Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 first drive reviews

[deserteagle56]

The latest issue of Car and Driver magazine devoted several pages to the diesel ZR2, wherein they drove it all around some of my favorite terrain in the whole world in Utah. They were not impressed with the power. I was not impressed with the mileage. They reported 20 mpg for the trip they did; my Ecoboost gets that plus has a lot more power, has a bed big enough to actually put stuff in, and is more comfortable. No way my quad would fit in the bed of a Colorado!

 

[calicamper]

The latest issue of Car and Driver magazine devoted several pages to the diesel ZR2, wherein they drove it all around some of my favorite terrain in the whole world in Utah. They were not impressed with the power. I was not impressed with the mileage. They reported 20 mpg for the trip they did; my Ecoboost gets that plus has a lot more power, has a bed big enough to actually put stuff in, and is more comfortable. No way my quad would fit in the bed of a Colorado!

You mean like this?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ddEq2tHKb4Q

My neighbor bought the F150 ecoboost to haul his three kids dirt bikes and his dirt bike to our riding area 40 min away. It's the only time he uses it because it won't fit in any of the parking around here. He drives a WRX STI all week. Another neighbor has a really nice club cab F150 heavy payload package custom order ecoboost he just picked up. His Silver fully tricked out FWC sits on it full time. Truck only does Camping trips. His daily driver is a Ford hatch back Focus.

The only people daily driving truck around here drive Midsized Tacomas, Frontiers, and lots of new Canyons around. I did see a ZR2 this week seems to be a new toy up the street.

 

[deserteagle56]

You mean like this?
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ddEq2tHKb4Q

My neighbor bought the F150 ecoboost to haul his three kids dirt bikes and his dirt bike to our riding area 40 min away. It's the only time he uses it because it won't fit in any of the parking around here. He drives a WRX STI all week. Another neighbor has a really nice club cab F150 heavy payload package custom order ecoboost he just picked up. His Silver fully tricked out FWC sits on it full time. Truck only does Camping trips. His daily driver is a Ford hatch back Focus.

The only people daily driving truck around here drive Midsized Tacomas, Frontiers, and lots of new Canyons around. I did see a ZR2 this week seems to be a new toy up the street.

Well, around here the size of the truck is not a problem....

But in that video you provided a link to they say the bed of the truck is 6'2" long. My quad or dirt bike would not fit in there and allow the tailgate to shut; I would not want to drive on many of the roads I have to use and have something sitting on the tailgate! That quad they have in the back of the Colorado is one of the smallest ones made. One of the main reasons I chose the F150 was bed length...I went with the 6'6" bed but had the option of a full 8' bed to go with my Supercab.

That's a full-size Yamaha Kodiak in the back...

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

chevy reliability vs Toyota relaibility

I have had a ton of both Chevys and Toyotas

Toyotas including 3 of their early trucks 1978-82 The 82 went through 5 transmission, a 2000 land cruiser an 07 tacoma and a supra .
ashore Chevys I have owned 1 89 suburban, a 95 2 door Tahoe Both with 350's another suburban with a 454 and 2 vettes

This is what I experienced the talk of Toyota being superior isa myth. they are not on my supra when Turing wheel to wheel full lock if you hit a bump like making a u turn where there was a speed bump going very slow or any speed the bolt in the steering linkage would shear off. The plastic came off the inside door handles and all sorts of other things. On the 00 landcruiser the computer went bad at 105,000 yeah that wasn't cheap. and the 82 went through 5 trans mission. (Toyota customer service sucks) The 78 truck was bullet proof.
On the 93 chevy vette I went through a transmission. the 98 no problems the 95 chevy Tahoe had 225,000 on it when I sold I paid 15 sold it for 8500 and it was within 95% of spec. The 89 suburban was bullet proof
So to me the thing is thatchy may all have some issues. and when you think about it The chevy 350 motor is probably the best basic power plant ever built with millions in production
Alos I agree with you on sitting in a Tacoma vs a Colorado the Colorado is way more comfortable.

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

one other thing I drove the diesel Colorado it was nice. I really like the truck Is at in the tacoma at the sd auto show and was very uncomfortable in less than a minute.
I don't think you can really go wrong with either but if it were down to these 2 I would get the chevy in a heartbeat.
sit is I a looking a new Jeep Wrangler recon but also trying to decide whether to wait for the 2018 Jl to come out or get one NOW!!! One reason I am going that way is more interior space for my 2 big dogs. I don't let them ride in the back of a pick up Sheller no shell. Now if Chevy made a suv using the Colorado zr2 as a base well then that is a different sort of story. IMHP YMMV LOL

 

[Dalko43]

The latest issue of Car and Driver magazine devoted several pages to the diesel ZR2, wherein they drove it all around some of my favorite terrain in the whole world in Utah. They were not impressed with the power. I was not impressed with the mileage. They reported 20 mpg for the trip they did; my Ecoboost gets that plus has a lot more power, has a bed big enough to actually put stuff in, and is more comfortable. No way my quad would fit in the bed of a Colorado!

You don't buy a diesel rig to be impressed by the power. You buy it for low-end torque and fuel economy. If you want power and off the line performance, you should go buy a Raptor.

As for the observed fuel economy, I haven't seen the article, but driving style and terrain can play a huge role in determining that. The 2.8l duramax has been recorded getting +30mpg on the highway with the base colorado. I'm not saying that the ZR2 will necessarily match that, but I think it's safe to assume that it will get better mpg's than any comparable gasoline engine in a similarly-sized and set up truck. e.g. the TRD Tacoma with its V6 is getting nowhere near those #'s.

