Driven: 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Proves Mid-Size Trucks Don’t Have To Suck

Trucks are as American as apple pie, but most of the attention has been focused on the full-size segment. It’s been that way for decades, but smaller trucks have finally stepped into the spotlight.

The Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz revived the long dormant compact segment, while 2023 is shaping up to be the year of the mid-size truck thanks to new entries from Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, and Toyota.  That’s a ton of new blood and we haven’t even mentioned the Jeep Gladiator and Nissan Frontier, which are still relatively fresh.

We’re kicking the year off with the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado, which features a fantastic new design, an upgraded interior, and an all-new turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine.  However, the biggest news might be value as the truck starts at $29,200 and you can get one with four-wheel drive, adaptive cruise control, a bed liner, and a ton of safety features for under $37,000.

A Sporty And Stylish Design

While there’s a lot going on, there’s no better place to start than styling because designers knocked it out of the park.  The model has “big truck energy” and sports an all-new design that echoes the Silverado.  However, this is no scaled down copy as the Colorado has a more youthful and athletic appearance, which combines sharp lines with subtle curves.

The resulting design is great and the Colorado is arguably better looking than its larger counterpart.  That’s high praise and each trim has a slightly different aesthetic.  The entry-level WT is the most basic of the bunch as it sports black components and 17-inch steel wheels.  This look is shared with the all-new Colorado Trail Boss, which builds on the WT but adopts a 2-inch (51 mm) lift, a wider front track, and 18-inch aluminum wheels wrapped in 32-inch all-terrain tires.

The Colorado LT is more traditional as it wears body-color components and 17-inch aluminum wheels, while the Z71 combines creature comforts with moderate amounts of off-road capability.

The news isn’t all good as the Colorado is offered exclusively in a crew cab configuration with a 5’ 2” bed.  This is a bit of a disappointment as the outgoing model offered extended and crew cab configurations as well as a larger 6’2” bed.

That being said, the redesigned Colorado has a few tricks up its sleeve and one of the most interesting ideas is a lockable, watertight compartment that is integrated into the tailgate.  With the tailgate down, you push two levers aside to gain access to a compartment that measures 45 inches (1,143 mm) wide and 4 inches (102 mm) deep.  It can be a bit tricky to open, but there’s a decent amount of space and owners could easily stash tow straps and other off-road equipment there.

While the compartment is a little gimmicky, it’s hard to argue with eight standard tie-downs, integrated motorcycle tire grooves, and an available 110-volt power outlet in the bed.  The tailgate can also be positioned midway down to aid in transporting longer items, while a dampened EZ-lift and lower tailgate is also available.

An Interior That Doesn’t Scream Cheap

Mid-size trucks are far more affordable than their larger counterparts and this cut-rate pricing is often reflected in the interior. However, the Colorado bucks this trend as drivers will find a significantly improved cabin with better equipment.

The changes are immediately apparent as driver sit behind a chunky steering wheel and find themselves looking at an all-new 8-inch digital instrument cluster.  It comes standard and features an assortment of informative displays including an off-road focused setup, which shows pitch and roll as well as the steering angle and current transfer case setting.

Speaking of screens, there’s an 11.3-inch infotainment system with Google integration as well as wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.  It’s a massive improvement over the old 7- and 8-inch displays, and the system is fast, responsive, and largely intuitive.  That being said, we did experience a few hiccups including an instance where music was blasting at startup and the system initially refused to respond to attempts to lower the volume or mute.

Putting the screens aside, the cabin sports a modern design with classy switchgear, gloss black trim, and metallic accents.  The amenities vary by trim and things are pretty basic in the WT and Trail Boss. It’s not bad by any stretch of the imagination, but the models eschew a lot of the bright work, padding, and details that make higher-end variants look and feel special.  It’s also worth mentioning that, regardless of which trim you get, black plastic is abound and it’s of the hard variety.

Despite being a rough and tumble pickup, the Colorado can dust off its cowboy boots for a night on the town. In particular, the model can be equipped with two-tone heated and ventilated leather front seats as well as a heated steering wheel.  While it’s not as fancy as the upcoming GMC Canyon Denali, it’s pretty darn nice for a mid-size truck.

Speaking of the seats, the front chairs are perfectly comfortable and spacious while also offering a good amount of support.  Furthermore, the entry-level WT doesn’t cheapen out too much, although a front center console is an optional extra.

The rear seats are less impressive as they’re not terribly spacious.  While there’s a good amount of headroom, legroom is limited as occupants will find a mere 34.7 inches (881 mm) of space and that’s 1.1 inches (28 mm) less than last year’s crew cab pickup.  The experience reminded me of the compact Maverick and Santa Cruz, which actually have more rear seat legroom on paper. That being said, the seats seem to be competitive for the segment, although not as generous as those found in the Gladiator.

A Turbo Four With V8 Levels Of Torque

The streamlining continues under the hood as the Colorado’s engine lineup shrinks from three to one.  As a result, every single model is equipped with a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder.

The engine has been powering the Silverado for years and it’s available in three different outputs.  The entry-level variant produces 237 hp (177 kW / 240 PS) and 259 lb-ft (351 Nm) of torque, which is a sizable improvement over the old 2.5-liter four-cylinder that developed 200 hp (149 kW / 203 PS) and 191 lb-ft (258 Nm).

