Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon Lead the Segment in Highway Fuel Economy

2015 Chevrolet Colorado (Credit: © General Motors)

After taking some time off, the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado are set to make their return to the midsize truck segment with all-new looks and drivetrains. The goals for these new trucks are to offer easier-to-drive cargo haulers that are relatively affordable and get livable fuel economy. Two of the three boxes are checked off, with the pickup truck twins carrying a fairly low price tag and their smaller size making them easier to drive, but the final box remained unchecked until today.

GM has revealed the preliminary EPA-estimated fuel-economy specs for the base Canyon and Colorado models. With the base, 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine in place, an auto transmission and rear-wheel drive, the two pickups get 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Four-wheel drive knocks these ratings to 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. With four-wheel drive and a manual transmission, the pickups get 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

2015 GMC Canyon

These fuel-economy numbers make the Colorado and Canyon the most highway fuel-efficient, four-cylinder midsize pickups on the market today. It’s closest rival at this point would be the Toyota Tacoma at 25 mpg. This new stat combined with its already class-leading payload rating shows that GM is working hard to dominate this segment.

What’s more, the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado are both set to receive a 2.8-liter Duramax diesel engine in 2016. With this engine likely to be significantly more efficient, look for GM to comply blow out the competition in midsize pickup fuel economy in the coming years. We should learn more about this engine as we approach its release date.