OREANDA-NEWS. September 23, 2014. The two newest entries in the midsize truck segment are one step closer to being on the road, with the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon shipping to dealers.

Consumers have created more than 100,000 configurations of the trucks since the Colorado Build Your Own and Canyon Build Your Own websites went live on Sept. 3.

“The Colorado was designed to meet the demands of the modern midsized truck buyer, and now we’re fulfilling the demand they’ve placed on us,” said Brian Sweeney, U.S. vice president of Chevrolet. “Chevrolet and everyone at the Wentzville plant has worked hard to get the truck out on time to fulfill as soon as possible the orders our dealers have placed.”

Said Duncan Aldred, U.S. vice president of GMC: “We have heard our customers loud and clear – they want a modern midsize truck that’s refined and capable. We’re excited to introduce them to the Canyon. We’re confident the Canyon will redefine the segment, with the latest technologies and premium materials throughout.”

Both the Colorado and Canyon benefit from technologies like cabs and frames made with more than 72 percent high-strength steel, available active aero shutters to make the truck as aerodynamic as needed, and available OnStar with 4G LTE, creating a rolling Wi-Fi hotspot for up to seven mobile devices to connect to the Internet.

The duo’s available 3.6L V-6 engines return 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway in 2wd form, making them the most fuel efficient V-6s in their class, offering three to five mpg better than their competitors.

For the 2016 model year, Colorado and Canyon will add a 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel to the engine lineup. Technical details and EPA fuel economy estimates will be available closer to launch.

With the introduction of Colorado and Canyon, Chevrolet and GMC will offer customers more pickup choices than any other brand, including midsize, full-size light duty and heavy-duty pickups.