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As part of my job I get to attend a variety of automotive events and for the past couple of days I was at an event at GM's Milford Proving Grounds in Michigan. Note: security at the Proving Grounds is very tight and as a result photography is strictly forbidden. At the time I signed in with security they applied serial numbered "Pic Patch" stickers to both lenses on my phone's camera and to those of everyone else at the event. So I have no photos - sorry!
At this event there was a 2015 GMC Canyon crew cab long bed and a 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 short bed crew cab on static display. Because the trucks have been officially released for public viewing and I wasn't instructed to not say anything about what I observed I think that I'm OK posting this.
So, in no particular order, here are the details that I remember:
Both trucks had the VIN stickers on the drivers side door jams with Not for Sale or Not for Retail Sale or something to that effect which is an indication that they are pre-production models. I remember the Canyon had a Proudly Made in Wentzville, MO sticker on the lower left inside of the door.
I had a chance to spend about 15 minutes sitting in the Canyon without any interruptions. This truck was a very deep dark green color with a dark charcoal with slightly lighter gray cloth patterned seat centers. I don't remember if the Canyon had the Z71 markings on the truck or not but it did have bucket seats with the automatic gear selector on the console.
The interior was very nice! In the front under dash open storage pocket of the center console is a 12 volt power outlet, one USB port and an auxiliary input jack. On the rear of the center console for rear seat passengers was another 12 volt outlet and, as I recall, two or three USB ports. Lots of storage under the lid of the center console, too. I don't remember if it had a 110 volt outlet or not.
The rear seat seat backs folded forward over the top of the seat bottoms making for a flat carpeted load floor. I think I remember it being a 60/40 split. The rear headrests have an easily accessible button to make it easy to remove the headrests so that the seat backs can lay flat. If the front seat is back far enough it doesn't look like it is possible to lay the rear seat back down flat without the headrest hitting the back of the front seat, hence the removable headrests..
There is a lot of legroom in the front of the truck and it had a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. It had a big screen LCD display in the top center stack of the dash and a smaller LCD screen in the center of the gauge cluster. The fuel and temperature gauges were above the smaller screen in the gauge cluster.
The gas filler door on the driver's side of the bed was about twice as wide as a typical gas door. Push the door from the outside and it has a popper to pop it open. Inside I found a traditional gas cap and next to that a round, maybe 1.5" diameter, rubber plug that I assume is where the DEF filler will be on the diesel models.
The interior on this truck is a huge improvement compared to the first gen trucks especially when compared to the base interior in the first gen work truck models like mine. The interior door panels had nice, soft, arm rests that fit my elbow perfectly. There is plenty of headroom, too.
This truck had a credit card size slot on the dash to the left of the steering column. This is where the optional trailer brake controller goes. Don't know if the non-trailer brake controller trucks will have the slot or if it's just unique to the pre-production models.
With the seat back far enough to be comfortable for my reasonably long legs the B-pillar between the front and rear side window did not intrude into my peripheral vision. I thought that was great since I'd driven a new Cruz awhile back and for me to fit comfortably the B-pillar interfered with my peripheral vision.
I'm 6' and currently 230 lbs and at first sit in the drivers seat the seat bottom cushion felt a little too narrow and tight for me with its subtle side bolsters. However, after a couple of minutes in the seat that feeling went away and it felt pretty good. The length of the seat bottom was long enough to give me plenty of thigh support, too. And the seat backs were pretty firm in my lower lumbar area and felt really good. I didn't think to check to see if there was a lumber support adjustment or not.
In this truck the drivers seat was all power fore - aft and up down. The passenger seat had a manual fore - aft grab handle on the bottom left front of the seat down near the seat track. Both had manual seat back tilt as I recall.
The Canyon had a sliding rear window with de-icer. I don't know if it was a power slider or not because I didn't notice if there was a sliding window switch on the dash.
The rear axle was mounted under the leaf spring.
I saw several camouflaged Colly's/Canyon's on one of the nearby test tracks but couldn't tell whether they were diesels or not because they were too far away. However, another friend at the event in another location at the Proving Grounds reported that he did see a couple of diesels during our time there.
I had a chance to speak to the head of the diesel engine program and asked him some questions. For competitive reasons and because they don't have the official EPA numbers yet he couldn't give out the fuel economy numbers that they have been seeing but I suspect they are going to be really good.
He noted that in their mountain tow testing out west dragging around a 7k lb trailer was no big deal for the diesel equipped truck. I find that really encouraging in terms of tow-ability.
