2023 Chevrolet Colorado: Simple, Yet Powerful Reimagination
Crew cabs reach a new level with the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado, and it offers more than a simple facelift and powerplant upgrade.
Chevrolet has had many truck nameplates through the years, and despite being the youngest in the catalog (at least in GM’s mid-size segment), the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado has come a long way since the GMT355 days.
And thanks to the General’s magnanimity, Chevrolet Forum got a first-hand experience with it on the trails near sunny San Diego, California for Valentine’s Day. How sweet.
Now sporting a new architecture, the new Chevy Colorado has a heavy focus on off-roading with five distinct trims–LT, WT, Z71, ZR2, and the all-new standalone Trail Boss (we’ll talk more about this later). There are three unique suspension and chassis configurations across the board, as well as a 131.4-inch wheelbase; a 3.1-inch increase from previous gens.
All trims borrow the venerated, 2.7-liter L3B Turbo 4-cylinder from the 2022 Chevy Silverado. However, there is one engine with three options: Turbo, Turbo+ and Turbo High-Output.
“In terms of (engine) integration, we really focused on smoothness, and you’ll see that as you drive each trim,” said Kevin Luchansky, Assistant Chief Engineer at General Motors Powertrain. “More horsepower than the V6, more torque than the diesel, and better fuel economy than the 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that it replaces.”
Chevrolet Colorado: Bigger, Wider Authority
The longer wheelbase comes with a wider track, too. The LT gets 62.8 inches, and the Z71 is a couple of tenths narrower at 62.6 inches.
The Trail Boss, rocking the most aggressive stance of the three, sports a heaping 66.2-inch track, penultimate only to the ZR2 (not available on this drive) which has 66.3-inches (including a redesigned bumper for improved approach angles).
NEXT: ‘Inevitable Showdown: Trail Boss vs Z71
