup. An evolution of the 31xx platform would not be able to reasonably package battery packs within the frame. In our estimation that would take an entirely new and different platform. So we can assume that an all-electric Colorado/Canyon is not in the offing. 

That can always change and again, we know GM product planners are watching the progress of the Rivian EV and Tesla’s upcoming EV truck. And who knows, the decision to evolve the 31xx program rather than do the all-new 32xx development may have something to do with shifting development dollars towards an EV truck.

We keep hearing rumors about a revived Hummer as a completely electric truck brand. If this is going to happen, GM needs to consider not only development but brand marketing and overlapping needs that come with an entirely new division. 

We can’t wait to see how this will all flesh out over the next several years. What this means for consumers is that there will be more variety and choices in all of the truck and SUV arenas.