 

[upcruiser]

Our LT Duramax long bed gets 31+ on the highway, best was 33.5 and I have yet to do an unloaded highway measurement on summer blend diesel, those numbers were winter blend. We also have the air dam off. Towing our camper it gets 14-15 where as our 3/4 ton Suburban towing that camper in the same conditions gets about 8-9mpg. Get about 20mpg around town driving.

Our Burb and the Colorado have about the same torque numbers but the Colorado seems to work way less. Probably the effect of having peak torque at 2,000rpm vs 4K.

 

[p nut]

Toyota hasn't really improved the Tundra since 2007. They've been using diesels all over the world for decades and they could easily bring an engine here and adapt it to EPA regs. If GM can adapt their 2.8ltr for the U.S. market then so can Toyota, they are just being stubborn ****************** and in my opinion resting on their reputation alone to sell their trucks. Toyota isn't innovating anymore in the truck market anymore and if Chevy/Ford/Nissan start building vehicles that are reliable and develop that reputation then Toyota is going to have some serious sales problems.

That's the exact reason why I also left the Toyota camp after owning 5 trucks. Still happy I did. The Colorado is a nice looking truck. I was parked by a Z71 today. Looked real sharp.
-
Unless Toyota shapes up, I'll continue to buy other brands next go around (except the Nissan Titan. Them things are uuuugggly).

 

[Highlander]

Our LT Duramax long bed gets 31+ on the highway, best was 33.5

good lord. this is as good as my 2.3 Saab 9-5 Wagon and better than my friends Subaru outback. I am not even bringing up 4runner's or tacoma's mpg here.

But how come ZR2 is so bad on mpg than LT or even Z71? at least according to EPA
I checked and the gear ration is the same. 3.75 across all the trims.
What else is there different on ZR2? (apart some exterior futures)

p nut

What kills Toyota is the brand loyalism. The brand loyal will buy anything as long as it is toyota, apple ect. The have no healthy judgment left anymore.
Only great car toyota is currently making is TLC 200. and I wish they were importing the lower trims as they do for Australia and some countries of Eastern Europe.

The same thing killed the american auto industry 40 years ago.
I am glad that some guys at Chevy have realized that and started improving and innovating.. or maybe not. We'll see.

 

[AlexCold]

The ZR2 is taller/wider (more frontal area), heavier, and has bigger, aggressive tires (higher rolling resistance) which all add up to reduce the MPG.

 

[phobostx]

The ZR2 has a 3.42 in the rear. My diesel ZR2 is averaging 24.5-25mpg highway, and that's at an average speed close to 85mph

 

[p nut]

p nut

What kills Toyota is the brand loyalism. The brand loyal will buy anything as long as it is toyota, apple ect. The have no healthy judgment left anymore.
Only great car toyota is currently making is TLC 200. and I wish they were importing the lower trims as they do for Australia and some countries of Eastern Europe.

The same thing killed the american auto industry 40 years ago.
I am glad that some guys at Chevy have realized that and started improving and innovating.. or maybe not. We'll see.

Ford has the turbos, GM and Dodge are promoting diesels. Wish Toyota would do SOMETHING. Hybrid is a natural fit, but whatever it is, hope they step up their game, and soon.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

I think the new tundra surely will have another decent engine option besides the 5.7 if they want to compete with the other makes. Not sure if that's a hybrid, diesel, or turbo. The turbos aren't really fuel efficient so who knows.

 

[Clutch]

Ford has the turbos, GM and Dodge are promoting diesels. Wish Toyota would do SOMETHING. Hybrid is a natural fit, but whatever it is, hope they step up their game, and soon.

Ohhh....just sounds like trading one set of problems for another. Lets make an already complex vehicle even more complex. Don't ever change Toyota! Stay conservative, damnit too late!

Wish the manufactures would dial it back a bit (I know ain't gonna happen)...but they aren't, why we have people running around with mortgages on their trucks now... eepwall:

The amount of money people are willing to spend to save on fuel, is just **************** odd to me....that and seeing a bunch of blinged out $60-80K macismo trucks running around that never go in the dirt or haul anything...that's even more odd, spending all that money on an image. What is that all about, anyways??? 'Murica ffff.....yeah? :ylsmoke:

 

[upcruiser]

Ohhh....just sounds like trading one set of problems for another. Lets make an already complex vehicle even more complex. Don't ever change Toyota! Stay conservative, damnit too late!

Wish the manufactures would dial it back a bit (I know ain't gonna happen)...but they aren't, why we have people running around with mortgages on their trucks now... eepwall:

The amount of money people are willing to spend to save on fuel, is just **************** odd to me....that and seeing a bunch of blinged out $60-80K macismo trucks running around that never go in the dirt or haul anything...that's even more odd, spending all that money on an image. What is that all about, anyways??? 'Murica ffff.....yeah? :ylsmoke:

Not sure many people are going out of their ways to save money on fuel economy necasarily but in our case it was more like... wife wants to replace her Outback, there is a pickup that gets better mileage than an Outback and we ended up getting it for less than a mid trimmed Outback... plus now we have another tow vehicle for our camper and all the utility of a pickup.... as far as the Duramax Colorado go, I don't think it's all that hard to get at least 5k off MSRP on them and apparently folks are already getting deals on the ZR2's already so they aren't really all the 40k+ that everyone State. That said, any new car seems to be a lot of money to me and personally I would rather own the most basic, decontented truck I could because I am not convinced that any new, complicated vehicle won't be a nightmare after 15 years.