The mid-size pickup segment currently has the most dated vehicles on the market. The latest Frontier is a really good truck, but is mostly a restyle of the outgoing truck that has been around for a very long time. The Gladiator is the only other competitor in the mid-size truck category on the North American market, but is more of a lifestyle vehicle than an all-around traditional pickup.
But, that’s about to change this year with the 2023 Chevy Colorado hitting dealers soon, and next-gen Tacoma and Ranger reveals expected before year’s end.

I spent some time on-road in the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Work Truck (WT), LT, Z71, and Trail Boss models. And I went off-road in the Z71 and Trail Boss. I also crawled around the 2023 Colorado ZR2 (but didn’t drive it, yet).
There is a lot to like about these all-new mid-size Chevy pickups, but they also miss the mark in some key areas.
2023 Chevrolet Colorado Review


2023 Colorado Engine Options



3 Versions of 2.7L I-4 Turbo


Wheels & Tires

2023 Colorado Bed & Tailgate Updates

Inside the 2023 Colorado



Tech





More Fun Facts You Need to Know


2023 Colorado Models
2023 Colorado Work Truck (WT)

Pros
- I love the steel wheel look.
- Cloth seats are comfortable enough and should work well for a wide variety of people’s sizes and shapes.
- The driver’s seat is power adjustable and adjusts enough to get comfortable even for long trips.
- The big bright screen is impressive for a base-model truck and is the standard screen across the range.
- Even with the base motor, it comfortably cruises over 70 mph on the highway.
Cons
- Less than 8 inches of ground clearance.
- No telescoping steering wheel.
- Bit of a harsh ride.
- Seems to have enough power to get the job done, but definitely struggles until the RPMs build.
- The engine sounds like it’s working hard pretty much anytime you have over 20% throttle applied.
- Transmission shifts are relatively abrupt by modern transmission standards.
- Touch points are rubber and plastic, and feel cheap — as you’d expect in a base model work truck.
- Less sound deadening in the engine means more cabin noise.
- The stereo is fine, but the sound it produces is pretty thin.
2023 Colorado LT

Pros
- Nice leather feel on the steering wheel.
- Silver dash/vent/steering wheel accents are a quality look.
- The higher-performance motor is a noticeable upgrade.
- Cool all windows down piano key on the center stack, but no all-up button anywhere.
Cons
- Hard plastic in the palm at 9 & 3 on the steering wheel isn’t well thought out.
- Less than 8″ of ground clearance.
2023 Colorado Trail Boss

Pros
- Way better off-road — besides ZR2 — because of extra track width, suspension tuning, and 2-inch lift.
- 9.5 inches of ground clearance.
- Wider fenders to handle 3-inch wider stance and keep the rock chips in the paint to a minimum.
- Different springs and shocks than other models, offering a much more comfortable ride over rough terrain — but no doubt not as good as ZR2.
Cons
- Has Work Truck interior, and no option to upgrade currently — an upgraded interior is rumored to be coming for the Trail Boss.
- The black plastic front grille and trim look cheap to me, not rugged like I’m sure was intended.
- No fog lights.
- The halogen headlights are not as good as the LEDs on Z71 and ZR2.
2023 Colorado Z71

Pros
- Perforated seats and red accents look and feel good.
- Better suspension on road than Work Truck and LT.
- LED lighting looks and performs well.
- The painted front trim looks considerably upscale from black plastic on Work Truck and Trail Boss.
Cons
- 3-inch narrower trackwidth than Trail Boss hinders performance off-road.
- Flat-sounding Bose stereo.
- The high price tag in comparison to off-road capability/comfort.
2023 Colorado ZR2

Pros
- Impressive starting price at $46,800.
- Will probably accommodate bigger tires than the already impressive 33-inch tires — mounted on 17-inch wheels — that come on it.
- Off-road easy buttons are standard, with E-lockers front and rear.
- An impressive 10.7 inches of ground clearance.
- Rock sliders for body protection standard.
- DSSV dampers should be amazing on and off-road, as the last-gen were.
- Aluminum skid plates for underbody protection without tons of weight.
- Baja Driving mode will likely be a ton of fun in the desert.
Cons
- No good engine notes to enjoy while flogging it off-road at speed.
- DSSV dampers don’t offer the most ride comfort in hard technical rock crawl situations.

2023 Chevy Colorado: Final Thoughts
