Old Performance Truck Is Becoming Compact Pickup: 2025 GMC Syclone Review

General Motors is about to bring back one of its old nameplates. The 2025 GMC Syclone should be a compact truck and rival to the Ford Maverick. Of course, it will have a Chevy twin – probably Montana, or Nova Montana. The compact pickup class is new. Maverick is the first such truck in the US market. Not too far behind its debut we also saw the Hyundai Santa Cruz. Now, other companies are rushing to build their small trucks. Toyota Stout is confirmed, and Ram 1200 prototypes are already being tested on the streets.

Syclone was a performance truck built in 3,000 examples back in 1991. A few years ago when the rumors about the comeback emerged for the first time, fans expected it to be a rival to Ford Raptor. Today, we talk about it as a compact truck. It won’t be an electric vehicle. GMC already has Hummer truck, and Sierra EV is also confirmed.

Crossover-Based Pickup Truck is the Most Likely Option

It looks like GM is losing the pace in the truck market. Ford is a leader in almost every segment. Colorado was a big rival to the Toyota Tacoma, but the gap is huge now. General Motors didn’t deliver a high-performance truck to compete with Ram TRX and Ford Raptor R. We don’t think that the truckmaker will miss this opportunity as well.

The compact pickup segment is brand-new. The first model was launched last year. The Maverick is based on the Escape crossover. The 2025 GMC Syclone will use the same platform as Terrain. The unibody trucks were not so popular a few years ago. Now, the Syclone needs to be efficient when towing small cargo in the city. The hauling capacity is not a priority, so the pickup won’t be rated above 4,000 pounds. The gas mileage is a key. Well, General Motors has a problem here. The company is not building hybrid engines. Classic setups can’t match 36 mpg coming from the Ford Maverick.

2025 GMC Syclone – Reviving the Performance Truck

There is a big reason to believe in this truck. Back in the days, the Syclone was available with a V6 engine and 280 horsepower. For early 1990s that was a massive output. The 2025 GMC Syclone could do something similar. A limited-edition truck packed with the Blackwing engine will be a collectible item. Fans would like to see this configuration rather than a compact pickup or an electric truck.

Under the hood of the high-performance Syclone would be one of the potent V8. The company can pack it with a huge 6.2-liter supercharged unit that is capable of cracking 680 horsepower. Of course, this is just one of the upgrades. Other parts will serve to handle such power. A smaller displacement is also available. The 2025 Syclone with a 4.2-liter supercharged V8 would also be something worth of waiting for. A lighter configuration can do 550 horsepower.

2025 GMC Syclone Won’t be Electric Truck

Although the company is electrifying everything, it seems there is no room for another electric truck. GMC stunned the public when they brought the Hummer back as a pickup truck. What’s more surprising is a battery powertrain. Besides that, GM also promised Silverado EV. This one has even higher priority, keeping in mind that Ram 1500 REV and Ford F-150 Lightning are also introduced. Anyhow, the third EV truck would be too much, although the entire lineup will get such powerplants soon. Sierra EV is Silverado’s mechanical twin, so we take them as the same truck.

Verdict

We can’t guarantee the 2025 GMC Syclone will be available. The company is not responding to rumors. The truck segment is pretty packed with both badges – GMC and Chevrolet. The compact pickup class is the Syclone’s best bet, but it all depends on the truckmaker and what approach it will take. The new nameplate will start from scratch, while the old pickup can draw immediate attention. On the other hand, those who remember the Syclone as a performance truck will be more than disappointed learning it is a compact pickup. Real truckers don’t consider such a vehicle as a truck.