Talk about leveling up …

With 2023 Colorado, GM wants to become leading provider of midsize pickups

Not everyone wants or needs a full-size pickup or is willing to shell out the necessary cash to acquire one. That’s when a less expensive mid-sizer such as the Chevrolet Colorado makes sense.

The new-for-2023 third-generation model, which is due next spring, gives the appearance of a scaled-down version of the full-size Silverado. The nose and grille are more massive, and the body panels are shapelier than those of the 2022 model.

Compared with the current Crew Cab short box (5-foot bed), the 2023 Colorado — built on a new chassis — adds more than 3 inches between the front and rear wheels, and an inch of width.

For 2023, only the Crew Cab short box will be sold, as the extended-cab long-box version is no longer offered.

The newly created interior gets a high-resolution 11.3-inch touch screen and an 8-inch display for the driver. Both screens are configurable. Interestingly, front and rear headroom and legroom have been slightly reduced when compared with the current Crew Cab.

The Colorado’s overhaul also includes a dramatic adjustment to the powertrain offerings. Gone are the 200-horsepower, 2.0-liter four-cylinder, the 181-horsepower, 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel and the 308-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6. In their place is a turbocharged, 2.7-liter four-cylinder that comes in three strengths.

This is smart when you think about it. Drivers get plenty of variety, and Chevrolet only needs to tool up with one engine instead of three.

For the base WT (Work Truck) and LT trims, the rating is 237 horsepower and 259 pound-feet of torque. For the version in Z71 and Trail Boss, the numbers increase to a stout 310/390.

The version found in the top-level ZR2 trim also puts out 310 horsepower, but torque increases to 430 pound-feet. That places the ZR2 on the same footing as the four-cylinder model of the full-size Silverado, which is actually an excellent match for the bigger truck, so it should be even better in the smaller Colorado.

An eight-speed automatic transmission, which Chevrolet says has been tweaked to produce quicker downshifts, is common to all variants.

For towing, WT and LT models with the base engine can handle up to 3,500 pounds, which increases to 7,700 pounds for the Z71, Trail Boss and ZR2.

The WT and LT have 7.9 inches of ground clearance, the Z71 has 8.9, the Trail Boss has 9.5 and the ZR2

boasts 10.7. This model also comes with Multimatic’s sensational DSSV (Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve) dampers, which are used in other Chevrolet vehicles such as Camaro and the current Colorado ZR2.

The extreme level of engine and suspension customization is unique among pickups, regardless of size or origin. That doesn’t count the available drive-mode selections that encompass Normal, Tow/haul, Offroad, Terrain, and Baja (designed specifically for high-speed desert driving). Each setting is controlled through a floor-console knob and alters the transmission, throttle and braking responses.

The Colorado can be had with up to 10 exterior camera views, which are displayed on the infotainment screen. Specific to the Z71 and ZR2 is an available underbody camera that should help the driver avoid any damage to vital components when crawling over boulder-strewn surfaces.

All Colorados come with a generous lineup of active-safety technology, such as forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist/departure warning and pedestrian braking. Optional are blind-spot alert with steering assist, rear cross-traffic backup alert and a 36-degree surround-vision camera.

Pricing for the 2023 Colorado hasn’t been announced, but a reasonable estimate would be the low-$30,000 range for the WT, rising to about $50,000 for the ZR2.

Note that the identically sized 2023 GMC Canyon, which was recently announced, will share many of the Colorado’s mechanicals and will no doubt offer a similar number of trim levels.

In a competitive bracket, General Motors is unquestionably pulling out all of the stops to become the leading provider of midsize pickups. Its biggest challenger is likely to be the Ford Ranger, which has also been redesigned for 2023 and is expected to counter the Colorado’s off-road trims with a junior version of the F-150 Raptor.

The stage appears to be set for an all-out battle for your dollars.

Chevrolet For 2023, the Colorado uses one engine with three power levels instead of three engines, each with a power level. Although there’s only one body style, there are four trim levels.