Next-Gen, 2023 Chevy Colorado Spied For The First Time
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The current Chevy Colorado, introduced for the 2015 model year in the U.S. and Canada, is quite a solid and competitive midsize truck, but one that’s getting long in the tooth as it enters its seventh year on the market. Luckily, an all-new model is on the way, and our spies have just caught it in prototype form as it underwent testing. So, behold the very first shots of the 2023 Chevy Colorado.
The prototype seen here appears to be a Crew Cab, Short Box model in the most spartan Work Truck trim level, as suggested by the steel wheels typically associated with the WT trim level. A substantial amount of vinyl camouflage wraps most of the truck, including the front and rear ends, along with the side. Only the cab’s roof is adorned in the thinner checkered camo.
All that camo makes it challenging to tell what’s taking place at the front end of this 2023 Chevy Colorado prototype, though we can tell that a set of placeholder headlights is present and accounted for. These (what appears to be) halogen placeholder lights are expected to give way to a set of thin(ner) LED units, similar to what we see on the upcoming Silverado 1500 refresh, as leaked earlier this month.
Covered in a healthy amount of camo, the body side is hiding new sheetmetal. However, it seems that the general dimensions of the Crew Cab, Short Box configuration appear to be similar to those of the current model.
A hard tonneau cover hides the box from view, while the the rear end, also adorned in heavy camo, is hiding the tailgate. However, we can just barely make out the indents of the CornerStep rear bumper and a single-exit side exhaust tip on the passenger side of the truck.
The 2023 Chevy Colorado will ride on an updated version of GM’s current GMT-31XX midsize body-on-frame architecture, which will be dubbed 31XX-2. The vehicle will get an all-new exterior and interior, along with an all-new powerplant in the form of the turbocharged 2.7L I-4 L3B gasoline motor currently offered in the Silverado 1500. In that application, the boosted four-pot is rated at a healthy 310 horsepower and 348 pound-feet of torque. GM’s 10-speed automatic transmission will handle shifting duty. The atmospheric 2.5L I-4 LCV and 3.6L V-6 LGZ, along with the 2.8L I-4 LWN turbo-diesel baby Duramax are not expected to be offered.
The midsize pickup truck, which has consistently ranked in the top three spots in its segment from a sales volume standpoint, will also adopt GM’s new Global B electrical architecture – otherwise known as Vehicle Intelligence Platform, or VIP. Besides allowing for over-the-air (OTA) updates to all vehicle components, Global B also allows for the latest in infotainment and active safety technologies.
Current, 2020 Chevy Colorado
The 2023 Chevy Colorado will continue to be built at the GM Wentzville plant in Missouri alongside its corporate cousin, the 2023 GMC Canyon. GM invested $1 billion into the facility specifically for the new midsize pickups.
The international-market variant, marketed as the Chevrolet S10 in South America, is expected to become ever more similar with the North American-market model. The S10 will be built at the São José dos Campos plant in Brazil, which received a $1.3 billion investment for the next-gen model. The GM Rayong plant in Thailand, which built the S10 for Southeast Asia, has been shuttered and sold off as GM/Chevrolet withdrew from that region.
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GMC Cyclone Please. Yes Thank you! 😁
Looks like it needs the leveling kit. Why
On the bright side, the air dam doesn’t look like it was tacked on with paper clips.
It looks like the designers used a level on those horizontal lines which makes for a more substantial appearance.
The hood is higher and more squared off, maybe the cowl is a bit higher too.
I also hope they square off and open up the rear passenger door glass as well.
2.7 well be a good engine though I wish that they would offer the diesel engine also. As for the interior Chevy g m c really needs to step it up. Especially in seat comfort and driveability
Toyota is riding on its quality if the past… Ask current owners who have honestly compared…
The Tacoma remains an extremely reliable truck. But it’s uncomfortable and (arguably) under powered.
IMO the Toyota has more/better tech and a better interior. It’s more reliable. But it’s less comfortable and doesn’t offer a diesel.
GM needs to keep a diesel option.
Bittersweet.
I love the current generation Colorado Z71, especially in red before the refresh.
But I know the truck was hugely successful and drew a lot of new competitors/updated competitors to the segment. And it’s time to redesign it.
It has an unreliable 8 speed auto and a bad interior. But the Diesel engine option, ZR2 trim, and the powerful V6 were high marks.
But the new engine is better than every single one of the old ones, and the zr2 trim is staying.
Did anyone else notice the mirrors are different colors?
They better not screw this up and avoid fixing the tight wheel wells. You can’t even fit 33×12.5 tires on the Colorado zr2 without lifting it. The bronco can fit 35s stock. It’s embarrassing that GM continues to miss here. Have to lift a Silverado to fit 33s yet ford can fit them no problem.
They need to build a truck and not a city car with a bed. C’mon GM.
Also, it will be a pretty big miss if they drop the diesel option. GM needs to expand their market research to non city truck drivers. Lacking designs that are embarrassing for a “truck.”
Finally, they need better ground clearance plain and simple.
Why would you opt for the diesel when the l3b is a better engine. There’s a reason none of the old engines are coming back. It’s because the l3b is outright better in every way.
L3b
310hp 430lbs tq
LWN
181hp 369lbs tq
So why should anyone care about this diesel option? It’s not coming back either, production is done.
GM has been keeping news about the two new midsizer’s quieter then most anything I remember. They better offer something with less then 300 hp to keep the budget minded on board. In less these trucks drastically reduce some weight fuel economy will surely suffer. I for one keep my eye on the gas pumps.