All About Japan Autos

The Chevrolet Colorado will be discontinued after 2011, but that doesn’t mean Chevy is planning to do without a compact pickup truck in its lineup. The Chevrolet Montana — native to South American streets — is rumored to be its replacement.

The car-based, front-wheel-drive Montana currently features a 1.4-liter, four-cylinder engine that makes 97 horsepower, returns 30 mpg on the highway and tows up to 1,671 pounds. That doesn’t sound vey impressive, but Autoblog says it “could provide a nice stepping stone into [Chevrolet’s] family of larger pickups.” Still, Autoblog admits that “[t]he engine would likely have to be beefed up for this market, since potential truck shoppers might be scared off” by its meager output.

Inside, the Montanta sounds appealing. “[M]uch like the Corvette and other GM products, a dual cockpit layout dominates the setting,” explains Motor Trend. “The ‘Jewel Effect’ interior motif entertains the eyes and the high seating position gives a commanding view of the road ahead. The GM globalized ‘ice blue’ instrument lighting also makes its way into the Montana.”

Its exterior, however, raises some eyebrows. “The Montana’s exterior styling is (ahem) controversial,” writes PickupTrucks.com. “We haven’t seen an ugly truckling like this since the Pontiac Aztek. But there’s something compelling about its mini footprint and work capabilities that defy its small stature.”

Pricing for the Montana starts at $18,720. No word yet on whether the Montana will ever hit U.S. lots, but it wouldn’t be surprising. As of now, Chevy hasn’t named an official successor to the Colorado.

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