JULIAN, Calif. – The all-new, 2023 Chevrolet Colorado would possibly seem to be it’s following on the heels of its massive brother, the Silverado, however don’t be so certain. You see, whereas it’s true that the current-generation Silverado was the primary Chevy truck to get GM’s 2.7-liter turbo engine three years in the past, the massive 4 was really developed with the next-generation Colorado in thoughts. It was additionally the Colorado’s new inside that influenced the design course of the Silverado’s quasi-emergency redo a yr in the past – not the opposite means round. Mainly, we’ve been getting a sluggish preview of this midsize pickup with out even figuring out it.
That is necessary as a result of it illustrates that Chevy supposed for the Colorado to be a extra distinctive, much less Mini Me sort of midsize truck. At the least the Silverado didn’t steal its exterior styling cues, that are younger, athletic and harder with out going excessive with machismo (see Silverado HD). You possibly can see the affect of the Toyota Tacoma right here, or no less than the affect of how far more profitable it’s regardless of not being notably good. Individuals who purchase these achieve this partially as a result of it’s smaller than a full-sizer, appreciating the superior maneuverability and off-road functionality. In addition they dig the accompanying look that undoubtedly isn’t only a miniaturized Tundra.
This new Colorado is much extra Tacoma-like in that regard, whereas being quite a bit higher on the type of basic items Toyota’s wildly standard little pickup isn’t. The driving place isn’t glued to the ground just like the Tacoma’s, the backseat legroom is enough, inside expertise is state-of-the-art courtesy of Google, the experience is smoother, and the engine is quieter and extra environment friendly. Its hill-descent management additionally doesn’t sound like small weapons fireplace is emanating from beneath the entrance bumper when in operation. Which is all to say that the Colorado is attempting to steal a number of the Tacoma’s lunch cash, and if there’s any justice on the planet, it completely ought to. It’s a greater truck.
With that apparent comparability out of the best way, although, let’s dig deeper into this all-new Colorado’s particulars. That 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four is now the one engine out there, changing the outdated truck’s naturally aspirated inline-four and V6, and turbodiesel. “Solely engine” isn’t precisely correct, although, as there are three states of tune. The bottom model, customary on the Work Truck and LT trim ranges, produces 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. Whereas clearly superior to the outdated unhappy sack NA 4 banger (200 hp, 191 lb-ft), it nonetheless feels on the gutless aspect and suffers from excessive throttle delay accompanied by an awfully mushy pedal. Perhaps it was simply our explicit take a look at truck, however this model of the engine may have some tweaking.
The mid-level model or “2.7 Turbo Plus” isn’t only a software program flash – there are certainly further components concerned, together with a piston-cooling squirter that’s not wanted within the decrease output model, and several other noise-quelling bits of froth. There are nonetheless totally different 1s and 0s concerned, too, and all of it quantities to an engine that produces 310 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. That will be extra energy than the outgoing V6 and extra torque than the outdated turbodiesel. That certain feels like mission completed, no less than on paper.
Out on the street, this 2.7 responds significantly better to throttle inputs and is suitably gutsy for a truck. Chevy estimates that almost all trim ranges and drivetrain combos ought to hit 60 mph in lower than 7 seconds. The eight-speed computerized does are likely to upshift too shortly when momentarily lifting off the throttle whereas touring on a grade (a sport mode can be good, although there’s a Tow/Haul mode that ought to in concept tackle that whereas towing and/or hauling).
Chevy says Silverado clients complained that the two.7-liter didn’t sound sufficient like a truck engine, so engineers tried to deal with that within the Colorado (by 2024, the two.7-liter will likely be equivalent in each vehicles). In the event you assume a truck engine ought to sound like a diesel, properly, mission completed there too, because you get a really turbodiesel-like wastegate whistle adopted by the growl of the engine kicking it. All that untimely upshifting could make this noise a bit annoying in sure steady-state cruising conditions as each throttle tip-in is accompanied by the whistle-growl. With a heavier foot, although, the two.7 nonetheless completely feels like a direct-injected four-cylinder engine. A duck is a duck is a duck. At the least it’s a extremely highly effective duck.
And it may possibly get much more highly effective with the two.7 Turbo Excessive Output, this time 100% the results of a software program flash which you can really get from a vendor after your preliminary buy. It produces the identical 310 hp, however torque will get kicked as much as 430 lb-ft. That is the setup that can come customary on the range-topping, desert-storming ZR2, which we didn’t get to drive this go-around, however all different trims might be optioned with it. Sure, even the Work Truck.
