Used 2008 Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab

As gasoline prices continue to edge upwards, the compact pickup is beginning to look mighty attractive. Though it can’t tow or haul like a full-size Silverado, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado makes an attractive alternative for those whose truck use tends to be more recreational than occupational. The Colorado’s 185-horsepower four-cylinder and 242-horsepower five-cylinder engines provide good power and excellent fuel economy, while a four-wheel-drive option allows the compact pickup to tackle deep snow and venture off-road. Although the Colorado’s cab and bed are not the largest in this segment (and its turning radius is uncommonly wide), the truck remains competitive with Ford’s Ranger series and, to a lesser extent, the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier and Dodge Dakota.

The Colorado’s greatest strengths can be found in its chassis and powertrains. The newest body-on-frame chassis is much more rigid than previous Chevrolet compact pickups and you can feel it in the way the Colorado handles off-road and in the corners. Even over washboard roads, the Colorado exhibited no sign of dash-rattling or squeaks. Chevrolet has also created a number of performance and off-road packages that enhance the Colorado’s rugged image. Surprisingly, for such a small truck, the Colorado has a rather wide turning circle. The standard in-line four-cylinder is fairly potent for such a small engine. When ordered with the manual transmission, it also offers exceptionally good fuel economy.

The Colorado’s interior layout is highly functional, with all the gauges and controls in clear sight and easy reach of the driver. The seats offer firm bottoms and good lumbar support, and the cloth fabric is both durable and comfortable. Crew Cab models are a bit tight when it comes to rear-seat legroom, but front seat occupants should be more than satisfied. The one drawback may be the over-abundance of gray throughout the cab. Chevrolet has revamped the interior color scheme to lessen this mass of gray plastic, but the most vivid improvements show up only in the pricier trim levels.

The Colorado definitely has the look that says "Chevy." Bulging fender flares and bright alloy wheels punctuate tall slab sides. Regular Cab models ride on a 111.3-inch wheelbase while Extended and Crew Cab models are on a 126.0-inch wheelbase. The bed length for the Regular and Extended Cab models is roughly six feet, while that for the Crew Cab model is about five feet. Both beds feature tall sidewalls, for deeper storage, which give the Colorado best-in-class cargo volume. The Colorado has a clever tailgate that can be opened flat or set at a 55-degree angle, effectively placing the top of the gate in line with the tops of the rear wheel wells, which makes it easy to load and carry, for example, large, flat panels.

Tailgate
The Colorado’s rear tailgate can be set at a 55-degree angle so that items can rest flat on the tops of the wheel wells and align with the tailgate.

Side-Curtain Airbags
Optional side-curtain airbags are a first for this segment.

The Colorado LS features a five-speed manual transmission, 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine, air conditioning, cruise control, anti-lock brakes (ABS), tilt steering wheel, dual outside mirrors, automatic headlamps, color-keyed carpeting, AM/FM stereo, tachometer and forward-facing jump seats in the Extended Cab. The LT trim adds chrome front and rear bumpers, Deluxe Cloth upholstery, CD player, leather-wrapped steering wheel and some trim items. To that the Z71 adds the Z71 off-road suspension, auto-dimming mirror, rear sliding window and the 3.7-liter five-cylinder engine.

Options include four-wheel drive, four-speed automatic transmission, power windows, power door locks, power mirrors, heated leather seats, automatic locking rear differential, tow package, six-disc CD changer, XM Satellite Radio, side-impact airbags, traction control, Z71 off-road package and a Sun and Sound package that adds a six-disc CD changer and power sunroof.

Engine choices for the Colorado include four- and five-cylinder powerplants. The standard 2.9-liter four and the optional 3.7-liter five are both derivatives of the in-line six found in the Chevrolet TrailBlazer and GMC Envoy. Though the sizes of these engines might seem small, they are both big on power. The 2.9-liter four-cylinder produces an impressive 185 horsepower and offers up most of its 190 pound-feet of torque between the ranges of 1200 and 5600 rpm. That’s enough power to muscle any lightly-equipped four-wheel-drive vehicle through the toughest terrain. The optional 3.7-liter engine makes 242 horsepower. Both of these engines produce class-leading horsepower while returning good fuel economy.

2.9-liter in-line 4
185 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
190 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 18/24 (2WD, manual), 18/24 (2WD, automatic), 16/22 (4WD, manual), 17/22 (4WD, automatic)

3.7-liter in-line 5
242 horsepower @ 5600 rpm
242 lb.-ft. of torque @ 2800 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 16/22 (2WD), 15/21 (4WD), 16/22 (2WD, Crew Cab), 15/20 (4WD, Crew Cab)