2015 Chevrolet Colorado

2015 Chevrolet Colorado

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Starting in fall 2014, Chevrolet is bringing a highly revised version of its global Colorado to the United States and Canada. (There will be a GMC Canyon as well, but the manufacturer hasn't provided information on that truck yet.) While it did start out as the global Colorado, the engineers have made so many changes to it that it may actually be more accurate to look at this as a little Silverado in global Colorado skin than simply writing it off as a rebadged global truck. And it will be built in Wentzville, Missouri, where the Express and Savana are currently being built.

The Colorado's new frame, which is fully boxed and uses a lot of high-strength steel, is about 40 percent lighter than the global frame, and shares relatively few components with it. The American Colorado is significantly longer than the global truck. There are three wheelbases for the new midsize, as there are three configurations: crew cab with a 5- or 6-foot bed, and extended cab with the 6-foot bed. The extended cab rides on the shortest wheelbase, 127.9 inches, which is exactly 6 inches longer than that of the global Colorado. The overall length of the longest American Colorado, the crew cab longbed, is 224.1 inches (on a 140.5-inch wheelbase), and the global model has an overall length of 210.5 inches. While this is much larger than the global truck, it is still significantly smaller than the Silverado. If you compare crew cabs, the Colorado is 5 inches narrower, 3 inches lower, and 16 inches shorter, and is 900 pounds lighter. Suspension duties are handled by coil-overs in front and dual-stage leaf springs in back. The new truck now uses Duralife four-wheel disc brakes (it had rear drums in 2012, its last model year) with ABS. As with the Silverado, the doors are inlaid and triple-sealed. Six airbags and a rearview camera will be standard, and forward collision alert will be available. We haven't received full specifications yet, but we do know the truck will have electric power steering and an impressive 41-foot turning radius. No, we did not mention a regular cab here as an option. That's because there isn't one. However, we've heard that those who want to can get an extended cab with a rear-seat delete option.

The trim levels will be WT, LT, and Z71, with RWD or 4WD. On other GM trucks, and in the past on the Colorado, the Z71 had been a suspension package available on a variety of trims. But something else that'll be new for 2015 is the introduction of the Z71 as a separate model, with unique spring and shock tuning, skidplates, and slightly different styling. Z71s will come with StabiliTrak, trailer sway control, hillstart assist, and hill descent control.

When the truck first goes on sale, buyers will have a choice of two engines—a 193-hp and 184-lb-ft (estimated) 2.5-liter I-4 or a 3.6-liter V-6, putting out an estimated 302 hp and 270 lb-ft. GM has used these engines in other models. The four has powered sedans, and the V-6 is similar to the engine in the Equinox, but GM says both engines have been retuned for truck applications, with more bottom-end torque. Both have direct injection and variable valve timing, and will be backed by a six-speed automatic with a floor-mounted shifter. That's right, there is no manual transmission for 2015, but Chevrolet is open to consumer input on this. If enough people want it, a manual could be made available. We expect that, even though the new truck is probably slightly heavier than the previous one, because of the more efficient engines, better aerodynamics, and use of active aero grille shutters, fuel economy will be greatly improved. We also expect acceleration to be quicker as well.

There is other big news, and unfortunately we have to wait until the Colorado's second year to see it, but there will be a third engine added to the options list for the 2016 model year: a 2.8-liter Duramax I-4. Chevrolet hasn't announced power numbers yet, but in the global truck, it produces 197 hp and 369 lb-ft. While we expect that the diesel's hp and torque will be slightly lower here because it will use an aftertreatment system, the global engine's torque number is only slightly lower than that of GM's new EcoTec3 5.3-liter V-8, while potentially offering significantly better fuel economy. Even at 90 percent of that number, the torque would be stellar. The engineers at Chevrolet also told us that the American-market version of this engine will be much quieter than the global unit. The DEF's refill point will be behind the fuel door. Unless one of the other manufacturers pulls off a stunning upset in the next year, the Colorado will be the first midsize truck sold in the U.S. with a diesel engine. Remember when we thought that would be something Mahindra would do?

We got to sit in the cabin of the new Colorado, and materials, styling, and amenities are greatly improved from those in the previous Colorado. There is a driver information screen within the gauge cluster, an 8-inch color touch screen in the center stack (optional on the WT), plus OnStar, MyLink, and navigation will be offered. Seats will be stain-resistant cloth or leather.

But there's no denying the new midsize's appearance is much more global Colorado than it is little Silverado. Those hoping for a truck that looks like a scaled-down Silverado will be disappointed. However, there were some changes. The truck has a new front end and higher bedsides, and we feel these differences make it look better than the global truck.

Chevrolet has some lofty capability goals with this truck, but they are certainly things that are possible. The idea is that the Colorado will have best-in-class horsepower, payload, and towing capacity. GM hasn't announced payload capacity, but it expects a 6700-pound towing capacity at launch (and higher with the diesel). It will also be the first in its segment to offer a trailer brake controller. The company's CornerStep rear bumper and 13 tie-down locations are standard, and the EZ Lift-and-Lower tailgate and spray-in bedliner are options.

Even with all these impressive features and capability, investing in the midsize segment is a gamble. There aren't a lot of people buying midsize trucks compared with full-sizes. But a strong argument can be made that many folks stopped buying trucks because there haven't been improvements in a decade. The new Colorado could bring back buyers who gave up on midsize trucks. GM hasn't announced pricing yet, but this is a key factor for the Colorado's success. If the truck comes in at a price that's lower enough than the Silverado's, it should do well. Then there's the challenge of pricing the diesel option.

