- pickup 113,934
- West, TX
-
- autoshopper.com
2008 chevrolet colorado review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. Good hauler with sensibility and comfort. introductionchevy colorado was designed for the way most people use a mid-size pickup. So it emphasizes interior room and comfort. Most are willing to sacrifice bed length for interior space, and towing capacity for a smoother ride. So the colorado is engineered for room and comfort, for a smooth ride and for fuel efficiency. yet the colorado is far from a car with a bed. In fact, the colorado provides all the trucking capacity most owners will ever use. It has a six-foot bed with regular and extended cabs, and a five-foot bed on crew cabs. A properly equipped colorado is rated to tow 4,000 pounds, enough for transporting atvs, dirt bikes, personal watercraft, bass boats, and small camping trailers. For most people, the colorado is more than enough truck to get the job done. With high fuel prices and crowded parking lots, it makes more sense than having a full-size pickup. we found the chevrolet colorado rides smoothly and feels refined. Order the five-cylinder engine and it accelerates smartly. The crew cab features a roomy back seat that's surprisingly comfortable and not bolt-upright. a work truck model is available, an inexpensive regular cab called the wt designed as a worksite tool. It comes with hose-it-out vinyl floor mats and durable vinyl bench seating, ideal for muddy boots. It also comes with air conditioning. considered a mid-size pickup, the colorado is substantially smaller and more maneuverable than full-size pickups such as the ford f-150, dodge ram, or chevy silverado. These are important benefits because even those who frequently use pickups to perform genuine truck duties spend most of their time driving with an empty bed. Unlike a full-size pickup, the colorado fits into tight parking spaces. for 2007, chevrolet increased the size of both the base and the optional engines. The optional five-cylinder engine was enlarged from to 3. 7 liters, for 242 horsepower and 242 pound-feet. Other improvements included a smoother-shifting automatic transmission, a more powerful 125-amp alternator, a standard tire-pressure monitor, and brighter interior trim. changes for 2008 are modest, but still significant. Chevy has cleaned up the colorado's appearance, with less charcoal-colored trim for a more monochromatic look, especially at the ls trim level, which now wears body-color bumpers. In general, fewer trim levels and option packages are offered, although most of the same features are still available as stand-alone options. The net effect should be to simplify ordering. lineupthe 2008 chevy colorado is available in regular cab, extended cab, and crew cab configurations. Regular and extended cabs come with a six-foot bed. The automatic is standard in all crew cabs and, again, with some up-level trim-and-body combinations. two suspension packages are offered: the rugged z85 is the standard setup; the z71 is beefed up further for off-roading. Either is available with 2wd or 4wd. The low-riding zq8 sport suspension has been discontinued for 2008, but is expected to return for 2009. the wt work truck is offered as a regular cab 2wd 14,885), extended cab 2wd 16,995), regular cab 4wd 18,340) and extended cab 4wd 20,245). Only the standard suspension is available. All come with vinyl floor mats and vinyl bench seating (split 60/40). Air conditioning is standard along with tilt steering, a tachometer, driver information center, two-speaker am/fm stereo, cruise control and two 12-volt power outlets. For 2008, onstar is standard as well, in all colorados. Options are limited. the ls trim level upgrades to cloth upholstery and carpeting, and features fog lights and body-color bumpers. Minimum ground clearance increases from 7. 3 to 7. 9 inches for z85 models to 8. 7 to 9. 0 inches (depending, in both cases, on cab style and whether the truck has 2wd or 4wd). A sun & sound package 795) combines the sunroof with xm satellite radio. A trailer package 270) includes a hitch, a weight-distributing platform, and wiring harness. safety features include dual-stage front airbags and front seatbelt pre-tensioners. Curtain-style side-impact airbags designed for head protection are optional 395) on all models. So does a tire pressure monitor. walkaroundthe chevy colorado has been cleaned up for 2008, with more body-color trim, and less black or charcoal plastic, for more solid, monochromatic look. aside from that, the colorado looks much as it did when it was introduced as an all-new model for 2004. Then as now, the colorado suggests a downsized and oddly cubist rendition of the full-size silverado. This impression begins with colorado's bold chrome horizontal-bar grille and multi-lens headlamps. On models so equipped, fog lamps are inset into the bumper. overall, the colorado has a clean, modern look. The fender bulges are angular and aggressive, more so than silverado's. The leading edge of the front fender flares isn't finished elegantly, however. Reach-through door handles allow a full handful of grip for easy opening, even with gloves. the crew cab looks well balanced despite the extra cab length. Cargo boxes are 6-foot, 1-inch on regular and extended cab models and 5-foot, 1-inch on crew cabs. A two-position locking tailgate, which opens to 55 degrees or to fully horizontal, provides more cargo utility. When the tailgate is partway down, the colorado can carry a 4-by-8 foot sheet of plywood flat, supported by the wheel wells and the rear edge of the tailgate. ride height varies by suspension grade and has a dramatic effect on the truck's appearance. The standard colorado has about 7. 3 inches of ground clearance with 2wd and 7. 7 inches with 4wd, varying slightly with cab style. The z71 off-road suspension raises the ground clearance to around 8. 9 inches, with 2wd or 4wd. all crew cab and extended cab models ride on a 126-inch wheelbase, while regular cab models ride on a 111-inch wheelbase. Overall length is 207 inches for all but regular cabs, which are 192 inches long. Overall height is about 65 inches for the standard z85 suspension, 68 inches with 4wd. chevy truck dealers offer a range of accessories, including a bed extender, hard and soft tonneau covers, tubular assist steps and splash guards. Most of the colorado's interior is swathed in hard plastic that's not finger friendly but should prove to be durable, important in a working truck. Inside door releases feel solid and sturdy in operation, but are finished with the same hard texture. The center console has cup holders that look capable of handling a variety of drink containers. The center armrest opens into a small storage space, big enough for a large wallet, but it wobbles when pushed. A small tray on the console is useful. instruments are traditional white-on-black with orange needles. They are easy to read and don't hide their functionality with artsy markings. This practical approach continues to the center stack. No ground-breaking innovation here, just straightforward knobs and dials that don't require a postgraduate degree to operate. Turning on the dome light requires fumbling around for a small thumbwheel, however, which we found difficult while navigating in pre-dawn darkness. For this reason, we recommend the optional electrochomic (automatic-dimming) rearview mirror, which features map lights, compass and outside temperature display. Light switches on mirrors often lead to thumbprints and frequent mirror adjustments, but in this case they're a step up. the crew cab's back seat is surprisingly comfortable, particularly when compared with the back seat. Bucket Seats✔ Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Tachometer✔ AM/FM✔ Cruise Control✔ Sunroof/Moonroof✔ Sound Package✔ Air Conditioning✔ Aluminum Wheels
West, TXWest, TX at autoshopper.com