From trim levels to powertrains to body style, this GM mid-size pickup offers buyers a load of choices
Chevrolet’s mid-size Colorado pickup now offers three powertrains. The base 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder, rated at 200 horsepower and coupled to a manual gearbox or six-speed automatic is best of very light duty. The optional 3.6-liter V-6 is rated 305 hp, and it comes with a 7,000 pound tow rating. New for 2016, there’s a 2.8-liter inline four turbodiesel, rated 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Tow ratings go upward to 7,700 pounds in certain configurations. Four-wheel drive is optional, but four-wheel disc brakes with long-life rotors are standard.
Several body styles are offered. You can get a four-door crew cab, with a five- or six-foot bed. There’s also an extended-cab, with a standard six-foot-long bed. Beds can be equipped with either a spray-in bedliner or a drop-in type, along with tie downs and cargo dividers called GearOn; cargo nets and tonneau covers; a toolbox and trailer hitches and wiring harnesses.
Colorado has three trim levels, from basic WT work trucks, with the LT version in the middle, up to the Z71 off-road 4×4. All models get stability control with trailer-sway control, and hill-start assist, while Z71 models also get hill-descent control. Forward-collision alert and lane-departure warning systems are optional and a rearview camera is standard.
Colorados all come with a USB port and touchscreen-controlled audio. Bluetooth is available, as is an eight-inch touchscreen on LT and Z71 models, along with multiple USB ports for charging and music storage. Navigation, GM’s OnStar service and 4G LTE data connectivity are also options. Also new for 2016, GM’s MyLink interface incorporates Apple CarPlay, which uses the touchscreen as a display for iPhone functions such as messaging, mapping, and streaming audio. Prices range from about $22,000 up to $40,000 for a loaded model.