Idea.

"G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3" (gbodyman) 10/23/2016 at 16:25 • Filed to: None

2

20

Like this, but less fleet-looking and more colourful

Why doesn’t Chevy take the absolute base-model Colorado, add the 4.2" MyLink system (mainly for bluetooth), body colour door handles, black-painted slotted steel wheels, and the option for an automatic transmission, recycle the XR trim level from the later Saturns because it sounds cool, and sell it for $23,995 marketed at young people who like trucks but never thought they could afford a new one?

That would be about $2300 more than a 2017 Corolla S 6MT, not quite $2400 more than a Civic EX-T Coupe, a little over $700 more than a mid-range CX-3 with AWD, and $1500 more than an Impreza 2.0i Sport hatchback, which places it within reach of most new car buyers in their early 20s, and it has the features they want (bluetooth, air conditioning, power windows and locks, a smooth monochrome appearance).

Or maybe it’s just me.

The World of Vee > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 16:30

2

You tell me that there’s a market for young buyers and pickups that aren’t full sized? Every guy i know with a pick up would rather drive an older full size than a new midsize.

ranwhenparked > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 16:34

2

Probably wouldn’t make enough money off of it, and would be afraid of stealing sales from slightly higher trims.

PS9 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 16:41

0

Because they don’t have to. This is ‘murica, and that is a truck built by a ‘murican manufacturer. It will sell extremely well no matter what. Additional effort is not needed.

whoarder is tellurium > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 16:46

1

Bring back the Atlas I-5. Modernize it with turbocharger and direct injection.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > The World of Vee 10/23/2016 at 16:48

0

Absolutely. A lot of non-enthusiasts I know in the 20-25 range don’t really care about midsize vs fullsize, but rather looks, cost, and newness.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > ranwhenparked 10/23/2016 at 16:49

0

But if you wanted anything more than that, you’d be forced to upgrade. Alloy wheels? Next trim level! Bigger screen? Next trim level! Heated and/or cloth seats? Next trim level! V6? Next trim level!

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > PS9 10/23/2016 at 16:49

0

The sad truth is uncovered.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > The World of Vee 10/23/2016 at 16:50

1

+1. Everyone I know under 35 either wants a Taco because they’re now the hipster Wrangler or wants a REAL TRUCK because small pickups are dumb.

jkm7680 > ranwhenparked 10/23/2016 at 16:51

0

Exactly

Gerry197 > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 17:15

0

Manufactures learned a long time ago to price big jumps in trim. Making a basic truck look good, too good, will steal sales in much more profitable higher trim models.

The World of Vee > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 21:45

0

Anecdotes aside, there’s a reason why midsize trucks have slowly gone out of favor (they’re coming back now I suppose but dodge and ford don’t make any)

I live in the midwest and don’t know a single person who either owns a midsize or wants a midsize pickup, but that’s also just anecdotal.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > The World of Vee 10/23/2016 at 21:58

0

Maybe that’s a midwest thing, then. I know a bunch of young people who like them, but I’m more west coast.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind 10/23/2016 at 22:03

0

Maybe it’s just a west coast/suburbs of small cities thing.

shop-teacher > The World of Vee 10/23/2016 at 23:20

0

I’m in the Midwest as well, I see Colorados all over the place.

jdrgoat - Ponticrack? > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/23/2016 at 23:31

0

Why doesn’t Chevy take the absolute base-model Colorado , add the 4.2" MyLink system (mainly for bluetooth), body colour door handles , black-painted slotted steel wheels, and the option for an automatic transmission, recycle the XR trim level from the later Saturns because it sounds cool, and sell it for $23,995 marketed at young people who like trucks but never thought they could afford a new one?

Um, this does exist. Unless I’m reading something wrong here. My truck is the second-from-base (it’s a WT trim, so it has carpet and rear seats), with the 4 cylinder and I am excited to have the manual transmission. The 4.2" MyLink is standard, there isn’t a trim without it. One of the packages I optioned ordered added the bluetooth. One of the option packaged I ordered added the body color door handles, body color mirror caps, silver trim under the windows, and alloy wheels. The final price? I’d have to find the window sticker, but it was between $23k-24k. So exactly in your price point.

The only difference, really, is the transmission. Add $1k and I’m sure the MSRP would be close enough that you could easily haggle and get what you suggested. And I’ve been averaging 25mpg, so the EPA combined 22mpg looks worse than it really is. (The auto is EPA 23mpg combined, I think?)

That said... No one seems to think that my truck makes sense. So if there was an XR like you suggest, it still wouldn’t sell. No matter how much sense it might make in the real world. If anything has the chance of making people “want” that big of a change from your usual truck, it would be the Ridgeline, because it’s already so far from a typical truck. But they won’t even offer a 4 cylinder, which I think is from fear of looking even more un-truck-like.

The World of Vee > shop-teacher 10/24/2016 at 00:29

0

Again, it’s not that they don’t get sold it’s what do people really want. Of course there are colorados and frontiers on the streets, but they pale in insignificance compared to how many silverados, rams, f150s etc that are sold.

Why else would ford stop selling the Ranger here? They make it, it sells in droves overseas but they aren’t sold here. Same with the Dakota.

George McNally > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 10/24/2016 at 00:47

0

If I was gonna buy a new pickup solely for light duty and commuting......I’d get the base, base Chevy Colorado .

Can’t beat it with a stick for 21k.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > George McNally 10/24/2016 at 01:03

0

I would too, but some people want a little more than just three colours and no backseats.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > jdrgoat - Ponticrack? 10/24/2016 at 01:05

0

It’s weird how they took most of the content out of the WT, called it the base, and then bumped up the price of the WT for 2016. Now you can’t get body-colour trim without popping for both the WT Convenience package AND the Work Truck Appearance Package (almost $1k for both). Even then, you have to pay an extra $275 for the 4.2" MyLink (but all trucks come with a 4.2" colour audio display), so the total cost ends up being a bit over $25k because you now have to buy a bunch of extra stuff to get the appearance and connectivity most people want.

Also, I don’t think it would be un-truck-like, as it still has a separate frame and a metal bed and is RWD. It’s still a truck, just not an expensive 4x4 V6 one.

shop-teacher > The World of Vee 10/24/2016 at 06:56

0

Yeah, more people want full sizes, but they’re selling every Colorado and Tacoma they can screw together. Neither gets any real cash put on the hood to make them sell either. Chevy is even moving production of cutaway vans to another factory, to free up capacity for more Colorados.

The Ranger died on the vine with the same bodystyle for nearly 20 years, and that’s not the one that sells in droves oversees. That Ranger is an entirely different truck. The final Dakota was a hideous CHUD, and Chrysler had no money to develop new products when it was axed.