Car Review First Drive: 2012 Chevrolet Colorado Features & Specifications

Photos past times GM Press

2012 Chevrolet Colorado - The calendar week earlier our difference date, at that topographic point were roughly worried together with anxious faces equally Bangkok was facing the worst inundation inwards its modern history. With Thailand’s upper-case alphabetic quality serving equally our jumping off indicate to Northern Thailand, Chevrolet’s regional role coordinated amongst us dorsum together with forth to brand certain that our topographic point fourth dimension amongst the all-new Colorado pick-up truck would force through. Luckily, nosotros were given the thumbs up, together with earlier nosotros knew it, nosotros were touching downward at the Chiang Rai International Airport.

Located 180 kilometers from Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai is at the northern tip of Thailand, kissed past times Burma’s borders. Filled amongst natural mountainous beauty together with roughly goodness off-road trails, Chiang Rai is known equally the ‘quieter neighbor’—an ironic alternative for a flag off indicate equally the Chevrolet Colorado is anything but quiet.

First of all, it’s highly meaning for both Chevrolet inwards a global together with local level; globally because it’s the start footing pick-up truck designed together with engineered to go sold inwards over sixty countries (including North America) together with locally because it’s the start fourth dimension Philippine distributor, The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI) volition go getting into the highly competitive pick-up market. Second, the Colorado represents the fruits of Chevrolet’s multi-million dollar investment inwards the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region, capped off past times a novel state-of-the-art diesel fuel engine flora that builds together with assembles the Duramax engine line. Lastly, the Colorado is but a patently together with unproblematic cracking pick-up truck.

Stepping off the drome terminal, 2 dozen Chevrolet Colorado pick-ups awaited us at the parking lot. Built amongst 100 years of Chevrolet’s automotive expertise, the Colorado is built from the footing upwards equally an all-new global offering. The pattern clearly wears the Chevrolet DNA, amongst the gilt bowtie together with the signature dual-port grille. Flanking it is large, projector-type headlamps together with squared-off chrome-lined fog lamps that add together a visibly bold look. At the side, the Colorado features flared bicycle arches filled amongst either xvi or 17-inch wheels spell a metallic element sump-guard provides both an aesthetic together with practical role equally it protects the powertrain vitals from rugged terrain. Some models volition fifty-fifty come upwards amongst LED tail lamps, roughly other start inwards the pick-up segment.

Inside, I easily mistook the Colorado’s interior for an upscale sport utility vehicle or luxury sedan amongst the utilisation of low-gloss together with soft-finish materials throughout the cabin. The beige-and-black, two-tone color scheme is complimented past times metallic element inserts used throughout giving it a sporty experience that’s capped off past times the deep dual-bin instrumentation cluster (integrating a consummate on-board estimator system) inspired past times the Camaro sports car.

Pick-up trucks aren’t known to go habitable places for long distance travel, but the ‘dual cockpit’ pattern (also component subdivision of Chevrolet’s pattern DNA) adds to a greater extent than caput together with shoulder room for the front end occupants spell the round out designed centre console adds fifty-fifty to a greater extent than hip room spell giving the Colorado an extremely ergonomic command center.

In add-on to its infinite together with comfort, the Colorado is also surprisingly well-equipped amongst features unremarkably reserved for upscale rider cars. On our exam drive unit, features such equally a fully automated climate command system, a 2-DIN sound arrangement amongst integrated USB together with Bluetooth hands-free capability amongst 6 speakers are standard. We take away heed that roughly models volition go made available amongst cruise command equally well.

Driving off the Chiang Rai International Airport, nosotros straightaway hitting the opened upwards route together with savored the might generated past times the Colorado’s all-new identify unit of measurement of diesel fuel engines: the Duramrax turbo-diesel. Promising less maintenance toll together with longer service intervals, this identify unit of measurement of four-cylinder engines marks the start fourth dimension the ‘Duramax’ mention is used exterior the 6.6-liter V8 Duramax flora exclusively inwards the USA market.

With a displacement of 2.5 or 2.8-liters, the novel Duramax diesel fuel engine identify unit of measurement comes amongst Common Rail Direct Injection equally good equally an intercooled turbocharger equally standard. The 2.8-liter version churns out an impressive 180 horsepower together with 470 Nm of torque thank y'all to its variable geometry turbo (440 Nm when equipped amongst the manual transmission). The 2.5-liter version loses the variable geometry turbo, but nevertheless manages to force out 150 horsepower together with 350 Nm of torque. The 2.8-liter version volition go made available amongst a six-speed automatic or five-speed manual, spell the 2.5-liter version volition exclusively convey the five-speed manual equally the sole transmission of choice.

Sampling the 2.8-liter Duramax paired amongst the six-speed automatic, I flora the experience buttery smoothen together with fuss-free. The might delivery is linear together with the restrain is really responsive. And despite the monster torque, the shifts are genuinely gratis from daze together with smoother than fifty-fifty roughly luxury sedans. On the twisty mount passes, the Colorado is nigh telepathic, offering might when I needed it the most. Perhaps the exclusively lacking matter would go a Limited Slip Differential (LSD) system, the absence of which is fairly apparent when accelerating total restrain through tight corners.

As roads turned to trails, it was fourth dimension to exam the Colorado’s off-road capabilities. Built on a strengthened chassis that has high torsional rigidity, the Colorado features 8 cross members inwards its step-ladder frame for best-in-class noise, vibration together with harshness (NVH) isolation. It tin easily absorb anything the Thai roads could throw at it from deep gouges to steep rocky paths. And if this wasn’t plenty an electronically selectable part-time four-wheel drive system, first-class approach together with difference angles together with over 750 cm (29 inches) of H2O fording depth, gives the Colorado exemplary driving feel, treatment together with capability on whatever terrain.

Finally, inwards conjunction amongst its stiffer chassis which also offers ameliorate overall structural integrity, the all-new Colorado has been endowed amongst a host of both active together with passive security features, roughly of which are beingness offered inwards pick-ups for the start time. Among them are: Traction Control System (TCS), ESC (Electronic Stability Control), PBA (Panic Brake Assist), HBA (Hydraulic Brake Assist), CBC (Corner Brake Control) together with HBFA (Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist).

After nearly 500 kilometers of driving the all-new Chevrolet Colorado (and no sign of floods), it indeed impressed me amongst its combination of superior on together with off-road performance, comfort, refinement, user-friendly features inwards a tough together with highly-durable package. It volition nevertheless go a span of months earlier the Philippines volition teach to sense of savor the all-new Colorado, but until then, I tin hold off together with dream: to drive roughly other 500 kilometers inwards a Colorado, but this time, on our roads.