Chevy Colorado 4 X 4

[Peter Stahl]

Anyone have one? Do you like it? Would you buy it again? How's the gas milage in the real world? Looking to get one, still not sure if I'll go with a 4 X 4.

thanks, Pete

[Chris Padilla]

I don't know anything about it but I can comment on the 4-wheel drive part. As you probably know, you'll pay more for one and potentially have more future mechanical headaches with one. Typically, gas mileage is usually worse on 4-wheel drive, they do weigh a bit more. I'd say if you can avoid the 4x4, try and do it. Just list all the reasons you can think of for having the 4x4 and see if it is worth it to you in the end. Frankly, I think winter driving isn't always the best excuse as snow tires and skill can get you much further. My 1 drachma for you, Peter! :)

[Matt Meiser]

I have a 2WD Colorado crew cab. I really like it. It has a ton of power with the 3.5, especially since I added a cold air intake kit and a reprogrammed ECU (total investment about $500) I average right around 20MPG in mine, about 1/2 highway driving and 1/2 city/backroad driving. I've gotten a few better on long trips. The crew cab works great for our family of 3 plus 1 dog, even on long trips. The short bed is pretty short, but the tailgate has a nice 1/2 open feature that supports 4x8 sheets.

I do occasionally wish I'd gotten a 4x4, but it handles pretty well in the snow as-is.

[Greg Cole]

I'll say 180* the opposite of Chris here....
Where I come from there's only one kind of truck to have and that's surely not a "one wheel" drive truck (assuming it's equipped with an open rear differential). 2 wheel drive with limited slip or "traction control" is not going to be the same as having the extra gearbox etc.
Skill helps in poor weather, as does experience, but light back ends & rear wheel drive leads to steering with the accellerator as much as with the wheel... turn the wheels and the back end simpy overdrives the front.... ya can crank the wheel and go nice n straight, kinda like watching a front wheel drive car & a bone head driving with brakes locked and wheels turned, whatcha expecting to do that way? Other than run over what you're trying to avoid.....:rolleyes:
Sand bags in the bed will help any truck in slippery weather... and the sand is good traction forwhen ya can't move the 2 wheel drive.:D
FWIW, from a lifetime 4x4 truck guy from northern New England.

Greg

[Ken Fitzgerald]

As stated, 4WD generally gets worse gas mileage. A lot of it depends on the gearing too! I have an F-350 4WD, 460 cui gas, 5-speed manual, 4:10 rear end. It's mileage is dependable.....11 mpg...up hill....down hill......into the wind....down wind.....empty or pulling our 9,000 lb. 5th wheel trailer or with a ton of hay on the back.....it's regular as clockwork.

4WD.....in the mountains, used intelligently, it's a blessing! There's a lot of places I couldn't go in good weather or bad that I can with 4WD. Used unintelligently, 4WD can be a curse. A lot of folks get themeselves in trouble with it when they might not without it.....they'd turn back before they got into trouble.

[Paul Greathouse]

One thing I really don't understand is why someone would want to purchase one of these mid-size trucks when they do not get any better gas mileage than the new full size Chevy and GMC trucks with the small V8. I don't know anyone that has the small trucks but I have researched them on Chevrolet's website. If I remember right the stated mpg wasn't any better than the full size trucks. I know guys that have the full size trucks and get the stated 20-21mpg on the highway.

My wife drives a 2003 two wheel drive GMC Yukon with the same small V8 that are in the full size trucks. I know it gets 20mpg on the highway even with my heavy foot on the gas pedal. It also has plenty of power.

So why give up the full size comfort and roominess of a full size truck if the gas mileage isn't any better? Not to mention less cargo space in the bed.

[Matt Meiser]

Two reasons why I chose a mid-size: First, the mileage is about 3-4MPG better. I needed something I could tow my popup with but at the time I was commuting 35 miles each way to work. That adds up considerably over time at $3/gal. Second, mine cost considerably less than a comparably equipped full size truck.

[Paul Greathouse]

Matt, you got me to thinking maybe I was mistaken about the stated mpg on the Chevrolet website so I went and took another look.

Colorado 2wd auto trans. mpg 16/22, 4X4 mpg 14/18
Full Size 2wd auto trans. mpg 15/20, 4X4 mpg 14/19

Looks like the 2wd Colorado might have a slight edge but when you look at the 4X4 numbers the full size truck appears to carrry its own weight just a little bit more efficiently.

Years ago the manufacturer's mpg numbers were pretty inflated but now days they seem to be more accurate, if not slightly underrated in some cases.

