DETROIT -- If the 2015 GMC Canyon pickup looks a bit like a little brother to the larger Sierra full-sized pickup, that's by design.
The Canyon, which was scheduled to be unveiled Sunday, was designed to resemble a "little Sierra" to attract full-sized pickup buyers from other brands, says General Motors North America President Mark Reuss. He believes some owners of bigger trucks such as Ford's F-150 and the Ram 1500 want a smaller vehicle that still has most of their hauling and towing capability.
"We want to steal people from big pickup trucks in other brands with the GMC," Reuss said in an interview in November.
With the introduction this fall of the Canyon and its corporate cousin, the Chevrolet Colorado, GM will be zigging while its competitors zag. Both Ford and Ram have abandoned the shrinking market for mid-sized trucks, leaving the Toyota Tacoma as the dominant force.
Reuss says the Canyon and Colorado are aimed at slightly different buyer groups. While Chevy will position the Colorado as a sporty truck for active families, the bold-faced, industrial-looking Canyon will be for buyers who want more capability in a smaller package.