Five-hundred Newton metres of torque. Yes, 500Nm, no, that’s not a typo. Have you ever noticed that sometimes you only remember ONE thing about something in particular? Good or bad, it just somehow sticks to the back of your mind and stays there, gnawing away and irritating you like an itch at the middle of your back that you can’t reach. Well, that’s the one thing I recall about the Chevrolet Colorado 4×4 pick-up truck; the fact that it has 500Nm of torque.
Would you like me to put that into perspective? Okay how’s this; that’s the same amount of torque produced by the Porsche 911 Carrera 4S. Well, on paper anyway, so please don’t embarrass yourself if you happen to be in this truck (or any truck for that matter) and spy a 911. Don’t say I didn’t warn you…
I’ve been a fan of trucks for the longest time really, and I did own a ‘lifestyle’ pick-up truck many years ago, point of fact, it was actually the very first ‘lifestyle’ pick-up in Malaysia, the Ford Courier 4×4, as seen in this article. Yes, that old Courier personified the ‘Built Ford Tough’ motto, by successfully taking me to China and back safely during the 2000 Silverstone 4×4 Rally of Asia. It was so robust that it actually got killed in Myanmar but refused to die, and just kept going. But I digress…
Needless to say, when I first heard of the Chevy Colorado with its 500Nm of torque, it triggered a Pavlovian reaction, and I was dying to try it out, well that day finally came recently. First off, I have to say that I’m really amazed just how far these ‘lifestyle’ trucks have come in the last decade or so. Where once seen merely as utilitarian in nature, ‘urban’ trucks have progressed to the point where they’re more ‘luxury SUV’ with a cargo bed, than a truck; and the Colorado is no exception.
Granted, there’s an excess of plastic adorning the interior, especially the dashboard – with its infinite number of cubby-holes – but the fit and finish is very good. It only ‘feels’ cheap when you start opening and closing said compartments, but as seen in the photos, the design is pretty well laid-out. It’s also very comfortable for a truck, as referenced earlier, it feels like you’re sitting in a luxe-SUV rather than a truck; the only giveaway being the massive cargo bed in the rear.
The driving position is commanding to say the least, and an electronically-adjustable driver’s seat allows for an infinite number of seat angles to suit just about everyone. Ergonomics wise, it’s as comfortable as a truck can possibly be, even insofar as the suspension is concerned, which was a surprise. As anyone familiar with pick-up truck will attest, the front (regular coils and shocks) will usually traverse a speed hump with little drama, but your rear passengers’ heads will get very intimate with the roof-lining, thanks to the leaf-springs in the rear. Somehow though, the Colorado’s rear suspension has been tweaked to offer almost the same kind of suppleness over humps; it’s not jarring at all, in fact comfort wise, this is one of the better trucks around.
Specs wise, in addition to Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Panic Brake Assist, Cornering Brake Control, Hydraulic Brake Fade Assist and ABS, thankfully the Colorado is also equipped with Traction Control, which really is a Godsend, if only because the 2.8 Duramax turbodiesel sends 193bhp and 500Nm of torque to the rear wheels alone. Sure there’s also selectable 4WD High and Low, but I’d venture to say that 95% of the time, this truck will be asphalt driven. Why is the traction control so important? That’s because the Colorado is borderline impossible to drive in the wet without it!
If there’s nothing in the cargo bed, the back end is light, and on wet roads, using the accelerator too liberally when exiting a corner will result in the truck fishtailing wildly. How I know this is because the TC can be turned off. Unfortunately though, there’s NO indication that the TC is off in the instrument cluster. There will be a brief indication that the TC has been turned off when pressing the button to deactivate it, but then there’s no amber warning on the instrument cluster that it’s off. Switching the engine off resets it to the default TC-on mode of course, but still, a warning on the instrument cluster when it’s off – like there is when 4WD is engaged – should be a given.
Apart from that oversight, I must admit, this truck is an absolute hoot to drive. There’s just so much oomph going to the rear wheels it’s hard for it to not be addictive. NVH is also frighteningly good for a truck, in fact the only indication of the pace is by way of how fast you pass other vehicles. This truck does the century dash in 10sec and tops out at almost 200kmh, which may not sound like much, but in a truck, that’s really saying something.
All-round visibility is also top notch, thanks in part to the elevated driving position, and honestly, as aforementioned, the only giveaway that you’re driving a truck is the cargo-bed in the back, visible in the rear view mirror. Taken for what it is, it really is quite amazing how far trucks have progressed in recent years. Where once merely confined to the backwaters of constructions sites and logging trails, the lowly pick-up has indeed risen in the ranks to become a bona-fide luxe-daily runner, and the Chevy Colorado is no exception. It may not be as popular as the Ranger or Hilux, but it will give them a run for their money.
After all was said and done, I still returned the truck with over 600km left of the ‘range’ meter; the gauge had hardly moved. Chevy may not be the most accepted or most widely recognised brand when it comes to pick-up trucks, in Malaysia anyway, but it definitely deserves your consideration if you’re thinking of becoming a trucker.
Specifications: Chevrolet Colorado 2.8 LTZ 4×4
Engine: In-line 4-cyl Duramax turbodiesel, 2,776cc
Transmission: 6-speed auto w/ manual shift, 4WD High & Low, RWD default
Max power: 193bhp @ 3,600rpm
Max torque: 500Nm @ 2,000rpm
Acceleration: 0-100kmh: 10sec
Top speed: 195kmh
Safety: Dual front airbags, ABS, HBA, EBD, PBA, ESP, TCS, CBC, HBFA, HDCS, HSA, TSC (which are – deep breath – anti-lock brakes, hydraulic brake assist, electronic brakeforce distribution, panic brake assist, electronic stability programme, traction control system, cornering brake control, hydraulic brake fade assist, hill descent control, hill start assist & trailer sway control)
Price: RM111,865.10 OTR without insurance.
