2 years ago

Overview
The mid-size 2021 Chevy Colorado pickup and its corporate sibling, the GMC Canyon, provide everyday practicality and broad capabilities, with considerable towing and payload ratings. Plus, they are much easier to maneuver than their full-size offspring. The Colorado boasts three different engines, including a surprisingly quick V-6 and a stump-pulling diesel four-cylinder. While the interior is overrun with cheap plastics, and even the biggest cab size has a small back seat, the truck maintains a pleasant driving position and athletic handling. Chevy ensures every model has a modern infotainment system, but it leaves many contemporary driver-assistance features off the roster. The 2021 Colorado has a good enough resume to suit many pickup shoppers, but it lacks the qualifications to interest a wider audience.

What's New for 2021?
The Colorado lineup is getting a new look for 2021. The most drastic changes include an aggressively styled face for the already distinct ZR2 model; the 2021 looks more like Bane from the Dark Knight trilogy than it does a pickup truck. Along with red tow hooks, the ZR2 and Z71 gain a Sand Dune metallic paint color. Likewise, lesser trim levels will receive revised front ends and different badging than before. Chevy hasn't said how much the newest Colorados will cost; we'll know more about that closer to the on-sale date, slated for next year.
Pricing and Which One to Buy
Work Truck $26,395
LT $28,895
Z71 $35,995
ZR2 $43,795
While the Colorado is a popular truck, its lack of modern driver assists and its subpar interior quality diminish its desirability. For that reason, we'd recommend the model that makes the Chevy unique among mid-size pickups. That's the jacked-up wide-bodied ZR2. Sure, it's the most expensive trim level, but it has a host of exclusive equipment that includes exotic spool-valve shocks, electronic locking diffs on both axles, and one of the wilder front ends we've seen on a modern truck. We'd choose the crew cab for its bigger back seat and stick with the standard V-6 versus the pricier diesel option. We'd also select the Kinetic Blue paint and bed-mounted spare-tire carrier because we like the look. The performance air intake and cat-back exhaust of the Power package would make our final list, too.

Engine, Transmission, and Performance
The Colorado offers a powertrain for just about everyone: a base four-cylinder with a six-speed automatic transmission (the six-speed manual is no longer available), a speedy 308-hp V-6 with an eight-speed automatic, and the segment's only diesel—a 2.8-liter four-cylinder that makes an impressive 369 pound-feet of torque. While the V-6 and diesel are excellent dance partners for Colorado, the base 2.5-liter four-cylinder is weak and grumpy. We've tested the diesel and the gasoline V-6, and although vastly different in character, either will serve its owner well. At 9.1 seconds to 60 mph, the diesel-powered ZR2 crew cab can't keep up with the V-6-powered LT model, which hit that metric in 6.1 seconds. (Oddly, the crew-cab ZR2 with the V-6 was significantly slower than its standard V-6-powered counterpart.) The diesel's true forte is its maximum towing capability, backcountry trekking, and fuel economy.

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