2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trailboss Crew Cab Review

Recently I spent a week with the all-new and completely redesigned 2023 Chevy Colorado Trailboss Crew Cab, a very capable off-roader at a very affordable price.  This Colorado has a wider track than the standard Colorado, and it sits 2” higher.  The ground clearance is terrific for those who want to take the truck on a serious off-road adventure.

Exterior

The truck looks terrific with 18” wheels and 32” tires, fender flares, a sculpted hood, and front tow hooks.  It really pops in this Glacier Blue color.

 

Powertrain

Under the hood, it has a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder Turbo that is putting out an amazing 310-horses.  My tester has the 2.7 -liter PLUS engine which takes the horsepower from 300 to 310.  It is mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission.

Interior

As you enter the cab, it is fairly minimalistic, but it will make sense to you when you see the very reasonable price.  It has cloth seats that are very comfortable, and there is a ton of plastic inside.  Again, refer to the price, plus serious 4-wheel enthusiasts often want to be able to wipe things down to clean them, and this truck answers that call.

 

As you hit the start button, there is a colorful 8” gauge cluster that gives you a digital speedometer with a digital tachometer that surrounds it.  It is nicely done and easy to read, and the dash serves as a shield to keep the glare down.

Center dash is an 11.3” screen that operates the infotainment system, the sound system, vehicle settings, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.  You can access the terrific off-road page, there is a great backup camera with hitch view, and Google assistant.  It also has Air Down, which lets you let air out of the tires for better traction when needed.

Under the screen are your climate controls and the next row of buttons down is a button to roll all four windows down at once, and one to kill the start/stop system.

The center console has the 4-wheel mode selector, the gear shift, USB-A and USB-C outlets, a wireless phone charger, a couple of cup holders, and you can turn off the start/stop system.

The back seat is roomy and rear occupants get rear air vents and a USB-C port.  The bottom of rear seats rise to store valuables.  Legroom is very good, but there are no pockets in the rear seat or a center pulldown armrest.

Safety

For safety, you get forward collision alert, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, front pedestrian warning, and teen driver system.

Options

Options total $2500 and includes in part:  trailer towing package, power drivers’ seat, sliding rear window, a spray-in bedliner, cruise control, a power driver’s seat with power lumbar, and the EZ lift tailgate.

Ride and Drive

This Colorado drives really well, handling is surprisingly good, and if you choose this as just a daily driver for the most part, you’ll find it enjoyable.  The 2.7-liter Plus has amazing acceleration, which I was concerned about, but it is strong.  In fact, it feels like a big 6-cylinder, and it will tow 7700-pounds.

For most, the off-road capability would be plenty, but if you need more, you can move up to the ZR2, but it will cost you an extra $10,000 and I can’t imagine this isn’t enough truck for just about anyone.

Verdict 

Colorado won the 2024 truck of the year from MotorTrend, and it’s easy to see why.