2019 Chevrolet Colorado

Overview

Call it the Swiss Army Truck: The Colorado can do everything from off-road exploring and hefty towing to running school carpools. Highly configurable and aptly skilled, it offers a trim for every occasion as well as the rugged-and-ready ZR2. It can tow a class-leading 7700 pounds with the optional diesel four-cylinder engine—as can its corporate cousin, the GMC Canyon. The Colorado has two cab and cargo-bed styles that pair with several powertrain choices. A base 200-hp four-cylinder has a standard six-speed manual, a 308-hp V-6 is the quickest of the bunch, and a fuel-efficient diesel makes 369 lb-ft of torque. Its handsome looks and excellent infotainment system are undermined by a cheap-looking interior and limited driver-assistance technology. Still, the Colorado is a multipurpose pickup truck that is clever and capable.

What's New for 2019?

Reintroduced for the 2015 model year, the Chevrolet Colorado continues to find a steady stream of buyers. Accordingly, Chevrolet has limited the updates for 2019 to few minor trim and tech items. Base models ditch Chevy's familiar MyLink system and replace it with the Chevrolet Infotainment System 3 with a 7.0-inch color touchscreen and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay; LT trims get the new 8.0-inch screen. It also gains rear USB ports, swaps the previous driver's seat for a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat on LT, ZR1, and ZR2 trims, and a few additional minor details. Three new available premium exterior-color choices—Crush, Pacific Blue Metallic, and Shadow Gray Metallic—join the palette while the Centennial Blue Metallic, Deepwood Green Metallic, and Graphite Metallic disappear; Wheatland Yellow remains as a fleet-only option.

Pricing and Which One to Buy

The trail-ready Colorado ZR2 appeals to our animal instincts—just like the high-flying Ford F-150 Raptor. However, we'd exercise restraint here and opt for the Colorado LT with the crew cab, standard box, 3.6-liter V-6, and all-wheel drive. Starting at $35,195—$425 more than a 2018 model of the same spec— it combines a cabin with seats for five, all-weather capability, and impressive acceleration and towing performance—up to a maximum of 7000 pounds in this configuration. The LT has standard features including the 8.0-inch MyLink touchscreen infotainment with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, power-adjustable exterior mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and remote keyless entry.

Stepping up to the LT from the lower WT (Work Truck) trim costs extra but adds several appearance upgrades and unlocks otherwise unavailable options including satellite radio, driver-assist features, and luxury interior appointments. We chose the Luxury package, which includes heated, power-adjustable front seats and other features to spruce up the interior; however, this necessitates leather seating surfaces and the LT Convenience package (remote start, rear-window defogger and sliding section, and EZ Lift & Lower tailgate).

Engine, Transmission, and Performance

Likes: Quick V-6, stout and thrifty four-cylinder diesel.
Dislikes: Base four-cylinder is best ignored, V-6 can get a little rough in upper rev range.

The Colorado offers a powertrain for just about everyone: a base four-cylinder with a manual transmission, a speedy 308-hp V-6 with an eight-speed automatic, and the segment's only diesel—a 2.8-liter four-cylinder that makes an impressive 369 lb-ft of torque. While the V-6 and diesel are excellent dance partners for Colorado, the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder is weak and grumpy; an available six-speed manual transmission is its sole redeeming quality. Unlocking the Colorado's maximum towing capabilities (7000 pounds with the V-6 and 7700 with the diesel) requires the Trailering Equipment package. Trailer-sway control—which applies the brakes of both the truck and the trailer if the system senses the trailer is swaying excessively—is standard on all Colorados.

We've tested both diesel and gasoline V-6 Colorados, and although vastly different in character, both serve their master well. At 9.1 seconds to 60 mph, the diesel-powered ZR2 crew cab had a hard time keeping up with the 6.1-second time laid down by an Colorado LT crew cab powered by the 308-hp V-6 and eight-speed automatic transmission powertrain. (Oddly, the crew-cab ZR2 with the V-6 was significantly slower than its standard V-6–powered counterpart.) The diesel's true forte is its maximum towing capability, backcountry trekking, and fuel economy.

Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG

The Colorado's forgettable gas-powered four-cylinder has EPA ratings of up to 20 mpg city and 26 mpg highway with the automatic; it gets 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway with the six-speed manual. Despite a redesign that includes cylinder-deactivation technology, the EPA ratings for the Colorado's V-6 with all-wheel drive remain unchanged from previous years at 17 mpg city/24 highway. When subjected to our 200-mile 75-mph regimen, the Colorado crew-cab V-6 returned 23 mpg, just 1 mpg shy of its 24-mpg EPA highway rating. The EPA rates the rear-wheel-drive diesel as the segment's most efficient powertrain with 22/30 mpg city/highway.

Interior, Infotainment, and Cargo

Likes: Class-leading infotainment, impressive bed capacity.
Dislikes: Uninspired interior design and materials, a little behind the competition, tiny rear-seating quarters.

Based on our testing, the interior of the Colorado doesn't hold as many carry-on suitcases as the Honda Ridgeline, but it'll carry more stuff in either of its two voluminous cargo beds. A variety of interior storage spaces are highlighted by a deep center-console bin and a massive compartment under the crew cab's rear seat.

Bask in the Colorado's connectivity options and eye-catching graphics of its infotainment system. Featuring a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, two new-for-2019 intuitive touchscreens, and the introduction of Chevrolet Infotainment System 3, it remains near the top of the segment in terms of infotainment. The base Colorado isn't available with a touchscreen, but a new 7.0-inch MyLink system is optional on the WT trim. All other models have an 8.0-inch infotainment system that features attractive menus and responsive touch functions. The only way Chevy could improve the MyLink interaction experience would be by incorporating telepathy. Base models may miss out on useful equipment such as Bluetooth streaming, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto, but that's all standard starting on the LT.

With the rear seats folded, we fit 11 pieces of carry-on luggage in the rear passenger compartment of the Colorado crew cab. The Honda Ridgeline swallowed 18 pieces of the same-size luggage, while the Toyota Tacoma TRD double cab can only find room for seven. As for exterior cargo, both the Colorado's 41-cubic-foot short box and the 50-cubic-foot long box dwarf the Ridgeline's maximum of 34 cubic feet of cargo room. The Tacoma does slightly better than the Ridgeline, offering 38 and 47 cubic feet of storage in its short- and long-bed models, but the cargo-bed crown belongs to the Colorado.

Safety and Driver-Assistance Features

Kudos to GM for making its Teen Driver system standard on every Colorado; it allows parents to monitor the speed and location of the truck and mute the radio until all occupants have buckled their seatbelts. In a curious move, the Colorado's two driver-assist items—lane-departure warning and forward-collision warning—are only optional on LT models and not available at all on the pricier Z71. Key safety features include:

• Standard front, bolster, curtain, and rear curtain airbags
• Available lane-departure warning and forward-collision warning on LT trims

Warranty and Maintenance Coverage

GM provides the best warranty coverage in the mid-size-pickup segment with the Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon. The two have the best corrosion protection and an impressive five years/60,000 miles of roadside-assistance coverage. Coverage also includes the first maintenance service for free.

• Limited warranty covers 3 years or 36,000 miles
• Powertrain warranty covers 5 years or 60,000 miles
• Complimentary maintenance is covered for the first visit