The 21 mpg that I remembered was for the new Tahoe's. They probably have a slight aerodynamic advantage over the pickups.

If price is a factor then I can see why some would go with the midsize. I guess the fact that I'm 6'5" tall and 240lbs makes me lean heavily toward the full size truck for comfort. I also tend to haul larger loads/trailers from time to time than most people would.

Years ago when the Ford Rangers first came out I bought one and it had surprisingly decent leg room but I ended up trading it in for a full size truck a couple of years later. It just wasn't enough truck for me. It did get great gas mileage though. Thats kind of what I was basing my original idea on was that now days with fuel mileage being relatively equal from mid to full size, then the full size choice would be a pretty easy one to make. I didn't consider price.

[Kurt Strandberg]

Anyone have one? Do you like it? Would you buy it again? How's the gas milage in the real world? Looking to get one, still not sure if I'll go with a 4 X 4.

thanks, Pete


I have a 2wd GMC Canyon, The Colorado's cousin, as a work truck and at 6'2" I sure would never buy one, I checked the mileage once and it was 21 mpg

[Tim A. Mitchell]

. . . as a work truck and at 6'2" I sure would never buy one,. . . Based on comments from some old coworkers, they are the worst thing they ever drove. They forced the management to switch to something else/ This is work that involves 25-35K miles a year, mostly highway then off road.

[Peter Stahl]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I currently drive a 98 Silverado and was thinking that a smaller truck would save me money in gas and the cost of the vehicle. Always wanted a 4 X 4 but will really have to rethink that. Hope to hear more opinions.

[Kurt Strandberg]

Thanks for all the replies so far. I currently drive a 98 Silverado and was thinking that a smaller truck would save me money in gas and the cost of the vehicle. Always wanted a 4 X 4 but will really have to rethink that. Hope to hear more opinions.

Me again, before I was given the work truck and gas card for it, my personal vehicle is a 2003 Silverado 2wd regular cab with the 4.3 6 cylinder, I have checked the gas mileage on that a couple times and I was getting 18-19 mpg, I drive at least an hour each way for work so it is nice now having the work truck, but if I didn't have it, I didn't mind the mileage because I like a full size vehicle, after 20 years on the volunteer fire department and seeing the wrecks I saw, I like the bigger vehicle.

And like someone else said about the full size trucks gas mileage almost equal to the mid size trucks, my wife drives a 2006 Silverado Crew Cab to work (only 7 miles each way) and it has mpg display on the dash, she gets 18-20 most of the time, I have checked that display against real math and it is about .5-.75 mpg high most of the time.

[Joe Pelonio]

I have a Ranger Supercab 4 door 4x4 auto., and after driving an F150 rental for a few days would never switch to full size. Yes, the bed is larger usually, this rental was a club cab 4x4 with 5.5' bed though so smaller than my 6'. Lots more interior room in the F150 but at 5'10'' I'm fine in the Ranger. I get 16/23 and on the F150 V8 I didn't calculate it but I'd guess it was more like 12. The Ranger is a 4.0 V6 auto. with 210HP which is more than enough.

For me the other thing is th lower bed, on the Ranger I can reach anything in it without having to get in or use a stool. On deliveries in the F150 I had to climb in, even to reach the front tie downs.

I have limited slip and still have 180 lb's of sand in back for winter. It definitely makes a difference. Surprisingly the F150 was no better on snow, in fact I came back and swapped for my wife's Liberty after a fishtail the first block on level ground in 4 wheel drive. With the sand bags and 4x4 I had no trouble last winter even with all these hills. Where most people get into trouble is forgetting that 4 wheel drive doesn't help you stop. When going down the steepest hills I use 4WD and 2nd gear, sometimes even 1st, and you almost have to hit the gas to move.

[Chris Padilla]

Matt, you got me to thinking maybe I was mistaken about the stated mpg on the Chevrolet website so I went and took another look.

Colorado 2wd auto trans. mpg 16/22, 4X4 mpg 14/18
Full Size 2wd auto trans. mpg 15/20, 4X4 mpg 14/19

Looks like the 2wd Colorado might have a slight edge but when you look at the 4X4 numbers the full size truck appears to carrry its own weight just a little bit more efficiently.

Years ago the manufacturer's mpg numbers were pretty inflated but now days they seem to be more accurate, if not slightly underrated in some cases.

The 21 mpg that I remembered was for the new Tahoe's. They probably have a slight aerodynamic advantage over the pickups.

If price is a factor then I can see why some would go with the midsize. I guess the fact that I'm 6'5" tall and 240lbs makes me lean heavily toward the full size truck for comfort. I also tend to haul larger loads/trailers from time to time than most people would.

