2023 Chevrolet Colorado: This Is It

Chevrolet has simply revealed a ground-up redesign of its midsize pickup, the Colorado. With this third-generation mannequin, Chevrolet has had the prospect to evaluate what works for the Colorado, which struggled to face out within the midsize pickup phase — till the Colorado ZR2 got here out. The success of the ZR2 is clearly the power behind the brand new pickup, as a result of the 2023 Colorado is all about off-road.

For the 2023 mannequin 12 months, Chevy trimmed the Colorado line down to 5 fashions, one physique configuration, and a lone engine obtainable in three outputs. The 2.8-liter turbodiesel is gone, as is the 3.6-liter gasser V6. All 2023 Chevy Colorado fashions may have the identical engine, a 2.7-liter turbo inline-four borrowed from the Chevy Silverado, mated to an eight-speed automated transmission. The engine has a 30 p.c stiffer crankshaft, extra inflexible cylinder block and fully-forged backside finish.

Whereas each 2023 Colorado will use the identical engine, output differs fairly majorly based mostly on trim stage — WT (quick for Work Truck), LT, Z71, Path Boss, and ZR2, in growing worth and fanciness order. Sure trims supply an improve engine choice, however in normal spec, outputs will break down as follows:

• Colorado WT and LT: 2.7-liter Turbo – 237 HP, 259 lb-ft.
• Colorado Z71 and Path Boss: 2.7-liter Turbo Plus – 310 HP, 390 lb-ft.

• Colorado ZR2: 2.7-liter Turbo Excessive-Output – 310 HP, 430 lb-ft.

Observe the massive vary in outputs, a distinction of 73 hp and 171 lb-ft between the bottom and top-spec model of the two.7-liter engine. The Turbo Excessive Output makes extra torque than even the previous 369 lb-ft Duramax diesel, whereas the center and top-spec engines match the horsepower of the previous V6. Towing capability is 7,700 kilos with both of the improve engines, dropping to three,500 lbs with the bottom 237-hp engine.

The brand new Colorado shall be obtainable completely in four-door, short-bed configuration, with the identical 5-foot-2-inch mattress size as earlier than. The wheelbase is three inches longer, at 134.1 inches.

The completely different trim ranges supply various quantities of floor clearance and monitor width. The Colorado WT and LT have 7.9 inches of floor clearance and monitor width of 62.8. The Colorado Z71 provides you an extra inch of floor clearance. The Path Boss provides a 2-inch suspension raise for floor clearance of 9.5 inches, and provides roughly 3.4 inches of monitor width, to 66.2. The highest trim Colorado ZR2’s monitor width is a tiny bit wider than Path Boss, at 66.3 inches, however the ZR2 will get a good greater 3-inch suspension raise (in comparison with the WT), giving it a claimed 10.7 inches of floor clearance.

Mainly, what Chevy has accomplished with the Colorado is create a hierarchy of off-road functionality. The lowly Colorado WT 2WD is on the backside, whereas the Colorado ZR2 4WD is on the high.

The ZR2 nonetheless has spool valve dampers, plus cast-iron management arms, entrance and rear electrical locking differentials and a two-speed switch case. The ZR2’s 17-inch wheels and 33-inch mud terrain tires seal the deal. But when that’s not sufficient, there’s a brand new special-edition Desert Boss bundle, which will get beadlock-capable wheels and different path gear — even an underbody digital camera to see how massive the rocks are down there! The digital camera is obtainable on Z71 and ZR2 vehicles with out the add-on bundle.

The digital camera feed is transmitted by way of an 11.3-inch heart display screen, however you don’t must splurge on a Colorado ZR2 Desert Boss to get the nice infotainment; the 11.3-inch display screen comes normal, no matter trim. Wi-fi Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are normal, however the infotainment has Google Constructed-In, which provides the system native Google providers.

The brand new Colorado’s heavy path tilt shouldn’t be actually a shock. Off-roading went and acquired itself some mass attraction after being a distinct segment amongst truck and SUV followers. And that goes double for midsize vehicles just like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, Nissan Frontier and Jeep Gladiator. Folks pay a lot for off-road variations of those fashions.

Chevrolet hasn’t revealed pricing information for the brand new Colorado simply but. Manufacturing will start within the first half of 2023 at GM’s Wentzville plant in Missouri, the place, traditionally, the Chevy Colorado has been made alongside the GMC Canyon. Pricing shall be revealed as we get nearer to manufacturing. We’ll have to attend till then to see if the Colorado ZR2 will match the long-awaited Ford Ranger Raptor in functionality and in price.