General Motors’ diesel-powered Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon have finally received fuel-efficiency ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency.
The stablemates have received city/highway/combined estimates of 22/31/25 mpg in two-wheel-drive form, or a slightly lower 20/29/23 mpg when equipped with four-wheel drive.
Both have been outfitted with the same 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder engine, producing 181 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. Owners can haul up to 7,700 pounds with the 2WD model, or 7,600 pounds behind the 4WD package.
The company claims the duo represents the most fuel-efficient new pickups in the US market. The larger Ram 1500 diesel received a maximum 20/28/23 mpg rating, claiming the title of most fuel-efficient full-size pickup. Its 3.0-liter V6 is more powerful than GM’s four-cylinder oil burner, bumping the Ram’s tow rating to 9,200 pounds.
GM’s diesel-sipping midsize pickups appear to have been among the first vehicles to face the Environmental Protection Agency’s more stringent testing regimen, implemented as Volkswagen’s diesel emissions scandal first came to light. The agency reportedly stalled certification of both pickups until its laboratory dynamometer tests could be validated via real-world measurements.
Both the diesel-powered Canyon and Colorado are slated to arrive in showrooms this fall, with respective starting prices approximately $3,730 higher than a comparably equipped 3.6-liter V6 model.
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