So there you have it - a first sit in the new Canyon! If you have any question ask away and it may trigger a memory of the truck that I didn't remember as I typed this.
Bob
At this event there was a 2015 GMC Canyon crew cab long bed and a 2015 Chevy Colorado Z71 short bed crew cab on static display. Because the trucks have been officially released for public viewing and I wasn't instructed to not say anything about what I observed I think that I'm OK posting this.
So, in no particular order, here are the details that I remember:
Both trucks had the VIN stickers on the drivers side door jams with Not for Sale or Not for Retail Sale or something to that effect which is an indication that they are pre-production models. I remember the Canyon had a Proudly Made in Wentzville, MO sticker on the lower left inside of the door.
I had a chance to spend about 15 minutes sitting in the Canyon without any interruptions. This truck was a very deep dark green color with a dark charcoal with slightly lighter gray cloth patterned seat centers. I don't remember if the Canyon had the Z71 markings on the truck or not but it did have bucket seats with the automatic gear selector on the console.
The interior was very nice! In the front under dash open storage pocket of the center console is a 12 volt power outlet, one USB port and an auxiliary input jack. On the rear of the center console for rear seat passengers was another 12 volt outlet and, as I recall, two or three USB ports. Lots of storage under the lid of the center console, too. I don't remember if it had a 110 volt outlet or not.
The rear seat seat backs folded forward over the top of the seat bottoms making for a flat carpeted load floor. I think I remember it being a 60/40 split. The rear headrests have an easily accessible button to make it easy to remove the headrests so that the seat backs can lay flat. If the front seat is back far enough it doesn't look like it is possible to lay the rear seat back down flat without the headrest hitting the back of the front seat, hence the removable headrests..
There is a lot of legroom in the front of the truck and it had a tilt and telescoping steering wheel. It had a big screen LCD display in the top center stack of the dash and a smaller LCD screen in the center of the gauge cluster. The fuel and temperature gauges were above the smaller screen in the gauge cluster.
The gas filler door on the driver's side of the bed was about twice as wide as a typical gas door. Push the door from the outside and it has a popper to pop it open. Inside I found a traditional gas cap and next to that a round, maybe 1.5" diameter, rubber plug that I assume is where the DEF filler will be on the diesel models.
The interior on this truck is a huge improvement compared to the first gen trucks especially when compared to the base interior in the first gen work truck models like mine. The interior door panels had nice, soft, arm rests that fit my elbow perfectly. There is plenty of headroom, too.
This truck had a credit card size slot on the dash to the left of the steering column. This is where the optional trailer brake controller goes. Don't know if the non-trailer brake controller trucks will have the slot or if it's just unique to the pre-production models.
With the seat back far enough to be comfortable for my reasonably long legs the B-pillar between the front and rear side window did not intrude into my peripheral vision. I thought that was great since I'd driven a new Cruz awhile back and for me to fit comfortably the B-pillar interfered with my peripheral vision.
I'm 6' and currently 230 lbs and at first sit in the drivers seat the seat bottom cushion felt a little too narrow and tight for me with its subtle side bolsters. However, after a couple of minutes in the seat that feeling went away and it felt pretty good. The length of the seat bottom was long enough to give me plenty of thigh support, too. And the seat backs were pretty firm in my lower lumbar area and felt really good. I didn't think to check to see if there was a lumber support adjustment or not.
In this truck the drivers seat was all power fore - aft and up down. The passenger seat had a manual fore - aft grab handle on the bottom left front of the seat down near the seat track. Both had manual seat back tilt as I recall.
The Canyon had a sliding rear window with de-icer. I don't know if it was a power slider or not because I didn't notice if there was a sliding window switch on the dash.
The rear axle was mounted under the leaf spring.
I saw several camouflaged Colly's/Canyon's on one of the nearby test tracks but couldn't tell whether they were diesels or not because they were too far away. However, another friend at the event in another location at the Proving Grounds reported that he did see a couple of diesels during our time there.
I had a chance to speak to the head of the diesel engine program and asked him some questions. For competitive reasons and because they don't have the official EPA numbers yet he couldn't give out the fuel economy numbers that they have been seeing but I suspect they are going to be really good.
He noted that in their mountain tow testing out west dragging around a 7k lb trailer was no big deal for the diesel equipped truck. I find that really encouraging in terms of tow-ability.
So there you have it - a first sit in the new Canyon! If you have any question ask away and it may trigger a memory of the truck that I didn't remember as I typed this.
Bob
