When you think of a double cab truck in Malaysia, the first thing that springs to mind is probably a Ford Ranger, and then maybe a Toyota Hilux.
In that order. The Colorado isn’t exactly the rig that pops to mind when you say ‘pick-up’ in Malaysia.
Yes, in America Chevys are as synonymous with trucks as Perodua is known for its compact cars here at home. They are just not as popular as the Japanese truck which have a firm foothold here for many years. However, having spent some time with the Colorado, there is no denying it is a capable truck that ticks all the right boxes.
We spent a few days with the 2.5 LTZ Auto, driving it mostly around urban areas, where most customers will be driving them anyway.
From the looks (bold, and masculine), to the features (almost every thing a truck buyer could reasonably expect), the Colorado ticks all the boxes, and then some. Even in the base model, safety features include three airbags, ABS, EBD and brake assist and ISOFIX child seat anchors, as well as rear park assist.
There is an even more extensive list of safety and driving assist features on the LTZ models which include Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning, a tyre pressure monitoring system, Electronic Stability Control (ESC), Hill Start Assist (HSA) and Hill Descent Control (HDC).
Other features in the LTZ include remote engine start, automatic air-conditioning, lights and rain detecting wipers, front parking sensors (the base model has only rear assist) and cruise control.
The interior trim is also upgraded with leather seats, a six-way adjustable driver’s seat and a seven-speaker media unit compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
It drives well, is reasonably economic, and even in 2.5LTZ guise is shockingly fast, with an output of 180hp and 440 Nm of torque. It’s easy to turn traffic light stops into drag strips if you get carried away with the torque.
The 2.8L variant ins particular, is more than powerful enough to elicit a squeal from the tyres just by stomping on the throttle.
The only downside, in my opinion is the price tag. The 2.5 LTZ is priced at RM115,031 (available only in auto), and we just don’t think it has street cred yet in Malaysia to command such a premium price. Pricing to brand position is one thing, but at the end of the day, the customer is the decision maker, and Malaysian customers are notoriously conservative in their motoring purchases.
2ND OPINION, BY AHIRINE AHIRUDDIN
The name Colorado immediately brings to mind the iconic Rocky Mountains and beautiful river canyons located at the western US state. Well, I wish I could put the Chevrolet Colorado to test at its own ‘designated’ trail
The Colorado is tough and bulky. Unnderneath the exterior, this second generation facelifed Chevrolet Colorado pick-up truck, which was brought in last year by Naza Quest Sdn Bhd, the official importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Malaysia, did not disappoint.
The Colorado gets tonnes of new features and the most apparent would be the upgraded front fascia. The chrome frame that holds the bow tie logo gives this truck a more distinct look without altering the signature dual port front fascia.
Chevrolet’s design team says that the all-new Colorado reflects a tough personality of a premium American truck - well maybe compared to the old design.
During my first drive with this truck, I was dumbfounded by its new comfort closing window feature. When opening the door, the front windows scrolled down a little and automatically winds up when I shut the door. I even opened and shut it repeatedly to figure out the point of this feature until I found out it helps to make closing the door easier.
The new 2.5L Duramax VGT is powered by a four-cylinder, 16 valve, DOHC engine with Variable Geometry Turbocharger (VGT) producing plenty of power and even more torque. I had such a pleasant experience driving this truck around. Even on the highways, the Colorado didn’t make much noise and it felt like I was driving a passenger car - a super sized one!
The people at Chevrolet certainly do not compromise on driver’s safety as they have come out with multiple safety features. One of them is the Forward Collision Alert. The Colorado will automatically tell drivers via images and audio alerts if they come close to the front vehicle.
The rear vision camera is also well designed. The wide angle rear view with guidelines that appears on the 8’’ touchscreen helps assist drivers to back the big truck into tight spaces without having to go back and forth more than is necessary.
Packed with all these outstanding features and comfort, this is an excellent truck.