AJAX, ON – I'm sure you've heard by now about General Motors' (GM) push in the mid-size pickup truck segment with the brand-new 2015 GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado. It's all part of GM's three-truck strategy (the only automaker to offer that) to offer a full variety of trucks in their lineup.

The mid-size pickup truck segment has been growing cobwebs for a decade, and GM hopes that its latest additions can invigorate it with two sharp-looking and technology-laden trucks. GM is hoping that those customers who flocked to the crossover market will come back, as well as many new clientele, who are looking for something a little bit bigger with a bed for hauling purposes. It's an unconventional theory, but one that GM is sticking to.

There are very few segments that can be quickly penetrated and GM saw an opportunity with the departure of the Ford Ranger and Dodge Dakota. Forever, the segment sales leader has been the Toyota Tacoma, but this movement even re-charged Toyota's batteries. In reaction to GM's assault on the segment, Toyota is ready to unveil the third-generation 2016 Tacoma at this year's North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

On a rainy morning, east of Toronto in Ajax, Ontario, GM set-up a day where we were able to test out the mid-size twin sisters. They both share the same set-up and engine, but differ in other respects. The GMC Canyon is your more refined sister with expensive taste and a sweet spot for chrome and leather; on the other hand, the Chevy Colorado is your tomboy with a more sporty and no-fuss attitude about it. The Colorado has the looks to take on its competition without the need to show off. They both have an edgy look to them, which is in line with today's modern styling.

When it comes to interior styling, both trucks are leaps and bounds ahead of the rest of the segment. Above the base level, both come with an eight-inch touchscreen with navigation, comfortable bucket seats and OnStar with 4G LTE and a built-in Wi-Fi hot spot. Furthermore, you will receive technological safety assists that include a rear view camera, Lane Departure Warning and Hill Descent controls.

Everything about the new trucks help to make life easier for the driver and passengers. The seats are more comfortable, there is more room in the second-row and even the tailgate is easy to lower, as it goes down slowly to avoid any injury. The only thing I felt the Canyon should have was an eight-or-ten-way powered driver seat. For now in both the trucks, you can use the powered seat to move back-and-forth and up-and-down, but not to recline – a lever still does that trick.

These twin trucks might look and feel like new cars and crossovers, but what's even better is that they drive like them too. I manoeuvred around with confidence whether it was a curvy road or performing a u-turn. This is an important note to mention, as the full-size GMC Sierra and Silverado cannot do such acts with ease, proving that there is a need for a mid-size truck.

It was only when I got out of the Canyon SLE long bed when I noticed how long and non-compact it was. Granted, these new crossover buyers will be opting for a short bed, it was still shocking to see this truck that seemed to have no end point.

All of the vehicles provided by GM were fitted with the 3.6-litre six-cylinder engine that produces 305 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque with best in-class towing and payload of 7,000 lbs. and 1,800 lbs., respectively. They're all mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, which I found to be slow upon initial acceleration in the 4wd Canyon in SLE trim with the all-terrain package and long bed. However, when levelling off your acceleration at 60 km/h, it seemed to go forward without any lag. On the other hand, the 2wd Colorado in the off-road-inspired 7Z1 trim with the short bed pushed off quickly with less noticeable gear shifts.

The other engine option for both is the 2.5-litre four-cylinder with 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque. There is a third option to be added shortly and it will be an intriguing 2.8-litre four-cylinder Duramax Turbo Diesel.

During the drive, both trucks got an equal taste of smooth suburban driving roads and gravel roads. They were both surprisingly quiet and relaxed throughout, as well as being fun to drive. There were many bumps, pot holes and puddles along the way, but both trucks tackled those obstacles with ease and without much impact on the occupants.

In the past few years, many consumers went smaller to avoid high fuel economy bills. They need not worry much with these trucks as the Canyon SLE 4WD crew cab long bed rates at 13.5L/100 km in the city and 9.8L/100 km on the highway; while the Colorado Z71 2WD crew cab short bed rated at 13.0L/100 km in the city and 9.2L/100 km on the highway. Almost identical numbers to the Hyundai Santa Fe XL I just drove in.

I didn't get the chance to tow anything or go off-roading, but there was a snowmobile attached to one of the Canyon long boxes that from what I hear was easily manoeuvred around the area.

When it comes to trucks, there's always too many prices to list. What I can tell you is that the six-cylinder Chevy Colorado starts at $30,900 and the Z71 that I had topped out at $37,565. While, the six-cylinder GMC Canyon starts at $36,200 and the SLE long bed with all-terrain package ended up being $41,725.

The twin trucks showcased their versatile skills that could be used for long hauls when needed. The trucks felt quiet, composed and nimble throughout the drive without ever feeling the weight of a typical truck. The question remains, whether GM's gamble of re-entering the mid-size pickup segment pay off? Well, considering Toyota is making a new next-generation Tacoma – I would say they've already made an impression. And with time, new customers will inevitably enter or re-enter the segment with many taking home new GMs. In the end, it's a practical choice for those that need the space and capabilities of a truck without the worry of fuel economy.