Anyone who has ever made a phone call (or two) using the Bluetooth hands-free system in the second-generation Chevrolet Colorado may have been told by the person on the receiving end of the call that the quality of their voice is anything but stellar, especially if the passenger was doing the talking. So the fact that a second in-cabin microphone is being added to the 2019 Chevy Colorado in order to better pick up the words spoken by the driver as well as by the vehicle’s occupants comes as welcome news… very welcome news, in fact.
The Second Mic
The second in-cabin microphone added to the 2019 Colorado is meant specifically for the passenger. It is placed directly above the passenger seat in the truck’s headliner.
Why It’s Important
The two-mic system not only ups the quality of voice input of the front-seat passenger, but it also improves the voice notes of the driver, enabling whoever is on the other end of the call to hear the truck’s occupants better than ever before.
Given that Bluetooth has now been around for roughly a decade in automobiles for the purpose of making calls, there is a general expectation for the technology to have matured and to work relatively well, which was often not the case for current Colorado owners.
In fact, we’ve heard reports from current Colorado owners that they are sometimes asked by the person on the other end of a call to switch the call from Bluetooth to their actual phone due to the poor sound quality, a circumstance that clearly defeats the safety benefits of a hands-free Bluetooth system.
Availability
The driver-side and passenger-side microphones are standard on all 2019 Chevy Colorado models that feature the Chevrolet Infotainment System 3 Plus (RPO code IOS), or its equivalent with an embedded navigation system (RPO code IOT). Both systems include:
- 8-inch diagonal HD color touchscreen
- AM/FM stereo
- Bluetooth audio streaming for 2 active devices
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability
- Voice recognition
- In-vehicle apps
- Cloud connected personalization for select infotainment and vehicle settings
The IOS system is standard on the LT, Z71 and ZR2 trim levels, and the IOT system is offered as an option on the same models. The Colorado’s Base and Work Truck trims get the less advanced Chevrolet Infotainment System 3 (without the Plus moniker), which includes:
- A smaller 7″ diagonal color touchscreen
- AM/FM stereo
- Bluetooth audio streaming for 2 active devices
- Voice command pass-through to phone
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability
- What’s not included is voice recognition, in-vehicle apps, and the various cloud-based features
GM Authority Take
GM’s decision to improve the Bluetooth sound quality in the vehicle is a welcome move that should further increase customer satisfaction of the Colorado. Moreover, incoming competition to the Colorado is on the way via the 2019 Ford Ranger and upcoming Jeep Scrambler, meaning that Chevy can’t allow customer gripes to hinder its growing position in the mid-size truck segment.
Adding a second mic is also a positive given that Chevy is finally responding to well-known issues that have been a dissatisfier for owners of the second-generation Colorado since the model’s launch for the 2015 model year. But if the threat of competition is truly what made Chevy make this particular improvement, then that’s not necessarily great news, as it shows that the automaker must be forced to make positive changes. Fortunately, the competition is looking relatively good and, if the pattern continues, will end up translating to a net positive for consumers, since the increasing rivalry will push the bow tie brand to not only keep up, but also (hopefully) surpass its foes to maintain its owner base, sales numbers and associated profits. At the end of the day, it’s a win-win for buyers.
Here’s to hoping that this trend of addressing issues that cause discontent continues.
What Else Is New
The 2019 Chevy Colorado represents the fifth model year of the second-generation Colorado. The vehicle sees new exterior colors, one set of new 18-inch wheels, black bowties for every ZR2 model, and the introduction of the Colorado ZR2 Bison package.
Additionally, the 2019 Colorado gets new set of infotainment systems that represent the third generation of Chevrolet infotainment systems, Type A and Type C USB ports, a high-def Rear Vision Camera, Rear Park Assist, a heated steering wheel, 6-way power driver seat on some models, and the aforementioned in-cabin microphone for the passenger.
Comments
This was never an issue ever brought up on the forum.
Now relocating the 4×4 knob has been a real complaint. You can not see it and it is easy to hit your knee on.
The sound collected by the Colorado Bluetooth is notoriously bad. This has been an issue since the very fist ones back in 2014. I pretty much can’t use mine to talk… only to listen to be on hold and when someone picks up the phone on the other end, I send the call to my phone handset.
Do this: have someone drive your truck at 40 mph and call you on the Bluetooth system. It’s not pretty.
