Overview: After seven years of the same old design, Chevy’s mid-size pickup, the Colorado, enters its third generation for 2023 with an all-new model that’s grown in width, wheelbase, and maturity. The model is powered exclusively by a turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four and eight-speed automatic transmission, with varying horsepower and torque depending on the trim level. The interior is a major area of improvement, featuring an enormous 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard equipment. With power and tech advantages over other senior citizens in the aging mid-size segment, such as the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Honda Ridgeline, the Colorado now has a competitive edge.
What’s New for 2023? The 2023 Colorado is all-new with a redesigned body, updated powertrain options, and a vastly improved interior. The truck is sold as a crew cab, with a bed that measures 5-foot 2-inch long, and is available in either rear- or four-wheel-drive configurations. The V-6 and the Duramax diesel powertrains available in the previous generation truck will no longer be offered.
Pricing and Which One to Buy: The high-flying ZR2 trim is a top choice with its 10.7-inches of ground clearance, 33-inch tires, and LED lighting. However, the budget-friendly Trail Boss delivers just as much mud-flinging fun for less. The Trail Boss comes with 32-inch all-terrain tires and fender flares, providing a rugged look. It also has an extra 1.5 inches of front suspension travel compared to WT, LT, and Z71 trims, with an additional inch of travel in the rear. It may not have the fancy Multimatic spool valve dampers and lockable front and rear diffs of the ZR2, but it shares its rear limited-slip diff with the Z71 and is significantly cheaper.
Engine, Transmission, and Performance: All the 2023 Colorado models are powered by Chevy’s turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four engine, which has varying outputs, depending on the trim level. An eight-speed automatic transmission serves as the transmission for all Colorados. The WT and LT models come standard with 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. The Z71 and Trail Boss models use the 310 horsepower version of the same turbo 2.7-liter with 390 pound-feet of torque, providing more power and torque than the V-6 powertrains found in the Jeep Gladiator, Ridgeline, and Tacoma. The ZR2 gets 310 horsepower but boasts 430 foot-pounds of torque. The V-6 and Duramax diesel engines available in the previous Colorado have been dropped. The new Colorado features an independent front suspension with a solid rear axle, but the ZR2 mounts big Mutlimatic DSSV dampers up front, with the rear DSSVs mounted on the outside of the frame.
Towing and Payload Capacity: The Colorado provides the highest towing capacity of any mid-size pickup in the segment. The maximum towing capacity is 7700 pounds, with the base engine found in WT and LT trims managing up to 3500 pounds of pull. The Colorado Z71 and Trail Boss can pull up to 7700 pounds, more than any other competitors in the segment. Max towing capacity drops to 6000 pounds for the Colorado ZR2.
Fuel Economy and Real-World MPG: The 2023 Colorado’s best EPA fuel economy rating is for rear-wheel-drive models, with 20 mpg city and 25 mpg on the highway. Colorado 4-wheel-drive models earned an EPA-estimated 19 mpg city and 23 mpg on the highway. The ZR2 off-road models have lower ratings of 17 mpg and 19 mpg, respectively. The real-world mpg of the Colorado will be evaluated through Car and Driver’s extensive testing regimen.
Interior, Comfort, and Cargo: The new Colorado features major upgrades in terms of interior design. The truck is a four-door crew cab, with a new center console and a shifter that’s moved closer to the passenger side of the cabin. The cupholders are located directly in front of the center console instead of being tucked opposite the gear selector. A new gauge cluster, infotainment screen, and steering wheel complete the updated design. While overall headroom has dropped by an inch, legroom and shoulder space remain relatively unchanged. The ZR2 models come with a shallow 45-inch-wide lockable storage box in the tailgate, similar to the approach used in the Honda Ridgeline.
Infotainment and Connectivity: Every new Colorado comes equipped with a large 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen as standard equipment. The 2023 Colorado also features wireless phone-charging capability and USB ports. Available as a subscription service, the Colorado can be equipped with Google Built-In to handle navigation, music, and other vehicle functions personalized through your Google account. Every Colorado comes standard with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
Safety and Driver-Assistance Features: The Chevy Safety Assist package provides a generous list of driver-assistance features, including forward collision warning and lane-keeping assist, among others. The Colorado is likely to include standard forward-collision warning and automated emergency braking, standard lane-departure warning and lane-keeping assist, and available adaptive cruise control.
Warranty and Maintenance Coverage: Chevrolet offers a competitive limited and powertrain warranty for the Colorado. While Toyota offers a better complimentary maintenance package, General Motors covers the first visit for free. The limited warranty covers three years or 36,000 miles, and the powertrain warranty covers five years or 60,000 miles.
Specifications: The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado is a front-engine, rear- or rear/4-wheel-drive, five-passenger, four-door pickup truck, with a base price of $30,695 for the WT 4×2, $33,095 for the LT 4×2, $33,995 for the WT 4×4, $36,395 for the LT 4×4, $38,495 for the Trail Boss, and $41,395 for the Z71. The model is powered by a turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve 2.7-liter inline-4 engine, with varying horsepower and torque outputs. The truck has an 8-speed automatic transmission and a towing capacity of up to 7700 pounds. The Colorado ZR2 has a base price of $48,295, with a Desert Boss Special Edition costing $58,285. The ZR2 features a turbocharged and intercooled DOHC 16-valve inline-4 engine with 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, an 8-speed automatic transmission, and a towing capacity of up to 6000 pounds.