Still,the payoffs for this gamble could be huge. If GM is right that midsize trucks cater to a different buyer than full-size trucks do, and that there is a bigger market for smaller trucks than is being served at the moment, the Colorado could bring people back to this segment and could take market share away from the Tacoma. It could also mean buyers would be willing to pay more for a well-optioned Colorado than they would for an entry-level Silverado. Not everyone has the space to park a ½-ton truck nor the desire to drive one in the city . The gamble could also pay off for truck fans in more ways than one, if Ford and VW choose to respond by bring their Ranger T6 and Amarok to the U.S. No pressure, Chevy.

Base price - $19,000-$32,000*
Vehicle layout - Front-engine, RWD/4WD, 4-5-pass, 4-door pickup
Engines - 2.5L/193-hp*/184-lb-ft* DOHC 16-valve I-4;
- 2.8L/197-hp*/369-lb-ft* DOHC 16-valve turbodiesel I-4;
- 3.6L/302-hp*/270-lb-ft* DOHC 24-valve V-6
Transmission - 6-speed automatic Curb weight 3950-4500 lb*
Wheelbase - 127.9-140.5 in
Length x width x height - 208.2-224.1 x 74.3 x 70.5-70.6 in
EPA city/hwy fuel econ - Not yet rated
On sale in U.S. - Fall 2014
* - estimate

Source: Truck Trend

Speaking of douche-bags... From our (cough) friends over at PUTC...

With all the time and talk of big monies spent to expand GM powertrain engineering, I'm surprised it's only a 6 speed. Outside looks good, inside looks pretty cheap if that's the top of the line. Maybe an effort to keep costs down?

Looks like they hit the mark from what I see and read. The price point least appears to be enough south of the Silverado as to not cannibalize one another. Least on the surface.

Douche-bags, oooh please do tell the dirty laundry.

Diseasel wrote:

With all the time and talk of big monies spent to expand GM powertrain engineering, I'm surprised it's only a 6 speed. Outside looks good, inside looks pretty cheap if that's the top of the line. Maybe an effort to keep costs down?

That's my impression, some of the cheaper ascetically visual elements are one would assume less cost to implement. Thus differentiating the price points between the mid size and full size products. As the proximity of price points was one huge element that was stated as the downfall of the small midsize truck market previously.

That interior,   . I saw that the truck is supposed to have auto grade braking and a tow/haul mode." They should also offer integrated trailer brakes and trailer sway control as an option.

joemac wrote:

Douche-bags, oooh please do tell the dirty laundry.

Just my admiration for Mark Williams and his ability to kill off the PUTC Forums without so much as batting an eyelash. (NO, I'm not over it) I'm sure the powers that be over at Cars.com probably left him no option but to abandon what I felt was a truly great resource, but his name was on the door, so-to speak.

Quote :

We've seen it before. A new vehicle is slated to debut, especially one that's been gone for a while (the last Chevrolet Colorado was built in 2012), and what we get tries to make a big splash in the shallow end of the pool. Trying to bust out of the gate at the startline usually tells us the runner doesn't realize this is a marathon. It bodes well that GM is coming out of the gate with a focused, simple product in the 2015 Chevy Colorado. That tells us GM wants to be here for the long haul. Here are the top five things we like the new Colorado.

1. Diesel Engine Option
The baby Duramax 2.8-liter turbo-diesel is the right engine in the right truck at the right time. This will give the littlest GM pickup solid torque, plenty of fuel range and make it the first in the segment with a diesel. It will be offered across all trim levels as a stand-alone option.

2. Safety
No cost cutting here. Six airbags are standard throughout the lineup, and collision alert and lane departure systems (both using "seeing-eye" technology) will be available as a stand-alone option. Z71 models will get StabiliTrak, rollover sensing, trailer-sway control and hill descent control (which includes hill start assist).

3. Simple Trim Packages
Just three trim levels means an easy-to-understand ordering list for dealers, which allows them to choose the right truck for their region. The base model (called, appropriately enough, WT for Work Truck) will be the fleet choice; the LT will be the cost-saving well-equipped model; and the Z71 will be the only "premium" model with unique wheels and tires, and a host of off-road technology.

4. Packed With Tech
If the new Silverado made one thing clear, it's that the new GM understands that safety and connectivity will be important to buyers now and in the future. The new information center will communicate better with the driver and offer more engine and vehicle data. The available navigation screen is 8 inches wide, and most Colorados will have the next-generation OnStar and MyLink enhancements.

5. Rear-Seat Delete
Extended-cab models provide both fleet and personal truck buyers with a smaller (not for adults) rear seat, but if customers want to save a little money, they have the option of a rear-seat-delete, opening the area for more workspace.

Source: PickupTrucks.com

ggbaird wrote:

joemac wrote:

Douche-bags, oooh please do tell the dirty laundry.

Just my admiration for Mark Williams and his ability to kill off the PUTC Forums without so much as batting an eyelash. (NO, I'm not over it) I'm sure the powers that be over at Cars.com probably left him no option but to abandon what I felt was a truly great resource, but his name was on the door, so-to speak.

Gotcha.  Well the feeling is mutual if it's any more comforting.    It was, past tense, a good source for enthusiasts who were left out to dry.  Likely because our piece didn't make them any money.  The blogs are an huge failure IMHO.

I like what I see so far. I almost downsized this time, gonna take a hard look at it once it's out.

It's nice to see it moving but it's a drab video.

Here's another one...

That hood looks taller than my 1 ton.

I like it! I may downsize and get me one of these. Looking forward to seeing the Canyon too.

I hope they don't screw 'em up...I liked the older ones and my only complaint was the lack of the automatic 4WD feature. The wife's a rural mail carrier and that is a God send for her...