Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 first drive reviews

[calicamper]

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.

The other factor is why buy new? If the 9yr old used trucks that are 3/4 the price of a new on get the same mileage?

My Subaru gets 23-24mpg around town, no trailer or bikes up top we typically see 28-31 on road trips and with our camp trailer 21-22 add bikes up too we get knocked to 18mpg. The new Canyon is pretty close on interior quality to the Subaru and yes the diesel bests the Subaru on mileage. Add that the truck gains 4x4 capability over the Subaru has better load hauling ability. Etc etc. it's a very attractive replacement option.

We just did 2700 mile trip in our Sequoia 4.7L towing our 4x6. 16mpg average across NV and ID, 20-21mpg Around YellowStone / Grand Tetons and 15mpg on the way home against a head wind. Only reason we took the Sequoia was I could pack all our gear easily into the back of the truck vs bins on the trailer I would have had to remove at two hotel stays. A diesel Canyon would have easily done 30mpg + on that trip and accommodated gear under a locked cap.

 

[p nut]

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:

Bah, even your truck's a rolling computer. Trucks/cars are bound to get more complex, like anything else. Embrace the change, man. :smiley_drive: Remember all those cranky retrogrouches that scoffed at your truck when it came out?

The other factor is why buy new? If the 9yr old used trucks that are 3/4 the price of a new on get the same mileage? .

My reasoning was safety. We've got kids and there are hoards of them in the neighborhood. Back up cams, sensors, etc. are great innovations. Sure, I can drive cars without these features just fine (this truck is actually my first vehicle with any of those). But I'll take anything that makes me a safer driver. Also, crash test ratings falls into this. Look at the IIHS videos. The advancement in that arena has come a long way, even comparing cars made 10 years ago.

 

[calicamper]

Bah, even your truck's a rolling computer. Trucks/cars are bound to get more complex, like anything else. Embrace the change, man. :smiley_drive: Remember all those cranky retrogrouches that scoffed at your truck when it came out?



My reasoning was safety. We've got kids and there are hoards of them in the neighborhood. Back up cams, sensors, etc. are great innovations. Sure, I can drive cars without these features just fine (this truck is actually my first vehicle with any of those). But I'll take anything that makes me a safer driver. Also, crash test ratings falls into this. Look at the IIHS videos. The advancement in that arena has come a long way, even comparing cars made 10 years ago.

Agreed that's the main reason I sold my cherry 93 Landcrusher and bought the 05 Sequoia. But was for crash standards and survivability. The Sequoia could drive right through a J80 leaving a wadded pile of scrap. The new trucks as you say are light years improved regarding safety.

 

[Jeep or Tacoma]

I don't think the zr2 mileage is that bad.

I just test drove a zr2 desiel brand new.. the average mpg indicator over a 10 mile ride was 25 that is in a brand new never broken in truck with 5 miles on it when I stepped into it.

 

[Dalko43]

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:

To be fair to the manufacturers, the issue you're describing has less to do with the car companies and more to do with the buyers. America's society is largely a consumer one. There are plenty of people out there who are living in small duplex apartments or have huge mortgage payments but still decide to go spend obscene amounts of money (often in credit form) on brand new vehicles and then spend even more money modifying them...that's just the way a lot of Americans are. Car companies make blinged out $60k-$80k super trucks because they know there are people who will buy them.

The issue Pnut is bringing up is that of industry innovation and development, and how some car companies have embraced change while others haven't. Ford has been pushing turbo gasoline engines across their model lineup, GM and Dodge have continued to refine their NA gasoline engines, all 3 have or are about to introduce diesel options into market segments that previously didn't have diesels. Toyota has done jack squat to improve and refine their existing truck engines, and arguably the only new engine they have used as of late (the Tacoma's 3.5l v6) is more of a car engine than a truck one.

Toyota's trucks certainly have a well-deserved reputation for reliability. But then again if you keep using the same engine for nearly 15 years (as they've done for the 4runner), you had damn well better have the reliability figured out by that point. I want to see Toyota innovate and follow the examples of other truck makers, because it's get's a little disheartening to see my v6 4runner get about the same mpg as a modern 1/2 ton domestic pickup and because there are engine options out there that offer better mpg's while providing the same or better power delivery.

