With the Ford Maverick and the Hyundai Santa Cruz proving that there’s a viable market for small trucks in the US, we expect to see a lot more of these affordable pickups hitting the road sooner than later. Full-size and mid-size trucks aren’t suitable for all walks of life, and more often than not, we don’t really need anything more than a compact truck. The good news is that this market is growing, and it’s a pretty cool time to be a truck guy or gal, but the bad news is that the US isn’t getting all the cool compact trucks being revealed in other markets.
One of these small pickup trucks that we’d like to get excited about, but just can’t (yet), is the Chevrolet Montana, a compact truck sold in South American countries like Brazil. Don’t get us wrong, this compact pickup from the legendary truckmaker shows promise, but it needs a lot of work if it’s going to make an impact in the US. But what would it take to get it US-ready enough to stand a real chance against the mighty Ford Maverick, especially after the latter’s fresh round of updates for the 2025 model year? We’ve identified ten things Chevrolet needs to do to make the Montana a success in the US market.
1 A Bigger Engine
Chevrolet
The Chevy Montana currently packs a solitary 1.2-liter turbo three-cylinder engine, delivering 133 horsepower and 155 lb-ft of torque, hitting 62 mph in 10.1 seconds. Even compared to the entry-level powertrains from Ford and Hyundai, these figures absolutely pale. If the Montana stands any chance of succeeding in the US, it’s going to need something more substantial. Engines from other Chevy trucks are unlikely, as the Colorado and Silverado both make use of FR platforms with loads of space under the hood. For the transverse engine mounting of the Montana, we need to see what its platform can accommodate. The GM VSS-F architecture also underpins the Chinese Buick LaCrosse, which is powered by either 1.5-liter or 2.0-liter turbocharged engines. The former cranks out 177 hp and 184 lb-ft, while the latter managed 233 hp and 258 lb-ft. These should be more than suitable to rival the Maverick and the Santa Cruz.
Chevrolet Montana Powertrain vs. Rivals
Chevrolet Montana
Ford Maverick
Hyundai Santa Cruz
Base Engine
1.3-liter turbo three-cylinder
2.5-liter hybrid four-cylinder
2.5-liter inline-four
Horsepower
133 hp
191 hp
191 hp
Torque
155 lb-ft
155 lb-ft
181 lb-ft
2 All-Wheel Drive Is A Must
Chevrolet
In Brazil, there’s no reason for the Montana to have all-wheel drive, as the weather is warm year-round and the only inclement weather it has to cope with is rain. But in the US, we experience everything from tropical heat to snowstorms, depending on where in the country you are, which is why an AWD option is so important for vehicles sold in the US.
If you’re adding a bigger engine, you might as well add optional all-wheel drive and complete the package. The Maverick and the Santa Cruz are both available with AWD for a modest price bump ($1,500 on the Hyundai and $2,200 on most of the Ford’s trims). A similar addition would go a long way to helping the Montana become the adventure truck Americans need.
3 An Off-Roading Trim
Chevrolet
There might not be much Chevrolet can do for the Montana to make it a serious competitor in the work truck segment. But if it can keep the price down, it might have the ultimate cheap off-roader on its hands. An off-road-ready trim with step rails, fog lights, an extra inch or two of ground clearance, all-terrain tires, and a skid plate could prove very popular in any state with rough trails and mud pits.
We’ve already seen the popularity of the XRT trim on the Santa Cruz, and Ford’s recent move to add the Sasquatch Package to the compact Ford Bronco Sport proves that there’s a desire for adventure-ready vehicles in the compact segment. Chevrolet even has the badge ready and waiting, as the ZR2 trim is the off-road-focused version of the larger Colorado and Silverado. A Montana ZR2 would be perfect.
Ford might not have an off-road Maverick variant, but it does have a street performance variant, the Lobo. This is perhaps another trim Chevy could offer – bringing back the sport truck alongside an off-road-ready version.
