Price aside, the biggest problem (IMO) with the Chevy Colorado is the difficulty and cost of running larger tires. To run 35" tires would necessitate a lift of some size which would, because of the square wheel well design, raise the COG quite a bit. And the cost. And you'd be dumping perhaps the best bits from the truck - the factory shocks.
Until you lift one of these trucks this is what owners will be dealing with offroad...
Video: 2017 Chevy Colorado Off-Roading Fail
http://www.offroadxtreme.com/videos...gn=video-2017-chevy-colorado-off-roading-fail
This Duramax Colorado had an off-road fail not too long ago. All it took was one rock, low clearance, and a driver not paying attention!
I agree with Calicamper on this one. High-centering on a rock is not a truck fail,
it's a driver fail. From the camera view, it's obvious there was a rock sticking out of the water; I'm guessing the driver didn't notice it. The rule of thumb is to drive with your wheels on top of high (or questionable) obstacles rather than drive the vehicle's center over them, regardless of which vehicle you're driving. The Z71 lacked skid plates in that area, which is a questionable design choice on GM's part. Nonetheless, there are aftermarket skids and the Zr2 offers skids. Bottom line is an offroader should always be careful around high obstacles and armor up if he/she is going into rough terrain;
the driver in this video did neither.
I wonder at which point the square wheel wells become an issue? Lol...to be fair, square wheels wouldn't rotate any better in a square wheel well, so that joke of yours doesn't really make sense. As it stands the ZR2 fits 32's I believe...IMHO, I think that tire size is more than adequate for how
most owners, even overlanders, will be using their Colorado's/Canyon's. I'm sure the aftermarket will find a way to fit 33's. Fitting 35's on a mid-sized pickup/SUV sounds great on paper, but is largely impractical and unnecessary for everyday use and even most types of overlanding. You'll have worse acceleration (unless you regear, which costs more money), worse fuel economy (even with the diesel), increased tire noise, ect. If you plan on running the Rubicon on a regular basis, I could see the need for 35's. But I also don't know how many people are foolish enough, or rich enough, to buy a brand new +$42k vehicle and then risk damaging it on a hardcore jeep trail.
I see far more lifted Jeeps with 35's, sometimes 37's, cruising down the main streets in my town (it's quite a comical sight) than I see when I go into the logging roads and backcountry of the northeast. That's not a knock on the overland capabilities of Jeeps, because they're solid performers offroad. But I think there is a certain crowd which likes to buy and "accessorize" their Jeeps for show rather than for utilitarian function. And just because that crowd has 35's on their rigs, doesn't mean that you need 35's on your own.