Truck Review: Chevrolet Colorado - Turbo 2.8L High Country

Amirul

Resident Journalist

Amirul

Resident Journalist
Jun 7, 2016
213
112
43
Kuala Lumpur
www.zerotohundred.com


The 2016 Chevrolet Colorado is set to be officially unveiled in Malaysia this Thursday Oct 20. Prior to the unveiling, Naza Quest - the official sole importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles in Malaysia - has invited us to take the all-new Chevrolet Colorado for a taste.



At the upcoming launch, the new Colorado will be offered in 5 trims; 2.5 LT (6MT), 2.5 LT (6AT), 2.5 LTZ (6AT), 2.8 LTZ (6AT) and 2.8 High Country (6AT).

The Hot:



  1. Packed with contemporary safety features and driving assists
  2. Enormous torque from the 2.8-litre engine
  3. Dashboard and interior door panels get decent materials
The Not:



  1. Rear seats are too upright (although got plenty of legroom)
  2. The absence of shift paddles
  3. Steering felt too light at highway speed


Chevrolet Colorado 2.8 High Country



Engine:
2.8-Litre Duramax Turbodiesel VGT
Power: 193hp at 3,600rpm
Torque: 500Nm at 2,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic with Manual Mode Function
Dimensions: 5,408mm (L), 1,874mm (W), 1,858mm (H)
Price: To be announced



The new Chevrolet Colorado now boasts a more focused front fascia with redesigned headlights and tube-type DRLs while retaining the ruggedness of a pickup truck. Despite being developed by engineers and designers from Australia, Brazil and Thailand, the new Colorado carries the design language of a typical American truck, as displayed by its double-layered front grille.



The test unit that we drove is a top-of-the-range High Country variant, which comes with 18-inch two-tone alloy wheels, wrapped in 265/60 tyres.

Driving it



The drive heads towards Kuantan with pit stops along the way which consists of highway, trunk road and off-road trails to experience the capabilities of Chevy's all-new pickup truck. At highway speeds, on the NKVE towards Karak Highway, cabin refinement of the Colorado became more apparent as I didn’t realize we've exceeded the speed limit until I took a glance at the speedometer. Wind noise is barely heard, too.



Power is not anywhere instantaneous, but once the Colorado registers your input, the 500Nm of torque from its turbo 2.8-litre Duramax lurches you forward while the automatic transmission manages to keep up to take advantage of its torque range. You can also select the gear manually by pushing the gear knob to the left to engage manual mode if you want more control, but no shift paddles, though.



After a few driver changes along the East Coast Expressway (LPT), our convoy departed from the highway at Sri Jaya exit to head to the Hutan Lipur Jerangkang, Maran. The two-wheel-drive mode can easily be changed to four-wheel-drive mode by twisting a knob below the centre console; there’s 2H, 4H and 4L options to select from.



The off-road trail that encompasses uphill, downhill and uneven surfaces where few other active features that could be tested. On side slopes where one of the Colorado’s wheel hanged in the air, its traction control system worked seamlessly to apply braking force to that particular wheel, so that the other wheel on the same axle to propel the truck forward more efficiently.



Coming down from a steep hill, its driver can focus on the steering and navigate the truck as the Hill Descent Control (HDC) continuously applies braking when necessary, resulting in a controlled and safe descend. The HDC can be activated by pushing the HDC toggle downward and a message will appear on the multi-info display.

Active safety features:



  • ABS with EBD and Panic Brake Assist (PBA)
  • Traction Control (TRC) with Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
  • Anti-Rolling Protection (ARP)
  • Hill Start Assist (HAS)
  • Hill Descent Control (DSC)
  • Trailer Sway Control (TSC)
  • Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS)
  • Front and rear parking sensors
  • Front Collision Alert
  • Lane Departure Warning
Passive safety features:


  • Dual front airbags and driver’s knee airbag
  • 3-point seatbelt with pre-tensioners
  • Durable Body Frame and Side Impact Beam
  • Comfort Closing Windows
  • ISOFIX
Notable features



Entering the Colorado, you’ll notice the front window drops down by a fraction. The Comfort Closing Windows are there to facilitate door closing so that vacuum is not produced in the cabin and the doors shut softly. Chevrolet says that the feature reduces potential injuries to the ear membrane of the occupants.



The new Colorado is equipped with Trailer Sway Control (TSC) which is a necessity for pickup trucks, given that the drivers’ adventurous lifestyle have the tendency of towing their recreational machines such as jet skis or dirt bikes. Similar to exercises conducted by some automakers to demonstrate active safety features on their vehicles, it would be appreciated if Chevrolet could let us experience the TSC intervention (in a closed compound, of course).

Verdict



Naza Quest said the new Chevrolet Colorado will be an important model for them for the next few years. Their commitment in giving better option for customers in the pickup truck segment is evidenced by the competitively packaged Colorado; offering sheer performance, versatility and refinement.



































 
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