The 2024 Chevrolet Colorado pickup’s styling is a happy medium between trying too hard for attention, and being too understated to get noticed. The attractive result is a truck that looks absolutely modern now but with a strong potential to age well.
Colorado’s sizing is just right, too. It’s large enough to comfortably seat five passengers and provide 42 cubic feet of bed space for cargo carrying, yet is small enough to whip into a standard diagonal parking space and leave plenty of room to spare on both sides.
There are six Colorado trim levels: WT, LT, Trail Boss, Z71, ZR2, and ZR2 Bison. The most rugged-terrain-oriented Bison model is a new addition for 2024.
Every Colorado has crew cab configuration (four doors, two-row seating) and a five-foot bed. Base pricing ranges from $31,095 to $60,540.
A 2.7-liter turbocharged inline four-cylinder engine runs all models, but delivers different amounts of horsepower depending on trim level. In the WT and LT, a 237-horsepower version is standard. The remaining four trims come with a Turbomax version generating 310 horsepower. The more powerful variant is available on the WT and LT trims as an extra-cost option. An eight-speed automatic transmission is standard on all models.
For the WT and LT, rear-wheel drive is standard and four-wheel drive is optional. Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2 trims have standard four-wheel drive.
To max out on Colorado’s towing capacity, look to the Trail Boss and Z71 models, good for up to 7,700 pounds. The ZR2 tops out at 6,000 pounds and the ZR2 Bison at 5,500 pounds. Models equipped with the 237-horsepower engine have a 3,500-pound rating.
The Z71 truck I tested offers an appealing blend of power, refined ride, and standard features, along with the many benefits of four-wheel drive for those who don’t want the extreme effects of the ZR2 or ZR2 Bison. On the tester, an optional Convenience Package II ($1,625) added an assortment of good-to-have equipment including an easy lift and lower tailgate, tilt and telescoping steering wheel, eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar adjustment, heated front seats, dual zone automatic climate control, wireless device charging, and a built-in tailgate storage compartment.
EPA ratings for the Z71 310-horsepower engine are 18 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 20 mpg combined.
Colorado’s Z71 cab is an enjoyable place to occupy. It’s roomy, comfortable, and quiet. Designers paid attention to seemingly minor but important details, such as slots incorporated into the cupholders, making them perfect for keeping a cellphone secure in an upright position. Putting the only control for the headlights into the touchscreen seems like a puny plan, but if you keep the headlight setting on Auto all the time, as most drivers do, it works well.
2024 CHEVROLET COLORADO Z71
Base price, including destination charge: $43,390
Price as driven: $48,170
Mary Lowry is a member of the Motor Press Guild and a member and past president of the Northwest Automotive Press Association. She lives in Snohomish County. Vehicles are provided by automotive manufacturers as a one-week loan for evaluation purposes only. Manufacturers do not control content of the reviews.
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