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4 A Hybrid Model
Chevrolet
A FWD Ford Maverick averages 26 miles to the gallon, according to the EPA, while the FWD hybrid does 37. Adding an electric motor to the Montana could deliver a similar fuel economy boost and give Ford a run for its money, as the hybrid Maverick is the only small hybrid truck available at present. Some might argue that electric is the way forward, but amidst a massive pullback on the EV advance from a plethora of manufacturers, GM included, we feel the popularity of hybrids opens the doors for a great addition to the Montana lineup. GM’s already planning a hybrid expansion in the next few years, so why not make the Montana one of those?
5 Keep The Manual Transmission
Chevrolet
When we’ve covered the Montana in the past, we’ve found it to be largely unimpressive, mainly owing to its wimpy powertrain. But you won’t find us complaining about the inclusion of a manual transmission. The stick shift might not seem like a major factor, with manual transmissions making up less than two percent of all auto sales in 2023, but there are still some drivers out there who swear by manual. The Santa Cruz and the Maverick are automatic-only, and there are only two pickup trucks in the US with a manual gearbox, which means that Montana is positioned to monopolize a small, but dedicated niche.
6 Get The Montana Name Back
Pontiac
Before the Chevy Montana was a pickup truck, it was a “subcompact coupe utility” for its first two generations, like an El Camino, a Ford Durango (not to be confused with the newer Dodge SUV of the same name), or a Dodge Rampage. These early versions were sold in Mexico as the Chevrolet Tornado because Pontiac was selling a minivan under the Montana name at the time. Tornado’s a cool name, but Montana suits a Chevrolet truck better, and nobody remembers the Pontiac minivan.
As GM owned the name, it could do whatever it wanted with us, but GM let the trademark lapse with the USPTO in 2021. The name is currently owned by Keystone RV Company for a fifth-wheel trailer, but for a dedicated pickup truck, we’re sure GM could re-trademark the name once more.
7 Move That Front License Plate Down To The Bumper
Chevrolet
Ironically, Montana is one of the American states where a front license plate is legally required, but it just doesn’t look right sitting smack-dab, dead-center of the grille. It’s like you forgot you were supposed to include it, so you stapled it on wherever there was room at the last second. We like how the license plate looks on the Silverado, sitting right between the tow hooks in the middle of the front bumper. Moving the license plate down to the bumper might necessitate a small front-end redesign, but that might not be such a bad idea either.
8 Add Some Big Chrome Bumpers
Chevrolet
Right now, the Chevy Montana looks like something you’d find in Mexico or Brazil. It’s not a bad-looking truck by any means, but it lacks a certain visual oomph you expect of American pickups. If we’re going to tweak just one thing to help the Montana fit in with its big brothers stateside, like the Colorado and the Silverado, we’d do something about that front bumper. A nice big splash of chrome and maybe some optional bull bars could lend this truck that cowboy look you want from an American pickup.
9 Cushy Interior Options
Chevrolet
The Montana RS is about as fancy as the truck gets right now. This trim includes machined 17-inch wheels, an integrated roof rack, and some tasteful leather/cloth upholstery inside the cabin. It’s a fine upgrade over the base model, but it still packs a tiny eight-inch touchscreen, and we’ve read nothing of heated or ventilated seats, ambient interior lighting, or Alcantara trim. It may sound like a silly request for a truck whose main appeal is its low price, but a cheap MSRP just means more money left over to build a luxury-lite daily driver.
10 Build It Locally To Avoid The Chicken Tax
Chevrolet
If the Toyota Stout and the Ram Rampage make their way to the US, the small truck segment could get very crowded, very soon. Chevy may be able to stand out from the crowd by way of the Montana’s very competitive price, with the truck currently selling in South America for 134,490 Brazilian real, or just under $24,000 USD, at current exchange rates. But that price won’t be sustainable if they’re paying a 25% “Chicken Tax,” President Lyndon B. Johnson’s still-standing WWII-era import penalty.
In a perfect world, you’d be building Montanas in Montana. Realistically, Mexico would be the perfect place to build a new Chevy plant or retool an existing facility, with 2020’s United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement keeping Mexican-made light trucks exempt from the tax. We just know that this truck doesn’t make a lot of sense at a base MSRP of $30,000, which would be the bare minimum Chevy would have to charge if they’re importing these trucks from Brazil.
Sources:
USPTO
,
Montana Motor Vehicle Division
, Chevrolet
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Publish date : 2024-09-06 13:00:00
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