Chevrolet has been making trucks since the beginning of the last century. In 1918, the Chevrolet 490 light delivery truck entered the US market and since then, the name Chevy and the bowtie logo has been synonymous with pickup trucks in America.
Fast forward to 2016, Chevrolet is pushing further into Southeast Asia with the Chevrolet Colorado, a “small pickup truck” for the market.
This latest Chevrolet Colorado is quite impressive.
It is available in five variants, namely the 2.5 LT manual, 2.5LT auto, 2.5 LTZ auto, 2.8 LTZ auto and 2.8 High Country auto. The updated Colorado features a substantial list of features that on paper, at least, is at par or better than its competitors in the Malaysian market.
Starting from RM95,000, the Colorados are powered by Chevy’s second-generation Duramax diesel engines mated to either a six-speed gearbox (for the non-VGT 2.5 base model) or six-speed autobox with manual shifting modes.
One interesting thing to note, however, is that the Colorado that we get in Malaysia is the international market model and bears little resemblance to the North American Colorado that American buyers get in the US.
In keeping with genuine American tradition, power and torque figures for the version available in Malaysia are phenomenal and top of class.
The base LT model’s 2.5L engine produces 163 hp at 3,600 rpm and 380 Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm.
Meanwhile, the 2.5L with VGT in LTZ guise ramps output up to 180 hp and 440 Nm.
The crème de la crème of the Colorados is the 2.8-litre VGT which churns out 193 hp and a massive 500 Nm of torque.
DESIGN
The new Colorado has undergone a facelift that is as opinion-dividing as it is extensive.
The redesign includes a new front face with a redesigned dual grille. There is also new bumper and headlights with daytime running lights.
Some think the new exterior, with its sleeker lines, has made the truck lose a bit of its masculinity. However, there are others who think the new design is closer to the true American Chevy pick-up.
The Colorado has also undergone an extensive redesign inside the cabin. New, soft touch plastics now dominate the interior, especially on the dashboard. The instrument cluster now features a multi-info display with a digital speedometer as well as maintenance intervals. Subtle changes have been made to the exterior of the cab to reduce wind noise.
Another interesting feature is the power windows – which drop down slightly to make it easy to close the doors, before immediately popping back up.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Perhaps realising that it is facing stiff competition here with the pick-up truck market, Chevrolet has stuffed the Colorado chock-full with goodies.
The media unit has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support with four speakers.
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.
DRIVING THE COLORADO
We drove the 2.8L High Country model from Kuala Lumpur to Pekan and back during the media introduction, with a bit of off-road driving thrown in around the jungles of Pahang.
First off, 500 Nm of torque goes a long way in making the Colorado one of the most powerful trucks in its class. Acceleration off the line is impressive, and makes the Colorado feel more like a car than a heavy truck.
Suspension and handling are also similarly refined.
On the highway, the Colorado steers well even at high speeds. This is important because with the amount of power and torque generated by the 2.8L Duramax engine, it is capable of reaching high cruising speeds.
Despite its tall ride height , the powerful brakes and predictable road-handling make the Colorado feel safe.
Off the beaten track, the Colorado is a capable off-roader. Good front and rear clearance, and the immense 500 Nm of torque, coupled with the Bridgestone Dueler 265/60 R18 tyres as well as driver assists like the automatic hill descent make even beginner off-roaders feel like a pro.
We encountered a stream during our drive and all media personnel had little difficulty wading the Colorado through the rocky stream, and the trucks handled the rough crossing easily. The only casualties were the license plates, which the Naza support team had to fish out of the stream!
The Colorado is priced from RM95,000 (details later today) and is available in humorously named colours such as Pull Me Over Red and Black Meet Kettle along with other shades such as Blue Mountain, Summit White and Switchblade Silver.
Prices start from RM99,911 on-the-road (OTR) for the manual 2.5 Standard LT. The auto version is priced at RM107,948.
Meanwhile, the 2.5 LTZ is priced at RM115,031 (available only in auto).
The 2.8L Standard LTZ is priced at RM124,916 OTR while the range topping High Country 2.8L is priced at RM132,874.