Chevy Appears To Have Overlooked the 2021 Colorado
General Motors is known for building dependable vehicles that withstand the demands of work and play. The Chevrolet Silverado is the most popular truck in the company’s product lineup, accounting for higher 2020 Q1 sales than both Ford and Fiat Chrysler.
The 2021 Colorado is the entry-level model of Chevrolet’s durable lineup. It falls in the middle of a competitive midsize truck segment. GM recently announced that the truck wouldn’t see any major modifications on the upcoming model. This has left consumers wondering what the future holds for the Colorado pickup.
Edmunds review of the 2021 Chevy Colorado
https://twitter.com/therealautoblog/status/1175087006000525312/photo/1
With a starting price of $21,300, the midsize truck offers notable towing and hauling capabilities. Edmunds gave the Colorado an expert rating of 7.6 out of 10, saying it “offers a better ride quality than many competitors in its class.”
Impressed with the in-car technology, Edmunds noted that the heated steering wheel and seats feature is a welcome addition to the Colorado. They found the cabin to be a little noisy, but nothing would distract passengers from a comfortable ride. The reviewers enjoyed the road’s commanding view for the driver but felt the back seat had a limited amount of space.
The test drive proved that the Colorado truck handles the road well, and the firm suspension takes on any driving condition with confidence. Edmunds final verdict on the 2021 Colorado is that “It provides a little bit of something for everyone and compromises very little along the way.”
Design changes made in the 2021 model
GM opted to give the Colorado pickup truck a small facelift for the 2021 incoming model and skip a refresh altogether. First introduced in 2015, this is the seventh model year of the second generation design. The industry giant announced that it would “forego a mid cycle enhancement” for the Colorado.
Instead, the truck will receive a complete overhaul for the 2023 model year. It will be redesigned and re-engineered at that time to stay competitive in a crowded market segment. Although it is the smallest pickup in Chevy’s product line, the Colorado shares a platform with the GMC Canyon. It is available in both extended-cab and crew-cab with two-bed length options.
The eliminated base model of the 2021 Colorado now makes way for four work truck trim levels available. The only real changes for the 2021 Colorado appear to be to the design of the truck. The Colorado received a new front-end design and, the ZR2 trim now has a wider grille that stretches prominently across the truck’s front.
The tailgate logo found its replacement with the word Chevrolet stamped across the back of all models. Nothing much else has changed in the 2021 Colorado.
How the Chevy truck holds up against the competition
In 2019, GM was ranked as the second best-selling midsize truck in the country, outpacing Toyota and Nissan. Sales numbers took a drastic hit when the revitalized segment saw the Jeep Gladiator’s launch, release of the new Ford Ranger, and redesign of the Nissan Frontier.
The COVID-19 pandemic created manufacturing issues, and the available inventory of the Colorado became very limited. Industry giants such as Ford, Toyota, and Jeep moved in and benefit from GM’s lack of product availability. As General Motors struggles to get their trucks into the hands of consumers, the competition is thriving.
The launch of the Jeep Gladiator and new Ford Ranger has further diminished demand for the 2021 Colorado truck. Offering more modern features on their product line, the major competitors take up the lion’s share of the segment.
Although the diesel engine option remains unique for its class, the Colorado is most likely still going to struggle against trucks like the Tacoma and Gladiator.
