The automaker is reportedly benchmarking the compact pickup.
This is a common practice in the automotive industry.
No plans have been revealed for a future small GM pickup.
General Motors is reportedly benchmarking the Ford Maverick in the United States, according to the information given to GM Authority.
This could mean that the automaker is working on a small pickup truck that could go head-to-head with the Maverick, which currently doesn’t have much competition, especially in terms of price.
Benchmarking is a common practice in which automakers study and test vehicles from rival companies in order to evaluate their performance, ride, handling, usability, and efficiency.
This then helps companies decide on the tuning of major systems such as powertrains and suspensions ahead of the launch of a new model.
Since there are currently no known plans for a compact pickup to sit under the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in the GM lineup, this could be the first hint about a potential new model.
As of now, the Ford Maverick is one of the smallest pickups on the market and it is also much more affordable than any other vehicle in its category.
In addition, the Maverick’s standard powertrain is the only hybrid system that can power a compact pickup.
Since General Motors and Ford have always been direct competitors, it would not be surprising to hear that a Chevrolet or GMC-branded Maverick fighter is on its way, but nothing has been confirmed yet.
If such a model arrives in the coming years, it will be interesting to see if General Motors decides to follow Ford by offering a hybrid version or if it decides to go fully electric, making this truck a smaller counterpart of the upcoming Silverado EV and Sierra EV.
Source: GM Authority
