Chevrolet Colorado (US) review

The Colorado is Chevrolet’s midsize truck, a friendly foe for longtime rivals like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. Chevy definitely knows what it’s doing when it comes to pickups – just look at the larger Silverado – and distills that engineering know-how into a smaller, easier-to-drive package. From the stripped-down Work Truck to the mid-level LT to the dune-running ZR2, there’s a wide range of Colorados to satiate your pickup desires.

Why does it look so… old?

Yeah, styling isn’t really Chevy’s strong suit (again, have you seen a Silverado?). Especially in lower trims, where the Colorado has an unpainted front fascia, this thing looks older than it is. Combine that with uninspired wheel designs and the fact that a number of Colorado models still use dull-as-dishwater halogen headlights, and this isn’t exactly a truck that’ll turn heads – even in yellow.

But it’s what’s inside that counts, right?

Exactly. Well, sort of. Higher-level LT, Z71, and ZR2 trim levels have nice interiors with good materials and lots of creature comforts. But if you spec the Work Truck or Trail Boss, yikes, it’s pretty awful. Just about every panel inside these lower-level trucks looks and feels cheap, right down to the plasticky steering wheel (that doesn’t even have a telescope function).

What about the powertrain?

Oh, that part’s great. For simplicity’s sake, every single Colorado is powered by a 2.7-liter, turbocharged inline-4 engine, but there are three different output levels depending on the trim level. The base tune offers 237hp and 259lb ft, the midrange level has 310hp and 390lb ft, and the high-grade engine comes with 310hp and 430lb ft. No matter the output, every Colorado has an eight-speed automatic transmission, and you can choose between two- and four-wheel drive.

Are there off-road options?

Plenty. The Colorado Trail Boss builds on the base Work Truck spec and has a two-inch lift, 18-inch wheels with 265/65 all-terrain tires, a low-range four-wheel-drive system, recovery hooks, an automatic locking rear differential, skid plates, and more. This one practically begs to be muddied up. And since it's got the cheap-o base interior, who cares if you beat it to hell?

Serious off-roaders will want to snag a Colorado ZR2, though. This one comes with a three-inch lift, absolutely fantastic DSSV Multimatic dampers, a cooler front fascia, 17-inch wheels with 285/70 all-terrain tires – lots of go-fast-get-dirty goodies.

How’s it handle purposeful truck stuff?

For payload, the ZR2 is the worst Colorado, but it can still carry a respectable 1,151 pounds in its bed. The Trail Boss and Z71 up the capacity to 1,587 pounds, while the Work Truck and LT max out at 1,684. "Work Truck" isn't just a name, friends.

Need to tow? Cool. The ZR2 is once again the least-capable of the bunch, but is still rated to pull an impressive 6,000 pounds. Trail Boss, Z71, Work Truck, and LT trims can all do 7,700.

Is the Colorado expensive?

Pricing for this mid-size truck stretches from about $32,000 on the base end to just under $50,000 all loaded up. Some trim levels make more financial sense than others because of how features are packaged; the Work Truck and Trail Boss are kind of hard sells, but the LT and Z71 are much better buys. At the tippy top, that baja-blasting ZR2 is a pretty solid bargain considering it’ll outrun trucks and SUVs twice its price on dirt and sand.

What are the Colorado’s rivals?

Well, there’s the Colorado’s corporate twin, the GMC Canyon, which looks a little better and comes in a luxurious Denali trim if you feel like getting fancy. From other automakers, the Ford Ranger, Jeep Gladiator, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma are other trucky options, and the Honda Ridgeline is a less-capable but more comfortable competitor for buyers who don’t need to have the best towing or off-road prowess.

The Chevy Colorado is an honest, straightforward, hard-working mid-size pickup truck. What it lacks in fancy features and optional powertrains it makes up for with excellent road manners, an interior you can use and abuse, and more towing and payload capacities than most folks will ever use.

The Colorado is also a formidable off-roader, and Chevy offers go-anywhere capabilities at different price points. The less-expensive Trail Boss is the sort of truck you can drive hard and put away wet, while the ZR2 is a sophisticated and technically advanced off-roader that absolutely begs to get dirty.