2027 Colorado Canyon TurboMax Gets 350 HP Upgrade

The 2027 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon could receive GM’s new TurboMax upgrade, raising output to 350 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque.

GM prepares a major TurboMax upgrade

The 2027 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are expected to receive a more powerful version of GM’s 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder.

The engine would use the L4B code and deliver 350 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque. Those figures match the enhanced TurboMax introduced for the 2027 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 and GMC Sierra 1500.

However, there is an important detail.

GM has not yet published a dedicated consumer-facing specifications sheet confirming the 350-hp rating for the 2027 Colorado and Canyon. The application is supported by GM documentation and order information, so the final public specifications could still change.

The current Colorado provides the visual basis for the upcoming 2027 truck. Chevrolet currently lists the 2.7-liter TurboMax at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft.

If the L4B figures arrive unchanged, the new Colorado would gain a substantial increase over the current truck.

The existing 2.7-liter TurboMax produces 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. The reported 2027 rating would add 40 horsepower and 25 lb-ft.

That would also move the Colorado closer to the output of GM’s full-size half-ton pickups.

350 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque

GM’s official 2027 light-duty powertrain data lists the enhanced TurboMax at 350 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 455 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm.

GM says the updated engine uses a new turbocharger, upgraded fuel injection, improved active thermal management and redesigned pistons.

Those changes are designed to improve more than peak output.

GM also says the enhanced engine brings improvements in drivability, performance and noise and vibration refinement. The 455 lb-ft figure is also listed as best-in-class standard torque for the affected light-duty truck applications.

The key question is whether the same calibration will be used in the midsize Colorado and Canyon.

Current documentation points in that direction, but GM has not yet published the complete 2027 specifications for both trucks.

The current GMC Canyon uses the same 2.7-liter TurboMax family and is rated at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft in its current U.S. specification.

The Canyon currently uses the TurboMax as its standard engine.

GMC lists 310 horsepower, 430 lb-ft and up to 7,700 pounds of maximum towing capacity for the current truck. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard.

The reported 2027 upgrade would therefore increase the Canyon’s power without changing its basic engine family.

That could make the midsize truck more competitive against newer rivals while also giving buyers more performance without moving to a larger pickup.

Towing and payload figures remain unclear

The engine upgrade raises another important question.

The available documentation points to a maximum towing figure of 7,700 pounds for properly equipped 2027 Colorado and Canyon models. That would be consistent with the published capability of the current trucks.

However, GM has not released a full breakdown for every 2027 configuration.

That means the final towing and payload ratings could vary by cab, drivetrain, trim and equipment.

For buyers who use these trucks for work or recreation, that information will matter as much as horsepower.

How much stronger is the new engine?

The change is easy to measure.

Engine	Horsepower	Torque
Current L3B TurboMax	310 hp	430 lb-ft
Reported 2027 L4B TurboMax	350 hp	455 lb-ft
Difference	+40 hp	+25 lb-ft

The increase is roughly 13% more horsepower and nearly 6% more torque.

The torque curve is also important. GM’s new enhanced TurboMax reaches its 455 lb-ft peak at 3,000 rpm, the same engine-speed point used by the current TurboMax for peak torque.

That could help preserve the strong low-speed response that has made the TurboMax a key part of GM’s midsize-truck strategy.

The TurboMax is already the standard engine in the current GMC Canyon. The reported L4B version would bring a new turbocharger and other hardware changes.

The broader powertrain strategy is also worth watching.

GM has now introduced the 350-hp enhanced TurboMax for its next-generation Silverado and Sierra. The same truck program also adds new 5.7-liter and 6.6-liter V8 engines.

Applying similar hardware to the Colorado and Canyon would give GM a more consistent TurboMax family across its truck lineup.

The midsize trucks could enter a new power bracket

The potential change would make the 2027 Colorado and Canyon notably stronger than their current versions.

It would also create an unusual overlap within GM’s lineup. A midsize Colorado or Canyon could approach the same horsepower figure offered by the enhanced TurboMax in a full-size Silverado or Sierra.

That does not necessarily mean the trucks would perform identically.

Weight, gearing, suspension, tires and chassis calibration all affect real-world performance. The final Colorado and Canyon specifications will determine how the extra power translates on the road and while towing.

For now, the most important figure is the reported 350 horsepower and 455 lb-ft of torque.

The 2027 Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon TurboMax upgrade appears set to move GM’s midsize pickups into a higher power bracket, although the automaker still needs to publish the complete consumer-facing specifications for the new L4B application.