2023 Chevy Colorado revealed / 2023 GMC Canyon (post #20)
07-28-22, 09:30 AM
#1
2023 Chevy Colorado revealed / 2023 GMC Canyon (post #20)
Eight years after the model was revived, the 2023 Chevy Colorado marks a whole new generation for the midsize pickup truck. It's fully redesigned with a number of big changes; one of the biggest being the switch to turbocharged four-cylinder engines. But along with the changes are a lot of the good things from the previous generation, including the ultra-off-road-ready ZR2 trim level.
We'll start with the new engines. The old V6 and naturally aspirated four-cylinder choices are gone. Instead, every Colorado gets a turbocharged 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. But it's offered in three varieties. The base engine makes 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. Then there are two 310-horsepower options. This particular engine is mechanically the same as what comes in the bigger Silverado (the low-output one loses some features such as oil piston squirters). The regular version of this engine makes 390 pound-feet of torque, and the high-output version makes 430 pound-feet of torque. All of these engines are paired with a new version of GM's eight-speed automatic transmission and either two-wheel for four-wheel drive.
Also missing from the powertrain lineup is the diesel. There don't seem to be any plans for the diesel at the moment, and when asked, Chevy representatives noted that the turbo gas engine does a good job of delivering diesel-like torque and improved fuel economy over the old gas engines, thus making the diesel less necessary. Unfortunately, fuel economy numbers haven't been released for the new gas engines, but they should be revealed soon. Chevy did share towing numbers, and maximum towing has increased from 7,000 pounds to 7,700 pounds. The base engine maxes out at 3,500 pounds.
These new engines are packed into a new body sitting on a new frame, though with some design similarities to the old one. And it gets just one new body. The new Colorado is only available with the crew cab and short bed, losing the long-bed option and the extended cab variations. Compared to the equivalent outgoing Colorado, the new truck is nearly the same size at just 0.3 inch longer overall, and it has the same bed length as before. But the wheelbase has been stretched by 3.1 inches, mainly by moving the front axle forward and reducing the front overhang. According to Chevrolet, this helps with approach angle and allows for bigger tires. As for the looks, the new truck looks much more crisp and aggressive with more creases around the body. The nose looks taller and longer, too. Suspension design is the same basic design as before with a coil-sprung independent front and leaf-sprung solid rear. And with the ZR2, you get the magical Multimatic spool-valve shocks, which have been changed to outboard mounts to better protect them off-road.
On the topic of suspension and off-road capability, the standard Colorado features 7.9 inches of ground clearance. Moving up to the Z71 increases ground clearance to 8.9 inches. The new Trail Boss climbs to 9.5 inches, and the ZR2 goes farther to 10.7 inches.
Inside, the Colorado is similarly redesigned, and this may be the most welcome upgrade for the pickup. Immediately noticeable is the big touchscreen infotainment display. It's an 11.3-inch unit found in other new GM products, and it's standard on every trim level. Also standard is an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. These screens are mounted to a clean, squared-off dashboard with nicely integrated vents. We're also pleased to see a large array of physical switches, buttons and ***** for common functions. A factory sunroof is now finally available for the Colorado as well. The bed is fairly conventional, but it gets an interesting available addition. The tailgate can be optioned with a storage compartment that's 45 inches wide and 4 inches deep. Many cameras are available for help maneuvering and towing, and the Z71 and ZR2 models can be had with a new under-vehicle camera.
Familiar Colorado trims return including the base WT (Work Truck), LT, Z71 and ZR2, but two new variations are now offered. There's a Trail Boss model, sliding between the Z71 and ZR2. As alluded to earlier, it gets a bigger suspension lift than the Z71, but it also comes with 18-inch wheels, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a plain, rugged black plastic front bumper. The ZR2 also gets a special model in the ZR2 Desert Boss. This truck gets the usual ZR2 goodies such as the large suspension lift, Multimatic shocks, front and rear locking differentials, skid plates and high-clearance bumpers, but it adds a number of other features, too. It gets a tweaked front fascia, a sport bar, off-road lights, 33-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels and black badging.
