Select a year
- Highs Versatile crew cab, peppy and powerful V-6, off-roadable ZR2.
- Lows Low-quality interior, expensive with options, Z71 lacks driver assists.
- Verdict With the right size and the right amount of versatility, the Colorado blends practicality and functionality.
Overview
The 2020 Colorado is a four-wheeled shape-shifter, with the ability to adapt and excel to most any task you set before it. There are two cab sizes and two cargo-bed lengths and several engine choices. The base engine is a four-cylinder; optional engines include a peppy V-6 and a fuel-efficient, class-exclusive diesel. And when equipped with that diesel, the Colorado can tow a class-best 7700 pounds. Its Tonka-truck chunky looks and outstanding infotainment system are offset by an interior composed of cheap-feeling materials and limited driver-assistance technology. Even so, the Colorado is a versatile truck that meets the needs of a wide range of buyers.
What's New for 2020?
On the interior, the 2020 Colorado offers the option of the Infotainment 3 Premium system, with navigation and an 8.0-inch touchscreen. There's also a tire-fill alert so you know when to stop adding air to the tires. On the exterior, a remote-locking liftgate is available and the EZ-lift tailgate is now standard on LT models. The biggest loss: the six-speed manual is no longer available.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
While the off-road-rugged Colorado ZR2 appeals to our juvenile nature, we'd exercise adult restraint and instead choose the mid-level Colorado LT with the crew cab, standard-length bed, the 3.6-liter V-6, and all-wheel drive. So equipped, the Colorado stickers at $35,495 and offers room for five, all-weather capability, and impressive acceleration and towing performance of 7000 pounds. Standard features include the Infotainment 3 Plus system with an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth audio streaming for two active devices, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability, and power-adjustable exterior mirrors, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, and remote keyless entry. To this, we'd add the Luxury package, which brings power-adjustable, heated front seat and a heated steering wheel.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Colorado offers a powertrain for just about everyone: a base four-cylinder with a six-speed automatic transmission (the six-speed manual is no longer available), 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. 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.
Towing and Payload Capacity
The base Colorado with the four-cylinder offers a towing capacity of 3500 pounds. The V-6 Colorado can tow 7000 pounds, while the diesel-powered version can tow 7700.
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. 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 20/30 mpg city/highway.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo
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.
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.
Infotainment and Connectivity
Bask in the Colorado's connectivity options and eye-catching graphics of its infotainment system. Featuring a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, two intuitive touchscreens, and the Chevrolet Infotainment 3 Premium system, it remains near the top of the segment in terms of infotainment. The base Colorado now offers a 7.0-inch touchscreen with Bluetooth audio streaming for two devices, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability; 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.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features
Overall Safety Rating (NHTSA)
GM makes 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