The entry-level engine comes standard in the WT and LT, and offers respectable performance.  There’s plenty of power for cruising around town, although we wished for a little extra oomph when it came to merging onto the highway.

The mid-level engine comes standard in the Trail Boss and Z71, where it produces 310 hp (231 kW / 314 PS) and 390 lb-ft (528 Nm) of torque.  Customers can also opt for a high-output version that develops 310 hp (231 kW / 314 PS) and 430 lb-ft (582 Nm) of torque.  The latter figure is insane as the engine has more torque than the 5.0-liter V8 in the Ford F-150.  It also bests the Silverado’s 5.3-liter V8 by 47 lb-ft (64 Nm), despite having half the number of cylinders.

For $395 You Can Get

The high-output engine comes standard in the range-topping Colorado ZR2, but Trail Boss and Z71 customers can order a high-output calibration for an additional $395.  That seems pretty reasonable as it delivers an extra 40 lb-ft (54 Nm) of torque, which will be appreciated if you tow on a regular basis.

While the base engine is fine, the upgraded versions transform the truck from good to great. As you’d expect, responsiveness improves significantly and there’s plenty of power throughout the band. Chevrolet hasn’t released detailed performance specifications, but officials we spoke to said all three versions of the engine enable the truck to accelerate from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in less than seven seconds.

Speaking of the engine, it seems relatively refined and engineers told us it was “designed like a diesel.”  As a result, it sports a rigid cylinder block casting, a fully forged bottom end, and a stiff crankshaft – among other things. While that’s just scratching the surface, the engine has been subjected to countless torture tests and was designed to withstand years of heavy use.

The engine is connected to a capable eight-speed automatic transmission, which worked well on- and off-road as shifts were perfectly timed and well executed. Rear-wheel drive comes standard on the WT and LT, but the rest of the lineup has four-wheel drive.

EPA ratings haven’t been released, but the Colorado has an engine start/stop system and active fuel management technology.  As a result, we can expect the truck to surpass the Silverado’s rating of 19 mpg city, 22 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined. It’s also worth mentioning that all of the engines run on regular gasoline, even the high-output variant.

A Capable Truck That Doesn’t Ride Rough

One of the most surprising things about the 2023 Colorado is how well it drives.  Body-on-frame trucks aren’t typically known for their refinement, but Chevy’s entry exceeded our expectations.

While the ride can get a little bumpy on rough roads, it’s not uncomfortable and can best be described as truck-like.  However, those incidents were few and far between as things settle down significantly on smooth roads and the Colorado proved to be a comfortable highway cruiser, despite having a solid rear axle and leaf springs.

The good news doesn’t end there as handling is good for a body-on-frame pickup.  Cornering was secure and predictable without any hints of drama until the truck was pushed hard.  The experience can also be somewhat entertaining on the right road, although you’ll want to keep your expectations in check.

Given this is a truck, it’s not surprising to learn the steering is a little heavy and slow.  We didn’t have any problems with the heft, but we wish the truck offered a sport mode with a more direct response as traversing twisty mountain roads required an almost comical amount of turning.

Speaking of driving modes, the Colorado offers Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road, Terrain, and Baja settings. Terrain mode might be the most notable as it was designed for low-speed rock crawling and it enables you to travel at a leisurely pace with subtle throttle responses.

The truck also offers a cool off-road performance display as well as up to 10 different camera views including underneath the truck.  Speaking of off-road goodies, the Z71 and Trail Boss come standard with a limited-slip differential and hill descent control.  The Trail Boss is also notable for featuring the aforementioned lift and wider stance.

Back on pavement, wind noise can be pronounced at highway speed, but otherwise the truck is fairly quiet.  The model also sports an impressive amount of standard safety equipment including Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, and IntelliBeam automatic high-beams.

Customers looking for more safety tech will find an assortment of affordable packages that offer Adaptive Cruise Control, Rear Park Assist, and Rear-Cross Traffic Braking.  They’re joined by Blind Zone Steering Assist, Rear Pedestrian Alert, and an HD Surround Vision system.

Colorado owners like to tow and most versions of the truck have a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lbs (3,493 kg). This bests the Frontier, Ranger, and Tacoma while also matching the mightiest Gladiator. 

Sticking with towing, customers can get a package that adds a receiver as well as an automatic locking rear differential, an integrated trailer brake controller, and a trailering app on the infotainment system.  We’d also be remiss to mention the truck has a maximum payload capacity of up to 1,684 lbs (764 kg).

Mid-Size No Longer Means Half As Good

Mid-size trucks have often felt like half-hearted efforts, but that’s clearly not the case with the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado.  Designers and engineers poured blood, sweat, and tears into the model and the end result is truly impressive as it looks great, drives well, and features an impressive new engine.

On top of that, the Colorado boasts a significantly improved interior, more upscale equipment, and a new Trail Boss trim that should appeal to off-roaders on a budget. Speaking of which, Chevy managed to keep pricing affordable and this means you can get a nice truck for around $42,000.

While there are a few tradeoffs, the Colorado is a solid pickup and the one to beat. Of course, there’s no shortage of challengers on the horizon and we’ll learn more about them in the coming months.

Pictures: Michael Gauthier for CarScoops