Pricing has not yet been announced for the new Colorado, but expect it to be announced in the coming months along with fuel economy specs. The pickup goes on sale early next year.
We'll start with the new engines. The old V6 and naturally aspirated four-cylinder choices are gone. Instead, every Colorado gets a turbocharged 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. But it's offered in three varieties. The base engine makes 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. Then there are two 310-horsepower options. This particular engine is mechanically the same as what comes in the bigger Silverado (the low-output one loses some features such as oil piston squirters). The regular version of this engine makes 390 pound-feet of torque, and the high-output version makes 430 pound-feet of torque. All of these engines are paired with a new version of GM's eight-speed automatic transmission and either two-wheel for four-wheel drive.
Also missing from the powertrain lineup is the diesel. There don't seem to be any plans for the diesel at the moment, and when asked, Chevy representatives noted that the turbo gas engine does a good job of delivering diesel-like torque and improved fuel economy over the old gas engines, thus making the diesel less necessary. Unfortunately, fuel economy numbers haven't been released for the new gas engines, but they should be revealed soon. Chevy did share towing numbers, and maximum towing has increased from 7,000 pounds to 7,700 pounds. The base engine maxes out at 3,500 pounds.
These new engines are packed into a new body sitting on a new frame, though with some design similarities to the old one. And it gets just one new body. The new Colorado is only available with the crew cab and short bed, losing the long-bed option and the extended cab variations. Compared to the equivalent outgoing Colorado, the new truck is nearly the same size at just 0.3 inch longer overall, and it has the same bed length as before. But the wheelbase has been stretched by 3.1 inches, mainly by moving the front axle forward and reducing the front overhang. According to Chevrolet, this helps with approach angle and allows for bigger tires. As for the looks, the new truck looks much more crisp and aggressive with more creases around the body. The nose looks taller and longer, too. Suspension design is the same basic design as before with a coil-sprung independent front and leaf-sprung solid rear. And with the ZR2, you get the magical Multimatic spool-valve shocks, which have been changed to outboard mounts to better protect them off-road.
On the topic of suspension and off-road capability, the standard Colorado features 7.9 inches of ground clearance. Moving up to the Z71 increases ground clearance to 8.9 inches. The new Trail Boss climbs to 9.5 inches, and the ZR2 goes farther to 10.7 inches.
Inside, the Colorado is similarly redesigned, and this may be the most welcome upgrade for the pickup. Immediately noticeable is the big touchscreen infotainment display. It's an 11.3-inch unit found in other new GM products, and it's standard on every trim level. Also standard is an 8-inch digital instrument cluster. These screens are mounted to a clean, squared-off dashboard with nicely integrated vents. We're also pleased to see a large array of physical switches, buttons and ***** for common functions. A factory sunroof is now finally available for the Colorado as well. The bed is fairly conventional, but it gets an interesting available addition. The tailgate can be optioned with a storage compartment that's 45 inches wide and 4 inches deep. Many cameras are available for help maneuvering and towing, and the Z71 and ZR2 models can be had with a new under-vehicle camera.
Familiar Colorado trims return including the base WT (Work Truck), LT, Z71 and ZR2, but two new variations are now offered. There's a Trail Boss model, sliding between the Z71 and ZR2. As alluded to earlier, it gets a bigger suspension lift than the Z71, but it also comes with 18-inch wheels, 33-inch all-terrain tires, and a plain, rugged black plastic front bumper. The ZR2 also gets a special model in the ZR2 Desert Boss. This truck gets the usual ZR2 goodies such as the large suspension lift, Multimatic shocks, front and rear locking differentials, skid plates and high-clearance bumpers, but it adds a number of other features, too. It gets a tweaked front fascia, a sport bar, off-road lights, 33-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels and black badging.
Pricing has not yet been announced for the new Colorado, but expect it to be announced in the coming months along with fuel economy specs. The pickup goes on sale early next year.
