The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado and 2021 GMC Canyon will see several minor updates and changes, GM Authority has learned from sources familiar with future GM product plans.

Specifically, the updates and changes in question will include revised front fascias that could also be called a new grille treatment. Interior updates were part of the plan, but sources have suggested that if they are included, then they will be limited.

From what we know as of this writing, GM is not considering these 2021 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon updates as a midcycle enhancement (MCE), otherwise known as a refresh or facelift, as they will be significantly less impactful than changes that an actual MCE would bring. Instead, the updates will simply be rolled into a model year changeover for the 2021 model year.

In fact, GM Authority managed to catch a prototype of the 2021 GMC Canyon testing the cooling functions of the updated front fascia of the 2021 GMC Canyon in July. The prototype featured a new front grille that unified the separate upper and lower grilles of the current model into one. No other changes were visible on that prototype.

GM’s duo of midsize pickup trucks is facing increased competition from two new entrants – the Jeep Gladiator and the Ford Ranger. In fact, Colorado sales took a beating in the second quarter, with the Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator eating into Colorado sales volumes.

Sales Numbers - Midsize Mainstream Pickup Trucks - Q2 2019 - USA

MODEL Q2 19 / Q2 18 Q2 19 Q2 18 Q2 19 SHARE Q2 18 SHARE YTD 19 / YTD 18 YTD 19 YTD 18 TOYOTA TACOMA +1.91% 63,683 62,487 41% 47% +4.82% 121,866 116,266 CHEVROLET COLORADO -22.79% 31,669 41,016 21% 31% -6.74% 65,163 69,875 FORD RANGER * 20,880 * 14% 0% * 30,301 0 NISSAN FRONTIER +1.19% 19,101 18,876 12% 14% -5.70% 39,322 41,701 GMC CANYON +23.60% 11,909 9,635 8% 7% +11.96% 18,863 16,848 JEEP GLADIATOR * 7,129 * 5% 0% * 7,252 0 TOTAL +16.94% 154,371 132,014 +15.56% 282,767 244,690

As such, GM must do something to make the Colorado and Canyon attractive to buyers until their next generation models land years from now. Hence, these minor updates for the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon will have to tide the midsize trucks over until they are overhauled.

GM was initially planning to give the duo an actual refresh in 2020 for the 2021 model year and then overhaul the next-generation models on an architecture called 32XX around 2023 for the 2024 model year. However, those plans changed as a result of GM’s restructuring in late 2018 that saw the cancellation of various future variants in development at that time, such as the Camaro Z28 variant of the sixth-generation Camaro and its LT3 engine, as well as the discontinuation of several existing models, including the Chevrolet Cruze, Volt and Impala plus the Buick LaCrosse.

At this point, we expect the overhauled future Chevy Colorado and future GMC Canyon to land in 2022 or 2023 (calendar years) as 2023 or 2024 models (model years). They will ride on the GM 31XX-2 platform, a slightly-upgraded version of the GM 31XX architecture that underpins the current trucks.

We’ll report as we learn more from our sources. Meanwhile, be sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more Chevrolet Colorado news, Chevrolet news, GMC Canyon news, GMC news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.

Chevrolet Colorado Photos