Looking on the trim lineup, it’s clear simply how standard off-roading is to midsize truck patrons (or no less than the looks of having the ability to off-road). Of the six Colorado trim ranges, 4 are of the extra rugged selection. The Path Boss, a brand new trim that really was inherited from Silverado, builds off the Work Truck’s surprisingly first rate characteristic content material with a 2-inch manufacturing unit carry, a 3-inch-wider monitor, customary four-wheel drive, off-road drive modes (Off-Highway for slick surfaces and Terrain for rougher ones), an computerized locking rear diff, hill-descent management, restoration hooks, and distinctive styling parts together with greater fender flares, a lot of gloss black trim and 18-inch wheels wrapped in all-terrain rubber. We drove a Path Boss with the elective mud terrain tires, which didn’t add as a lot further noise as we have been anticipating, however you do discover the firmer reactions to pavement imperfections that in flip ship extra vibrations by the truck’s body. In addition to that, this body-on-frame pickup with rear leaf springs comports itself properly by way of each experience and dealing with. It’s fairly composed, comfy and civilized.
Its midsize dimensions additionally make it way more maneuverable than a full-sizer, a proven fact that we in all probability appreciated most whereas traversing a rutted path east of San Diego. We didn’t have to fret about scraping the paint on shrubs, and it was a lot simpler to keep away from massive rocks or ruts. There’s completely no comparability whereas parking.
Alternatively, you’re clearly giving up a ton of house by going with the Colorado versus a Silverado. The Colorado additionally solely affords one physique mixture now: crew cab and what beforehand would’ve been generally known as a brief mattress. Its 61.7-inch size is best-in-class for a brief mattress, however in order for you an extended mattress with a crew cab, you’ll must go together with a Tacoma or Nissan Frontier.
Inside, it’s an excellent factor that the Silverado bought its model of this design motif first, as a result of all of us would’ve been writing “the Colorado now has a greater inside than the pricier Silverado.” As it’s, they’re definitely associated aesthetically, however the cheaper Colorado has much more laborious plastic all through, most notably on the doorways and heart console. The suitable aspect of the sprint has it, too, within the Work Truck and Path Boss (pictured above), however it will get changed by good, padded pleather within the LT and Z71 with color-accent stitching.
Each Colorado does, nonetheless, characteristic the identical 11.3-inch touchscreen as higher trim degree Silverados, together with its working system by Google. Navigation is subsequently the Google Maps interface you’re used to, pure voice instructions come courtesy of Google Assistant, and the general person interface is simple sufficient to determine. We admire, although, that GM has saved its identical normal radio format that includes digital preset buttons beneath tune/station information. As a refresher, the working system could also be a standard Android Automotive one shared by a number of manufacturers, however it’s reskinned so {that a} Chevrolet and Volvo don’t look and even perform completely the identical.
It additionally will get distinctive characteristic content material, together with off-road-specific automobile information pages and a large number of accessible digicam angles. The Colorado Z71, which is mainly a ritzier Path Boss, can add a singular under-body digicam and a low-mounted ahead digicam to go together with the common ahead and rear cameras out there on the Path Boss. You possibly can break up these numerous feeds (the 2 ahead feeds would’ve been notably useful when inching as much as a blind drop-off if the decrease digicam hadn’t been caked in mud), or go together with side-by-side views of the entrance or rear wheels.
Different highlights embody a damped tailgate with an out there storage compartment and the power to cease half-way in its journey to prop up an extended surfboard, plywood, and so forth. The entrance overhang can also be shorter now and the spare tire lifted increased off the bottom, bettering strategy and departure angles, respectively. It additionally as soon as once more has a detachable entrance air dam for improved clearance, however it’ll undoubtedly be much less mandatory now because it doesn’t dangle as perilously near the bottom. The creatively scalloped hood doesn’t simply look fascinating, however it’s a compromise between the aesthetic preferences for a tough-guy, high-hood look and visibility advantages of a decrease hood.
Again in 2019, we positioned the outgoing Colorado third out of 4 in a midsize truck comparability take a look at. We appreciated its experience, dealing with and utility, however discovered its engine to be simply OK and its inside in critical want of a modernization and high quality enchancment. Properly, these positives have been maintained and people negatives have been addressed. Wouldn’t it be sufficient to topple that take a look at’s winner, the then-new (for the U.S., anyway) Ford Ranger? We are able to’t know for certain, however the odds can be in its favor contemplating its comparable pricing. On the very least, we might’ve drastically most well-liked the Colorado’s look. Oh, and by the best way: The truck that got here in final in that comparability practically 4 years in the past? That will be the Tacoma. It actually shouldn’t stand an opportunity now … so long as clients are prepared to provide this Colorado an opportunity.
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