Glad they solved it but it took way too long. Should have ben fixed after the first year on the market.
My 2017 works fine with no issue.
Have you done the experiment suggested by Larry, scott? In other words, have you spoken to anyone driving a Colorado or Canyon while they are on Bluetooth? If you did, you would not think it works anything close to “fine”. Far from it, really.
Here: have someone drive your truck at 45 mph or faster and have them call you using Bluetooth. Try holding a normal conversation and you’ll see the problem immediately.
First, you’ll hear a ton of reverb/echo, hearing yourself as you speak. Then you’ll hear more of the road/wind/tire noise than you will hear them.
There are much better ways to do Bluetooth than this… these trucks have been coming up short in this particular matter. Typically, drivers don’t know how bad it is until they’re on the receiving end of one of these calls… and then they just stop using this system out of respect for whoever is on the other line. This is why the second mic is installed… they’re not doing it because there isn’t a problem, they’re adding it because there is one.
The second mic allows for better, more precise sensitivity calibration of both devices… so you don’t run into the horrible quality issues described above. It’s a real thing. Try it.
Yes I have had no issue. Also on the Colorado/Canyon forum it is a rare topic.
Now problems like the 4×4 knob and other issues are much more common.
Even calls between my GMC and my wife’s work fine.
I am sure the second mic helps but of all the little issues needed addresses this was far from a common complaint amount owners.
My point is it was not in needed but it was far from a major problem.
The bottom line is I never have had an issue or complaint and I am not the only one.
Now go to the forum the common complaints are the knob, headlamps, air bags, spring lean transmissions and converters.
These and some others are much more common complaints.
The wireless chargers gets more complaints as it needed updated from day one and the fact it fits nothing but normal sized phones not an Apple plus or 9s.
The fact that no one has yet told you that the call quality sucks does not mean it doesn’t actually suck.
You never answered my question: have you done the experiment in question?
It’s a very simple yes or no question that doesn’t require an essay for an answer.
Until you have done it, you can’t speak with any form of authority on whether or not this is an issue… regardless of whether you own one of these vehicles.
Should I buy a 2019 Colorado or wait for a 2020?
The 2020 will bring a refresh, but how significant it will be is currently unknown. If you can wait, I would wait.
Wait till next summer.
You should see a refresh and more options on the higher end models.
Then you can decide if you want to pay more for more and new features on a 2020 or get a decent discount 2019.
We have a new fleet of 2018’s at work. I drive one every day. I use the Bluetooth all the time, speaking with family and other co- workers. I get calls from co-workers on the road all the time. Never have an issue. Always sounds pretty good. Oh, we cover the state of Wyoming as well. Don’t get any more windy than that! Maybe folks should turn the volume down or roll up the window!
This is ironic.
Are you saying that GM – a company that doesn’t make any decisions without tons of data points that decision makers can fall back on if the decision turns out to be wrong – just made an improvement to something that needed no improvement?
Have you heard yourself on the other end of a call from your Colorado?
Only time the quality is ok is if you never used a car with a really good handfree Bluetooth system but the Colorado doesn’t exist in a vacuum.
Cmon…
I have a 2018 Colorado ZR2 my wife drives my truck a lot and calls me from it and the Bluetooth sounds just fine. Also nobody has ever complained to me about the the call quality while using it and I make a lot calls for work while driving the Colorado and while driving my work truck. I get some complaints about the work truck call quality but never the ZR2.
The fact that Jason and scott3 have no issues with their trucks is great… but I’m afraid you guys are outliers.
To Mike’s point, this is GM we’re talking about. They indeed make zero decisions without having the data to support it… and the data clearly told them that this the hands-free Bluetooth feature was not sitting well with most customers, hence the change for the 2019 model year. If all was truly ok, there wouldn’t be a change.
Really I appreciate the effort you made to share the knowledge. if anyone wants To Improve Bluetooth Call Quality then read this article. this is very useful for beginners.
the Bluetooth is so sporatic it only connect when it wants to I bought my truck. 2 months ago it has been in the shop 3 weeks got it back Friday and still the same old story GM needs to get their crap together and take care of the problem. They have already installed a new radio and still not working it seems to be a wiring problem that they can’t find. I guess they hope my warranty will expire and forget about it as normal for the car companies.