07-28-22, 09:38 AM
#2
The field:
2023 Colorado
2.7L I4 FI 237hp / 259lbft
2.7L I4 FI 310hp / 390lbft
2.7L I4 FI 310hp / 430lbft
2022 Ranger
2.3L I4 FI 270hp / 310lbft
2022 Frontier
3.8L V6 NA 310hp / 281lbft
2022 Tacoma
2.7L I4 NA 159hp / 180lbft
3.5L V6 NA 278hp / 265lbft
2023 Colorado
2.7L I4 FI 237hp / 259lbft
2.7L I4 FI 310hp / 390lbft
2.7L I4 FI 310hp / 430lbft
2022 Ranger
2.3L I4 FI 270hp / 310lbft
2022 Frontier
3.8L V6 NA 310hp / 281lbft
2022 Tacoma
2.7L I4 NA 159hp / 180lbft
3.5L V6 NA 278hp / 265lbft
07-28-22, 10:20 AM
#3
Lexus Champion
Looks good and the interior is a HUGE improvement over the outgoing version.
My only real complaint is the same issue that I have with the Ranger - you can't get a 4 door cab with a long bed. Not an issue for the masses, but it would be for me.
My only real complaint is the same issue that I have with the Ranger - you can't get a 4 door cab with a long bed. Not an issue for the masses, but it would be for me.
Looks like GM really wants some of Toyota Tacoma's market share. I think Toyota is in trouble.
07-28-22, 11:37 AM
#5
Lexus Champion
Interior design team got paid by the button.
07-28-22, 12:23 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Impressive effort. Vastly improved inside and out. Whatever they price them at, figure an additional $5-10k ontop of MSRP.
Only nit-picks would be the confused/overdone grille design and the gear shifter is on the wrong side of the console. Seems to be a growing trend of that lately.
Only nit-picks would be the confused/overdone grille design and the gear shifter is on the wrong side of the console. Seems to be a growing trend of that lately.
Trending Topics
07-28-22, 05:40 PM
#8
I think spy shots of the next Ranger show a crew cab with a longer bed.
07-28-22, 06:06 PM
#9
Lexus Fanatic
Here's an MT write-up that also gives some good details.
I'll reserve more judgment until I see it in person and check out the material quality, but, right off the bat, I am not a fan of the new look.....the old one was far better. The new hood-line is too high, the whole front end looks like a large moving wall, and the interior has that all-too-common tacked-on-look for the video screen. GM used to integrate all of their screens.....I guess that just cost too much for them.
Still, I'd probably chose this truck over the current Ranger (a decade-old-design from Australia), which I wasn't impressed with at all.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2023...t-look-review/
Writer
Jul 28, 2022
SThe 2023 Chevrolet Colorado is a brand-new midsize pickup truck. If you're thinking, "well, that's obvious," you're right. But we do point it out because, when Chevy resurrected the previously compact Colorado as a midsize truck for 2015, it introduced a not-quite-as-new rig, a modified version of a truck it had been selling for years in global markets such as Thailand and Brazil.
Alas, with a Silverado-derived frame, American-market-specific powertrains and cabin appointments, the Colorado was hardly some cobbled-together beast. The outgoing pickup is one of the best midsize pickups out there—to be accurate, it isthe best, despite its age. Snatching an existing truck from Thailand proved to be such a savvy move that Ford basically did the same thing when it brought back the once-compact Ranger from the dead as a larger midsize truck—and Colorado competitor—for 2019. Given how the old Colorado was in some ways already several years old when it landed stateside eight years ago, the 2023 Colorado's ground-up newness, therefore, is one of its biggest standout features.
Chevy moved the front axle forward, lengthening the wheelbase 3.1 inches in the process and shortening the front overhang. The net effect is a longer, more horizontal hood and improved approach angles for the nose, a boon off-road. The designers capitalized on this blocky new shape with a Silverado-like mug with slim headlights and bold inserts that give the impression of a full-width, full-height grille yawning from the bumper to the hood. (Also like on the Silverado, that mug is slightly different on nearly every trim level.) Along the body sides, there is a deeper channel cut into the door skins, which help visually puff out the squared-off fender bulges front and rear.
Another big change? The previous-generation Colorado's entry-level extended-cab body style was pitched in the dustbin. You can now only purchase the Colorado as a four-door crew cab with a short bed (5-foot, 2-inch bed). Chevy says this move simplifies things on its manufacturing end, but primarily gets in line with the configuration that attracted the most buyer interest on the last Colorado.
