Timing is everything, and for the second time in as many generations, the introduction of a Chevrolet Colorado was timed perfectly. For the 2015 model year, after ceding the midsize truck segment to Toyota and Nissan for three years, Chevy re-entered the market with a truck that outclassed its aging competition so significantly it handily won our Golden Calipers. For 2023, Chevrolet rolled out an all-new Colorado, but its launch timing meant it just missed last year’s competition. In the interim, the brand subsequently rolled out the stunning off-road-race-ready ZR2 and announced a forthcoming range-topping ZR2 Bison edition. In another lucky stroke for Chevy, the delay also aligned with MotorTrend moving its Truck of the Year competition to Michigan, where we’ve found a vastly improved playground for testing and evaluating off-road performance, allowing the ZR2—and the rest of the Colorado lineup—to shine brighter than may have been possible last year.
The 2015 Colorado borrowed liberally from an existing two-year-old global architecture and design, but this third-gen model qualifies as truly new, from its longer-wheelbase, Silverado-derived frame to its sole powertrain, a 2.7-liter turbo four-cylinder and eight-speed automatic. A beefier, more off-road-capable suspension gets standard six-lug wheels,
