2015 Chevrolet Colorado is the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year

2015 Chevrolet Colorado is the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year

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What was good for Texas was good for pickups. So full-size pickups got bigger, and midsize trucks began to vanish. Gone were the Ford Ranger, the Dodge Dakota, and, most recently, the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado.

But three years after disappearing, the Colorado returns, completely redone in more manageable bite-sized proportions compared to those full-sized Texan trucks. The Colorado may not be the biggest pickup in contention for the 2015 Motor Trend Truck of the Year, but it turns out to be the best in more of our judging categories than anything else. "The Colorado to me is the perfect-size truck again," Reynolds said. "Its simplicity and purity are what a truck ought to be about."

Indeed, for many, a midsize pickup appeals to a more modest sense of size. The segment has been shrinking due to neglect. So when the Colorado reappeared, it trounced the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier in a comparison test, clearly marking itself as a segment leader. No other vehicle tested stands out as much."This is a really good, honest little truck," Evans said. "I can see it being very popular with small businesses that have been running old Rangers and the like."

More at Motor Trend

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The final winner of Motor Trend's prestigious Golden Calipers has been named, with the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado taking the title of 2015 Truck of the Year, likely shocking those who thought Ford's all-aluminum, next-generation F-150 would take the crown.

But win the Colorado did, beating not only the new Ford, but two other Blue Ovals in the F-450 and Transit. The midsize pickup also bested its brethren from General Motors, beating the heavy-duty Chevy Silverado 3500, GMC Sierra Denali 2500 and the GMC Canyon, the Colorado's fraternal twin. After an unprecedented two-year stint with the Golden Calipers, Ram sat this year's awards out.

Most impressive about the Colorado's victory isn't that it simply beat the US market's other trucks, it did so with a unanimous vote. Praise from MT's editors focused on the trucklet's price, spacious interior, fit and finish and performance. Former Autoblog staffer Jonny Lieberman called the Colorado's steering "the best he'd ever experienced on any truck", in MT's awards article.

After days of testing, hundreds of miles on the road, and our most rigorous truck testing program to date, our editors unanimously selected the Chevy Colorado as our 2015 Truck of the Year," said MT boss Edward Loh. "Colorado is a smart, capable, and refreshingly honest truck that makes a strong value and efficiency statement. It's perfectly sized and suited for the needs of many of today's truck users.

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Sounds like a decent 'small' truck! Might be time for a closer look.

Waiting on the 4cy TD engine to see how that works out.
However I think Ram hit the sweet spot with the 3.0L V6 Diesel.

Does any version of the Ram with the 3.0 diesel have over a half ton of payload? 3.6 equipped GM mid sizers over 1500 lbs payload. Non-steel wheeled versions to have 30 lbs more payload. When the 2.8 Duramax is available next model year will be interesting to compare payload and fuel efficiency compared to the Ram 3.0 diesel.

I don't believe the low payload has anything to do with the 3.0L engine. If that was the case it wouldn't have a 9K+ SAE tow rating.

Problem is it's a dog towing anywhere near max. The ONLY advantage it has over most other trucks is mpg. That has been cut to about 2 mpg non towing, so it actually has no advantage. I've yet to see one in public, don't know where they are flying off the lots to.

Not all 3.0 models have the a 9k tow rating. Payload is also on the low end comparatively.

PUTC's 3.0 = Curb 6,460, Tow 8,200, Payload 490
Edmunds 3.0 = Curb 6,486 Tow 7,550 Payload 1,064

http://blogs.cars.com/files/final_ap_bigchart.jpg
http://www.edmunds.com/ram/1500/2014/long-term-road-test/introduction.html

On the previous generation F150 Max Tow package the equipment the added eats into payload while extending the tow rating.

Not a major issue for the Ram 3.0, but might be of concern depending on equipment buying a new truck that doesn't give much head room over a couple passengers and a tank of gas. Been following discussions with ordering configurations on the Ram boards, its been a discussion point there as well with trim levels and gear ratios and the effect on towing and payload. Just not much room to play with.

Years back PUTC did a TOTY and a Cummins Mega cab had less payload than the Honda ridgeline, on paper. In the real world the ridgeline handled like crap when at GVW but the Ram drove like a dream at or over GVW.

I've seen the Ram EcoD around but they don't stand out. Just like our Cruze Diesel, you have to be looking for them.