[img]data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg fill='none' height='24' viewBox='0 0 24 24' width='24' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3e%3cpath clip-rule='evenodd' d='m8 2h12c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2v12c0 1.1-.9 2-2 2h-12c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2v-12c0-1.1.9-2 2-2zm12 14v-12h-12v12zm-8.5-4.33 1.69 2.26 2.48-3.1 3.33 4.17h-10zm-9.5 8.33v-14h2v14h14v2h-14c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z' fill='%23fff' fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e[/img]SEE ALL 13 PHOTOS
Unlike the Ranger's four-cylinder, the Colorado's is available in three states of tune, offering up at least some choice. Entry-level Colorado Work Truck and LT models make 237 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. Optional on those Colorados and standard on the Z71 and Trail Boss models is a 310-hp, 390-lb-ft version. And limited to the range-topping Colorado ZR2 (which we've covered in depth here), the ultimate off-road iteration of the new truck, is a 310-hp, 430-lb-ft 2.7-liter I-4. Chevy says that, for the most part, the power differences are achieved via tuning of the computers, though the lowest-output version has some minor hardware differences. Every Colorado mates its 2.7-liter I-4 to an updated eight-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel economy estimates for the new engine are forthcoming, but the power story—both compared to the old Colorado and its primary competitors—is interesting. With 310 hp in top guise, the Colorado is the most powerful midsize pickup you can buy. Granted, the old V-6 held the same title (in both the Colorado and its GMC-badged twin, the Canyon), with 308 hp; the now-discontinued diesel engine produced a mighty 369 lb-ft of torque, but that figure's easily eclipsed by the midrange 2.7-liter I-4. Even the new base models generate nearly as much torque than the old V-6, albeit at a higher rpm (5,600 vs. 4,000). The higher-output 2.7s deliver their peak torque at just 3,000 rpm.
The 2.7-liter turbo is a truck engine through and through, having been designed from the outset for duty in the full-size Silverado (and playing an unusual secondary role in the Cadillac CT4-V). In the smaller, lighter Colorado, it should prove quite burly. It also includes standard cylinder deactivation, which can shut down two cylinders under light loads. Yep, that means this'll be the only (temporarily) two-cylinder midsize pickup you can buy.
SEE ALL 13 PHOTOS
Again, like the newly bold exterior, the Colorado's interior goes from uninspired to competitive, with a brash, full-width dashboard panel and its round outboard air vents giving us plenty of Camaro feels. The new touchscreen perches in the middle, tombstone-style, but close to the steering wheel for what looks like a comfortable reach. There are more upmarket details throughout, though most examples—the stitching on the dashboard and padded panels around the center console—are limited to the higher trim levels. And like the Camaro, the central air vents are buried low on the dash; that pays off for the ergonomics of the climate controls, which nestle up under the touchscreen, but is probably not great for airflow above chest height for front-seat occupants. A drive mode selector lives on the left of the console on models so equipped (mostly the off-road models), pushing the shifter to the right.
Other differences between the models are clearer from the outside. The Work Truck gets an all-black-plastic face like the larger Silverado WT, 17-inch steel wheels, and that's pretty much it. LT models distinguish themselves with more streetable 17-inch wheels and tires, more body color elements on the front end, and more chrome. Finally, there are the trio of off-road versions, ranging from the relatively tame Z71 to the Trail Boss (which gets a 2.0-inch suspension lift and burlier tires) to the ZR2 (which sits 3.0 inches higher than WT/LT/Z71 models and has a wider track). The grille and bumper treatments get wilder the closer to the ZR2 you get, with the ZR2 out-crazying the rest of the lineup with flared fenders, meaty bumpers, and even an available bed-mounted roll bar with lights and beadlock-capable wheels via a special-edition Desert Boss package.