 

[Highlander]

The ZR2 has a 3.42 in the rear

my mistake. I though it was 3.75

Is't 3.42 kinda to high?

Tacoma has lower ration than this.

Don't ever change Toyota! Stay conservative,

Sure, but since when not putting diesel in Tacoma means being conservative? 95% of Toyota trucks are diesel anyway.

 

[Dalko43]

Sure, but since when not putting diesel in Tacoma means being conservative? 95% of Toyota trucks are diesel anyway.

The popular argument, which I tend to agree with, is that Toyota is conservative because it doesn't want to introduce diesels to the North American market and deal with all the stringent emissions regulations (which are much less strict or lacking all together in many other global markets). They are also noted for using the same gasoline engine, or slight variations of it, in various models and generations of vehicles (as they've done with the 4runner for example). They tend to use platforms and engine designs that are tried-and-true, which has its own benefits in terms of cost reduction and reliability, but also means their vehicles don't always deliver the best performance or fuel economy.

 

[Highlander]

Dalko43

because it's get's a little disheartening to see my v6 4runner get about the same mpg as a modern 1/2 ton domestic pickup and because there are engine options out there that offer better mpg's while providing the same or better power delivery.

According my coworker, his Chevy silverodo 6.2 has better mpg than his brother's 2016 tacoma.

 

[p nut]

Dalko43



According my coworker, his Chevy silverodo 6.2 has better mpg than his brother's 2016 tacoma.

I like that Chev 6.2L. Pure workhorse. TFL did a segment a few days ago, pitting a couple 3/4 tons (gas) together. I was actually impressed they got ~17mpg highway.

 

[Clutch]

Bah, even your truck's a rolling computer. Trucks/cars are bound to get more complex, like anything else. Embrace the change, man. :smiley_drive: Remember all those cranky retrogrouches that scoffed at your truck when it came out?

I know I know....guess I am getting tired of the never ending change...should just buy an off the grid cabin in the woods.

To be fair to the manufacturers, the issue you're describing has less to do with the car companies and more to do with the buyers.

Oh I know...just making fun of consumerism a bit.

 

[plainjaneFJC]

I like that Chev 6.2L. Pure workhorse. TFL did a segment a few days ago, pitting a couple 3/4 tons (gas) together. I was actually impressed they got ~17mpg highway.

Different engine. You are thinking about the iron 6.0, not the aluminum hot rod 6.2.

 

[p nut]

I know I know....guess I am getting tired of the never ending change...should just buy an off the grid cabin in the woods.

No you're not, Mr. "gotta have a new dirt bike every other year." Change it good. Change is fun. Change is necessary.

 

[p nut]

Different engine. You are thinking about the iron 6.0, not the aluminum hot rod 6.2.

I like the "new" 6.2 as well. Smooth, nice sounding engine. Good power/tq. Same with the new Ford 6.2. I'd take either (if I were in a 3/4 ton).

 

[Clutch]

No you're not, Mr. "gotta have a new dirt bike every other year." Change it good. Change is fun. Change is necessary.

Ha ha!

Well...I should add to that, off the grid cabin the woods, with a brand spanking new latest and greatest dirt scooter in the shed, with trail access right out the front door...

 

[Clutch]

Sure, but since when not putting diesel in Tacoma means being conservative? 95% of Toyota trucks are diesel anyway.

It was a bit of joke, (even before all the computer wizardry) crack open a repair manual...lots of individual complex systems that are supposed to work together just to get you down the road....for the love that is all holy...please don't make them more complex....oh too late!

As I am trying to decipher why my cruise control quit working, something shorted causing the brake light fuse to blow...which I am assuming caused the cruise to send a fault code in the system. Already replaced the brake and clutch switch...still no worky. So now I have figure out where in the DLC3 I need to run a jumper a wire so I can get the fault code for the CC, as nothing comes up on the OBDII scan gauge. According to the FSM...do the jumper wire, then count how many blinks the CC light does to get the correct error code. I am not much of an electrical guy, so....has me scratching my head...

http://www.toyotadostlari.com/uploads/diagnostics-Cruise-Control.pdf