Most truck enthusiasts here at Mid Mo Powerhouse have a specific list of characteristics they’re looking for in their next truck. While we waited for the official details on the 2023 Chevy Colorado, the staff on duty at Car and Driver did an excellent job of filling us in on all the features that truck lovers everywhere could look forward to. The newer model will grow slightly with a wider exterior design and have a greatly improved interior.
There’s a brand-new Trail Boss trim level for the 2023 Colorado, while the V6 and Duramax Diesel engines are replaced by the Silverado 1500’s turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four. This smaller-size yet potent package under the hood has a range of 230 to 310 horsepower, while delivering 430 lb-ft of torque. The official word right now is that the third generation Colorado will see a production start date in the first half of next year right here in the Show-Me State at GM’s Wentzville, MO assembly plant, where the GMC Canyon and current Colorado are built.
The Car and Driver staff start things off by saying that the new 2023 Colorado succeeds greatly at having all the best ingredients and that its turbocharged 4-cylinder engine cranks out as much horsepower as the V6 in the competing Nissan’s brand-new Frontier. Since the previous model had become so popular, it made sense to offer the new one exclusively as the 4-door crew cab with the shorter 5’ 2” box. From the entry-level work truck trim up to the boulder-conquering ZR2 off-roader, this midsize marvel has been stellar at giving people what most people want and much more than they actually need.
The new Colorado has 2.3 inches of width on the previous model, and each trim sports a 3.1-inch-longer wheelbase, with a shorter front overhang that is a great help with the off-road friendly 38.3-degree approach angle. All of us here at the powerhouse know that the Tacoma TRD Pro is very stiff in terms of competition, and it offers up just 35.0 degrees of approach as far as this constant duel is concerned. Many customers that are buying trucks with working hard in mind and playing even harder have towing capacity on their minds as a “must”, and the Trail Boss trim model is the segment leader with its 7700-pound rating.
We assume that the all-important fuel economy rating will still weigh in at right around 19 city and 25 mpg, and this turbocharged 2.7-liter engine is equipped with stop-start technology and active cylinder management that senses when the time is right to save fuel, then limits combustion to only two cylinders. Included as standard equipment are the spray-on bedliner, 17-inch wheels with 33-inch mud-ready tires, front and rear electronic locking differentials, and extra protection underneath for the trials of the trail.