Off-road equipment varies from optional four-wheel-drive on the WT and LT to a standard limited-slip rear differential (standard on Z71 and Trail Boss) to power-locking front and rear diffs on the ZR2, which also once again rides on Multimatic DSSV spool-valve, frequency selective dampers. Those fancy shocks passively take the edge off the worst terrain with valving that slows faster inputs and handles slower amplitudes more softly. The net result is better wheel control over washboard surfaces and more controlled bump stop events. Ground clearance tops out at an outstanding 10.7 inches for the ZR2, with the Trail Boss standing 9.5 inches off the deck and the other Colorados perched at 7.9 to 8.9 inches.
If you're thinking Chevy's inclusion of three off-road models and switch to more aggro styling and the single crew-cab bodystyle signals an intent to chase after adventurous types with the new Colorado, you're right. The automaker also hopes the new truck bed's available 110-volt household outlet, motorcycle-tire indents in the forward bed wall, and newly available in-tailgate storage will appeal to weekend warrior types. That tailgate storage, in particular, carries whiffs of the Honda Ridgeline's in-bed "trunk," an underfloor, watertight cubby with a drain that doubles as a cooler. The Colorado's lockable, weathertight hollow tailgate is less useful, probably, but at 45 inches wide and 4 inches deep can still probably be stuffed with ice and some cold snacks.
If Chevy can keep the current truck's decent road manners and roomy interior in place while improving things with the new 2.7-liter engine and expanded off-road offerings, consider the 2023 Colorado a ringing success. But it'll have stiff competition: Ford is on the cusp of launching its also-all-new 2023 Ranger, and Toyota's sales-leader Tacoma is about to be redesigned, as well. We'll see how the new Colorado shakes out when it goes on sale midway
I'll reserve more judgment until I see it in person and check out the material quality, but, right off the bat, I am not a fan of the new look.....the old one was far better. The new hood-line is too high, the whole front end looks like a large moving wall, and the interior has that all-too-common tacked-on-look for the video screen. GM used to integrate all of their screens.....I guess that just cost too much for them.
Still, I'd probably chose this truck over the current Ranger (a decade-old-design from Australia), which I wasn't impressed with at all.
https://www.motortrend.com/news/2023...t-look-review/
2023 Chevy Colorado Snatches Silverado Engine, Remains Most Powerful Midsize Truck
A new turbo engine, new interior, new body, new frame—this truck's new.
Alexander StoklosaWriter
Jul 28, 2022
SThe 2023 Chevrolet Colorado is a brand-new midsize pickup truck. If you're thinking, "well, that's obvious," you're right. But we do point it out because, when Chevy resurrected the previously compact Colorado as a midsize truck for 2015, it introduced a not-quite-as-new rig, a modified version of a truck it had been selling for years in global markets such as Thailand and Brazil.
Alas, with a Silverado-derived frame, American-market-specific powertrains and cabin appointments, the Colorado was hardly some cobbled-together beast. The outgoing pickup is one of the best midsize pickups out there—to be accurate, it isthe best, despite its age. Snatching an existing truck from Thailand proved to be such a savvy move that Ford basically did the same thing when it brought back the once-compact Ranger from the dead as a larger midsize truck—and Colorado competitor—for 2019. Given how the old Colorado was in some ways already several years old when it landed stateside eight years ago, the 2023 Colorado's ground-up newness, therefore, is one of its biggest standout features.
New Is As New Does
Just looking at the new Colorado, the styling clearly benefited from this redesign. Where the old Colorado was soft-edged and fairly generic-looking, in keeping with the more budget-conscious global model, the new truck adopts a bold, assertive new look that positively screams "America, truck yeah!"Chevy moved the front axle forward, lengthening the wheelbase 3.1 inches in the process and shortening the front overhang. The net effect is a longer, more horizontal hood and improved approach angles for the nose, a boon off-road. The designers capitalized on this blocky new shape with a Silverado-like mug with slim headlights and bold inserts that give the impression of a full-width, full-height grille yawning from the bumper to the hood. (Also like on the Silverado, that mug is slightly different on nearly every trim level.) Along the body sides, there is a deeper channel cut into the door skins, which help visually puff out the squared-off fender bulges front and rear.
Another big change? The previous-generation Colorado's entry-level extended-cab body style was pitched in the dustbin. You can now only purchase the Colorado as a four-door crew cab with a short bed (5-foot, 2-inch bed). Chevy says this move simplifies things on its manufacturing end, but primarily gets in line with the configuration that attracted the most buyer interest on the last Colorado.
