New Holden/Chevrolet Colorado Finishes Close Second In Latest Truck Comparison Test
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Despite Americans being shut away from the new midsize truck offerings from General Motors, Ford and Volkswagen, it doesn’t mean their curiosity for the trucks have lowered in the least. So when Pickuptrucks.com published a comparison test between the Volkswagen Amarok, Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Holden (Chevrolet) Colorado, it caused a lot of attention.
The all-new-for-2012 midsize pickup scored perfect 10′s in the off-road and value categories, while scoring eights in the design and on-road categories for a total of 36 points. Just a point behind the victor, the also-all-new Ford Ranger. But unlike the Ranger, U.S. customers hungry for a quality pickup truck will be able to purchase a Colorado unique to the North American market within two years.
While the Colorado may have finished behind the Ranger in the Pickuptrucks.com test, it’s ahead of the pack on the spec sheet. With the capabilities of towing up to a class-leading 7,700 pounds with its 177 hp and 347 lb-ft 2.8L Duramax diesel and a 3,300 payload capacity — roughly 1,000 pounds more than any other truck in the test — the Colorado is the hardest working of the bunch. Maybe if the test consisted of hooking the trucks up with a trailer and filling the beds to capacity, the Colorado would have emerged victorious.
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How embarrassing , here is the newest design out , years of development and this truck finishes behind a Mazda that has been on the market for years . There is incredibly tough competition out there in the marketplace for vehicles . , if you can’t bring to the market a class winner , don’t bring it at all until you can !. GM leaves far too much on the table for the next guy . They still bring too many models out , most get beat out in sales to the competition . Check out July auto sales for July , look at the canadian sales chart in SUVs , in the small category GM has whopping decreases , and is even beat out by Kia . The medium and large catagories are as bad . In the large , Yukon , Tahoe and Acadia are wiped out by one Ford model ….Navigator .
There are serious problems at GM….perhaps too many chiefs , too few indians ??
First off, everyone is losing ground to Kia/Hyundai and for the most part it’s because of they are seriously cheaper, with unbeatable finance rates and 10 year powertrain warranties. They’ve been gaining ground even when their products were a joke (look no further than the 90′s and early 2K years). Secondly, The Navigator is beating the Yukon, and Tahoe, and Acadia? Really? last time I checked the Acadia is ahead of the Flex and Explorer, never mind the Navigator (which is a Lincoln, not a Ford but whatever). If anything comparison tests by one magazine mean nothing. I mean, you can read all the big American car mags, and they’ll test family sedans, and the finishing order can be completely different from one to the other. Don’t base all your opinions on 1 magazines conclusions.
The new Ranger / BT50 are an all new platform designed and engineered by FoMoCo Australia. They have only been out 6 months and are by far and away the benchmark in this category. It’s a fine achievement for the new Colorado to come so close. Items which let the new Colorado down are an inferior bluetooth and entertainment system, and some on road dynamics, ie the Ford handles better. I have a new Ranger as a work truck. I told my boss to look at one despite me being a dyed in the wool GMH supporter/customer. It’s so far exceeded all expectations with its 3.2 5 cylinder turbo diesel and 6 speed auto. I’m sure the Colorado will gain a huge following, but Chev and Holden need to fix a couple of little things as previously mentioned.
@Mozeby, I don’t really know what this has to do with this post as none of these vehicles you mentioned compete in this class. As for comparisons, this particular one is more favourable to the Colorado than the rest of Australia’s media. Having driven both vehicles, the Ranger extensively, I am sad to say the blue oval wins this current round. Both however are streets ahead of the perennial favourite in Aus, the Toyota Hilux which is in desperate need of an upgrade.
I don’t know, did u even read the post I was replying to? I was using examples to support my view.
“Maybe if the test consisted of hooking the trucks up with a trailer and filling the beds to capacity, the Colorado would have emerged victorious.”
No maybe Manoli… the Colorado diesel would have won. Its the kind of truck many of us have wanted for a very long time. The only possible fly in the ointment,(for me), is the price.