Pros: Stellar exterior design; easy-to-use and modern tech; epic ZR2 off-road variant
Cons: Interior feels cheap on lower trims; low-output engine is a bummer
The 2024 Chevrolet Colorado stands tall as our favorite midsize pickup truck this year for a host of reasons. For one, it drives exceedingly well with a stout engine, solid ride and superb off-road variants for whatever use case. The interior is jam-packed with tech that both looks great and works even better. And sure, the lower trims feel a bit cheap, but a base Colorado Work Truck can be had at a respectably low price if you’re just looking for what the name implies: a work truck.
It’s hard not to hype up the ZR2 straight off the top, too, because this is hands-down our favorite version of the Colorado for having fun and arriving in maximum style. Think of it as a mini F-150 Raptor with a more reasonable powertrain – the chassis and suspension is that good for off-road ventures. And while the Z71 trim does luxury halfway decently, GM has another answer for those who desire a ritzier midsize pickup: the GMC Canyon that we review here. It’s basically the Colorado’s better-dressed twin.
Compared to other midsize trucks, the Colorado stacks up well in a specs comparison. It has the qualities you want with excellent power, great towing (maxes out at 7,700 pounds) and all the interior goodies. The new Toyota Tacoma with its hybrid powertrain has it beat for efficiency, and a Honda Ridgeline will still take the crown for best ride, but we like the Colorado as one of the best overall values and simply the best all-around midsize truck in the game for 2024.
Interior & Technology | Passenger & Cargo Space | Performance & Fuel Economy
What it’s like to drive | Pricing & Trim Levels | Crash Ratings & Safety Features
What’s new for 2024?
Just like the GMC Canyon, the Chevrolet Colorado adds an AEV-upgraded off-road trim to the mix with the ZR2 Bison model – you can read all about it here. The 2024 Colorado also ditches the smaller 8-inch digital cluster to make the 11-inch version standard on all trims, and the mid-level turbocharged four-cylinder engine is discontinued. Various package shuffling takes place, but there aren’t many changes simply because the Colorado was all-new for 2023.
Google Built-in software. That means you have Google Maps as your native navigation system and the ability to download additional apps from the Google Play Store.
The cabin isn’t all screens, though, as Chevy sticks with hard buttons/knobs for vital items like climate controls, drive modes and volume control (weirdly, the headlights are found hidden in the touchscreen, which isn’t great). A hefty, traditional PRNDL shifter is slotted in the center console; there is plenty of space in both the cupholders and door pockets for your beverage necessities.
Unlike the GMC Canyon with its various interior upholstery colors, the Colorado is really only available in various shades of black (the ZR2 goes wild with a gray option). The Z71 trim is a little more exciting with red stitching and red accents throughout the cabin, but this lack of vibrancy is one way to tell the trucks apart. Another is the air vent design and general plushness of the surfaces – the LT and Z71 get padded surfaces, while the Work Truck and Trail Boss are stuck with hard plastic.
430 pound-feet. These trucks come standard with four-wheel drive, and fuel economy drops to 17/21/19 mpg for the Trail Boss and Z71. That figure drops even further for the off-road-focused ZR2 at 16/16/16, the penalty for big all-terrain tires and its other off-road benefits.
diesels, you’re going to like the sound of this engine, because it’s very whistly and gravelly.
This body-on-frame pickup on its base/ street-oriented trims with rear leaf springs comports itself well in terms of both ride and handling. It’s reasonably composed, comfortable and civilized. A Trail Boss with the optional mud terrain tires didn’t add as much extra noise as we were expecting, but you do notice the firmer reactions to pavement imperfections that in turn send more vibrations through the truck’s frame. Meanwhile, the ZR2 with its giant tires and Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers completely changes the game in terms of ride quality. It’s going to be the best performer both on and off the road. And if you truly want the best off-road performance, there’s the ZR2 Bison that takes things even further.
What other Chevrolet Colorado reviews can I read?
2023 Chevy Colorado First Drive Review: Little truck gets a big overhaul
Our first shot at the new Colorado where we dissect the engineering and try out multiple versions of the truck.
2024 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison First Drive Review: Crawls on rocks, jumps gorges
We test out the most extreme ZR2 Bison and come away wildly impressed at its capabilities.
2023 Chevy Colorado Trail Boss Road Test: Everyday adventures
Here we focus on the middling Trail Boss trim so see what a modest Colorado has to offer.
Chevrolet starts at a reasonable $32,145 for the Work Truck trim. It comes with a fairly low level of standard equipment with some highlights being 17-inch steel wheels, halogen headlights, power-adjustable mirrors, cloth seats, manual tilt steering column (no telescope), single-zone climate control, 11.3-inch infotainment with wireless Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, manual front seats and a 6-speaker audio system.
The LT adds more equipment to the party, but the Trail Boss is a big step up with big changes like a 2-inch lift, 3-inch wider track, 18-inch wheels wrapping 32-inch all-terrain tires, the higher-output engine and a whole host of appearance items both inside and outside the truck. The Z71 is basically a more luxurious Trail Boss.
The ZR2 is the top trim with all of the unique off-road goodies – number one of those being the Multimatic DSSV dampers. The list of parts that makes the ZR2 special is a long one, but go check out our full review of the ZR2 Bison to learn more about this awesome off-road Colorado variant.
All of the prices and their corresponding trims are listed below, including the $1,495 destination charge.
- WT: $32,145
- LT: $33,495
- Trail Boss: $38,895
- Z71: $41,795
- ZR2: $48,395
- ZR2 Bison: $60,540
braking with pedestrian and bicyclist detection, auto high-beams, lane departure warning, and lane-keeping assist. Optionally, you can add blind-spot and rear cross-traffic warning systems with steering assist, rear pedestrian alert, adaptive cruise control and a 360-degree camera.
The 2024 Colorado had not been crash-tested by a third party at the time of this writing.
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