New diesel engine gives Colorado a performance boost
Fast-selling midsize pickup gets more muscle
Clouds of yellow dust roil in our wake as we work our way up the San Rafael Mountains. Far below us, the Santa Ynez Valley is a vast bowl of dry desert grasses, studded with patches of deep-green oak and towering stands of sycamore. The trail winds through thick chaparral sage which rattles and claws the sides of the truck as we brush through. I can feel the truck squirm as the rear wheels fight for purchase in the deep sand. Until now, we navigated the entire route in 2WD only; engaging 4WD provided the extra torque needed and we surged forward effortlessly.
From inside the cabin of this Chevrolet Colorado, there’s very little evidence that it’s powered by a new diesel engine. The development team has obviously done extensive work in sound deadening and insulation — not to mention engine refinement — to achieve this level of quietness. It isn’t until we step outside of the vehicle at the summit of the mountain, that the telltale clatter of an idling diesel is apparent. Even then, it’s quite subdued.
While the new Duramax turbodiesel was still in development when the Colorado was launched last year, the truck was designed from inception to feature a diesel powerplant. Despite popular opinion that the midsize truck segment was virtually extinct, the Colorado has obviously found its niche. Chevrolet had long suspected that the segment was failing not because people no longer wanted midsize trucks, but rather they didn’t want the ones that were available. Offering the same level of refinement, performance and feature content available in full-size trucks seems to be paying off.
“It’s the fastest-selling truck in the industry,” said Sandor Piszar, Marketing Director for Chevy Trucks. “We’re selling every single truck we can build.”
Outwardly, the Colorado hasn’t changed, other than the addition of new Duramax Diesel badging on so-equipped models. Under the hood is the new 2.8-litre Duramax turbodiesel with 181 horsepower, but more importantly, 369 lb.ft. of torque available at 2,000 rpm. Don’t be fooled by the comparatively low horsepower figure; when you’re talking about diesels, it’s the torque numbers that are absolutely crucial for stump-pulling and towing ability.
The inline-four engine features an iron block with alum- inum heads and a forged steel crankshaft, constructed for the strength and durability to deal with diesel’s high combustion pressures, with piston-cooling oil jets and a high-rigidity, laminated steel and aluminum oil pan. It’s paired to GM’s new Hydra-Matic 6L50 sixspeed automatic transmission that features an impressive piece of technology contained within its torque converter: a “Centrifugal Pendulum Vibration Absorber,” which reduces driveline vibrations and results in a very noticeable improvement in the NVH department. Pounding up and down the rough mountain trails, and across the cracked and fissured highways, very little noise or harshness finds its way into the cab.
Smaller trucks have always suffered the stigma of being perceived as “toys” compared to their heavy-duty brethren. The addition of the diesel into the Colorado’s existing powertrain lineup, which includes a 2.5-litre four-cylinder and a 3.6-litre V6, gives this truck serious performance cred- ibility. Max towing capacity increases from 3,175 to 3,492 kilograms, or 7,000 to 7,700 pounds on 2WD models. Fourwheel-drive models can haul up to about 3,447 kilograms, or 7,600 pounds.
Just like the bigger trucks, the Colorado has an integrated exhaust brake and tow/haul mode, which is practically essential equipment for anyone towing steep grades. This is not only smoother and safer, a bonus for live cargo, it saves a lot of brake wear and tear. Towing-equipped versions also feature an integrated trailer brake that works with the truck’s braking system.
The cabin remains essentially unchanged. It’s a comfortable, if not luxurious environment whose numerous cubbies and storage spaces are evidence of extensive re- search into how the Colorado’s customers will use it. New for 2016 are the Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which integrate the driver’s cellphone into the infotainment system by displaying apps on the optional eight-inch touchscreen. I’m actually writing this from the cabin of the vehicle; my laptop is plugged into the 12-volt outlet and is connected to the 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot, while my iPhone is working with CarPlay to take dictated messages and read back their responses.
“We’re the only truck lineup with a mobile office space,” said Chevy Truck’s tech lead, Ara Eckel, chuckling at the way I’ve made myself right at home in the Colorado’s back seat.
Of course, one of diesel’s most attractive features — aside from its towing prowess — is fuel economy. During an hour-long run through village and over highway, my fuel consumption ranged from 8.8 L/100 km down to an impressive low of 7.0 L/100 km in a 2WD Colorado with three passengers. Riding shotgun is Anita Burke, Chief Engineer of GM’s midsize trucks. She’s effusive about her involvement with the Colorado, which she refers to as her “baby.”
“We talked to a lot of buyers, and asked them what they wanted, not what we thought they should have. The midsize segment was long neglected, and buyers couldn’t find what they needed. We did a lot of research and realized that midsize trucks weren’t offering the refinement, amenities, technology or towing and payload capabilities of the bigger trucks. I think the trucks speak for themselves.”
While no Canadian prices are available at time of publication, the diesel option should be US$3,700 over the price of the V6-equipped Colorados. Barring any delays from the EPA’s stricter emissions testing procedures, the Colorado Diesel is slated to start rolling into Canadian dealerships later this year.