[img]data:image/svg+xml,%3csvg fill='none' height='24' viewBox='0 0 24 24' width='24' xmlns='http://www.w3.org/2000/svg'%3e%3cpath clip-rule='evenodd' d='m8 2h12c1.1 0 2 .9 2 2v12c0 1.1-.9 2-2 2h-12c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2v-12c0-1.1.9-2 2-2zm12 14v-12h-12v12zm-8.5-4.33 1.69 2.26 2.48-3.1 3.33 4.17h-10zm-9.5 8.33v-14h2v14h14v2h-14c-1.1 0-2-.9-2-2z' fill='%23fff' fill-rule='evenodd'/%3e%3c/svg%3e[/img]SEE ALL 13 PHOTOS
One Little Engine That Can
Also simplifying the lineup is the 2023 Colorado's move to a single engine choice. A 2.7-liter turbo I-4 engine replaces the old Colorado's entry-level 2.5-liter I-4 (which was limited to base Work Truck models anyway), 3.6-liter V-6, and 2.8-liter turbodiesel I-4 options. This engine isn't entirely new; it was introduced a few years ago on the larger Silverado 1500, and strategy-wise, it is comparable to the Ford Ranger's single, lineup-wide 2.3-liter turbo I-4 engine.Unlike the Ranger's four-cylinder, the Colorado's is available in three states of tune, offering up at least some choice. Entry-level Colorado Work Truck and LT models make 237 hp and 259 lb-ft of torque. Optional on those Colorados and standard on the Z71 and Trail Boss models is a 310-hp, 390-lb-ft version. And limited to the range-topping Colorado ZR2 (which we've covered in depth here), the ultimate off-road iteration of the new truck, is a 310-hp, 430-lb-ft 2.7-liter I-4. Chevy says that, for the most part, the power differences are achieved via tuning of the computers, though the lowest-output version has some minor hardware differences. Every Colorado mates its 2.7-liter I-4 to an updated eight-speed automatic transmission.
Fuel economy estimates for the new engine are forthcoming, but the power story—both compared to the old Colorado and its primary competitors—is interesting. With 310 hp in top guise, the Colorado is the most powerful midsize pickup you can buy. Granted, the old V-6 held the same title (in both the Colorado and its GMC-badged twin, the Canyon), with 308 hp; the now-discontinued diesel engine produced a mighty 369 lb-ft of torque, but that figure's easily eclipsed by the midrange 2.7-liter I-4. Even the new base models generate nearly as much torque than the old V-6, albeit at a higher rpm (5,600 vs. 4,000). The higher-output 2.7s deliver their peak torque at just 3,000 rpm.
The 2.7-liter turbo is a truck engine through and through, having been designed from the outset for duty in the full-size Silverado (and playing an unusual secondary role in the Cadillac CT4-V). In the smaller, lighter Colorado, it should prove quite burly. It also includes standard cylinder deactivation, which can shut down two cylinders under light loads. Yep, that means this'll be the only (temporarily) two-cylinder midsize pickup you can buy.
SEE ALL 13 PHOTOS
Five Grades, Mostly Off-Road
Even though the Colorado comes in Work Truck, LT, Z71, new-to-Colorado Trail Boss, and hardcore ZR2 guises, all five models share key standard features, including a new (sharp-looking) 11.3-inch touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, an 8.0-inch fully digital gauge cluster, eight bed tie downs, and a segment-exclusive electronic parking brake. Chevy says the base Work Truck and mid-grade off-road Trailboss models share a more "rugged aesthetic that is ready for work and play" inside, which we take to mean more basic, abuse-resistant, and plastickier cabin materials. The LT swaps in silver trim, plusher accents, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel, while the Z71 gets a "sportier ambiance" with black and red accents and a mix of cloth and vinyl on the seats.Again, like the newly bold exterior, the Colorado's interior goes from uninspired to competitive, with a brash, full-width dashboard panel and its round outboard air vents giving us plenty of Camaro feels. The new touchscreen perches in the middle, tombstone-style, but close to the steering wheel for what looks like a comfortable reach. There are more upmarket details throughout, though most examples—the stitching on the dashboard and padded panels around the center console—are limited to the higher trim levels. And like the Camaro, the central air vents are buried low on the dash; that pays off for the ergonomics of the climate controls, which nestle up under the touchscreen, but is probably not great for airflow above chest height for front-seat occupants. A drive mode selector lives on the left of the console on models so equipped (mostly the off-road models), pushing the shifter to the right.