Years ago when the Ford Rangers first came out I bought one and it had surprisingly decent leg room but I ended up trading it in for a full size truck a couple of years later. It just wasn't enough truck for me. It did get great gas mileage though. Thats kind of what I was basing my original idea on was that now days with fuel mileage being relatively equal from mid to full size, then the full size choice would be a pretty easy one to make. I didn't consider price.

Paul,

A colleague of mine here at work is 6' 7" and he was flat out shocked how comfortable he was in my Toyota Tacoma. He had a couple inches of headroom to spare. So I don't think the label of "full-size" or "mid-size" truck tells one everything about cab comforts. I'm not sure if you've sat in a Tacoma before but you might give it a shot and see what you think. Mine is a 2006, Double-Cab, Long Bed. :)

Oh, for gas mileage on my V6 (I forget the displacement, 3.4 L ?), if I romp on it all the time carefree: 18 mpg. If I'm careful and conscientious, 21 mpg. Using the cruise on the highway at 65, I can get almost 23.

[Matt Meiser]

I could be wrong, but I swear the sticker on mine said 23 last year (I have the 3.5L) and the full size Fords were about 20. This is my first non-Ford since my dad is a retiree and I still get his pricing. Unfortunately Ford doesn't make a mid-size crew cab unless you count the $port Trac.

[Curt Harms]

4WD.....in the mountains, used intelligently, it's a blessing! There's a lot of places I couldn't go in good weather or bad that I can with 4WD. Used unintelligently, 4WD can be a curse. A lot of folks get themeselves in trouble with it when they might not without it.....they'd turn back before they got into trouble.

I heard it expressed as "with 4WD, when Ya get stuck, it'll take 2 tractors to pull ya out" of course that was years ago before 4WD tractors were around.

:D

Curt

[W Craig Wilson]

Peter,
After watching the mid-size trucks for a while, I jumped on the Colorado band wagon early; picked up my 2004 2x4 Crew Cab in January 04. I expected a little roughness with it being the first year for that vehicle model and engine (I5). I've been driving Toyota trucks and Volvo cars for a while - thought I might give US factories another shot. I did not expect the overall poor quality.
I've got 52k miles on it now. With a toneau cover fitted, I get 23 MPG highway - as good as the most optimistic EPA rating.
Interior:
Driver & right passenger front seats are reasonably comfortable for me (5'10 280+ lbs), even on long trips (6-8 hours). But don't plan to use the center seat in front for a passenger. Even with my skinny son driving, only the smallest of my grandkids can sit there comfortably and the law says that they need to be in back.
I got the Crew Cab to have space to haul g'kids. The back seat is OK for that and can even handle two safety seats and a booster if you buckle in the right sequence. Adults, including my 6'1" son, are OK in back for short trips (less than 1 hour).
Cargo Box:
I have been disappointed with the cargo capacity nearly every time I haul anything substantial. As Matt says, the tailgate will trick-out to allow level carriage of long stuff like sheet goods, but with the gate at half, the length is around 7 ft - you still have a bit hanging over. Trips for lumber always have stuff hanging out and must be planned for dry days or an extra wrap with tarps to protect the goods. When I took a WW class out of state recently, I took SWMBOs Toyota van to bring my project home; couldn't be sure it would fit in the bed and be protected from the weather on the 7 hour drive home.

Quality Gripes:
The Driver Info Center (DIC) is a joke. When I'm low on fuel, I only get the warning once - it disappears when the ignition is turned off and won't come back on until the next fill-empty cycle. And it has not once come on while driving 'normally' - only when I brake hard or back into a parking spot and slosh the fuel level a bit.
The DIC occasionally dings without presenting a message - no code to read out, just a chime. On cold days, I occasionally get a ding and a message about battery condition. This usually happens just after starting before engine is smoothed out at idle speed. Meaningless.
Soon after getting the truck, the Service engine light led to a poorly formed gas filler neck.- 4 trips to dealer to diagnose & fix.
The heater blower has had something inside since day 1 - dealer can't find it and I won't leave it for a couple of days to let him explore (read 'tear apart'). Fan speed resistor went out this week - maybe now I can find out what's in the blower.
The S belt tensioner started squeaking at around 25K. I've been gambling for a while that its just a noise, not an eminent failure, but I'm beginning to get nervous now. Ordered a new pulley when i ordered the blower resistor.

Bottom line - I got what I paid for but next time I'll dig deeper and go back to Toyota. I usually keep vehicles 10+ years. This is the first time I'm considering a trade-in before the loan is paid off.