Other differences between the models are clearer from the outside. The Work Truck gets an all-black-plastic face like the larger Silverado WT, 17-inch steel wheels, and that's pretty much it. LT models distinguish themselves with more streetable 17-inch wheels and tires, more body color elements on the front end, and more chrome. Finally, there are the trio of off-road versions, ranging from the relatively tame Z71 to the Trail Boss (which gets a 2.0-inch suspension lift and burlier tires) to the ZR2 (which sits 3.0 inches higher than WT/LT/Z71 models and has a wider track). The grille and bumper treatments get wilder the closer to the ZR2 you get, with the ZR2 out-crazying the rest of the lineup with flared fenders, meaty bumpers, and even an available bed-mounted roll bar with lights and beadlock-capable wheels via a special-edition Desert Boss package.
Off-road equipment varies from optional four-wheel-drive on the WT and LT to a standard limited-slip rear differential (standard on Z71 and Trail Boss) to power-locking front and rear diffs on the ZR2, which also once again rides on Multimatic DSSV spool-valve, frequency selective dampers. Those fancy shocks passively take the edge off the worst terrain with valving that slows faster inputs and handles slower amplitudes more softly. The net result is better wheel control over washboard surfaces and more controlled bump stop events. Ground clearance tops out at an outstanding 10.7 inches for the ZR2, with the Trail Boss standing 9.5 inches off the deck and the other Colorados perched at 7.9 to 8.9 inches.
If you're thinking Chevy's inclusion of three off-road models and switch to more aggro styling and the single crew-cab bodystyle signals an intent to chase after adventurous types with the new Colorado, you're right. The automaker also hopes the new truck bed's available 110-volt household outlet, motorcycle-tire indents in the forward bed wall, and newly available in-tailgate storage will appeal to weekend warrior types. That tailgate storage, in particular, carries whiffs of the Honda Ridgeline's in-bed "trunk," an underfloor, watertight cubby with a drain that doubles as a cooler. The Colorado's lockable, weathertight hollow tailgate is less useful, probably, but at 45 inches wide and 4 inches deep can still probably be stuffed with ice and some cold snacks.
If Chevy can keep the current truck's decent road manners and roomy interior in place while improving things with the new 2.7-liter engine and expanded off-road offerings, consider the 2023 Colorado a ringing success. But it'll have stiff competition: Ford is on the cusp of launching its also-all-new 2023 Ranger, and Toyota's sales-leader Tacoma is about to be redesigned, as well. We'll see how the new Colorado shakes out when it goes on sale midway
Last edited by mmarshall; 07-28-22 at 06:16 PM.
07-28-22, 07:08 PM
#10
Lexus Fanatic
Looks good as long as it has the painted bumper…
07-29-22, 08:43 AM
#12
Pole Position
Looks like the Tacoma will have to rely on its reputation for reliability to sell once again. No way its expect weak 2.4L turbo can compete and realistically, not many will opt for the 2.4t hybrid option.
07-29-22, 09:07 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
07-29-22, 09:38 AM
#14
Pole Position
Not sure how much more that 2.7L can give unless you buy the base or medium tune. A 2.7t 4cyl pushing out 490ft-lb of torque is probably at its absolutely limit
07-29-22, 09:52 AM
#15
Lexus Fanatic
The current Tacoma is far underpowered as it is compared the the current Chevrolet. I think the Chevy V6 has like 30+ more HP. I don't think the powertrains will be an issue for Toyota buyers. Now, if they leave Tacoma a C-channel frame again, then there is a real problem. new Colorado is gonna be leaf spring out back...so there is definitely an comparative advantage for Tacoma if they go spring like Tundra with air. Maybe even AVS