Would you drive this? 2023 Chevy Colorado

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Chevy has streamlined the bulk of its configurability for the 2023 Colorado based on the popularity of the previous-generation truck, offering this new unit exclusively as a four-door crew cab with the shorter five-foot-two-inch box. From base Work Truck (WT) trim up to the dust-busting ZR2 off-roader, Chevy has opted to offer what most people want, even if that means giving some people more than they need by dropping short-cab and long-bed options.

Proportionally, the new Colorado is 2.3 inches wider than the previous pickup. The new Colorado also uses a 3.1-inch-longer wheelbase across all trims, and a shorter front overhang to help improve approach angles. The new ZR2's 38.3-degree approach is more than an upgrade from the last truck's 31.8-degree angle; it's also better than the current Tacoma TRD Pro's 35.0 degree approach. In this segment, the Gladiator wins this metric with a gnarly 43.6 degrees of approach angle.

Colorado wheels now use the full-size Silverado 1500's 6.0-by-5.5-inch bolt pattern, which opens up aluminum wheel options from as early as 1999. With bigger hubs come larger brakes. The four-wheel discs on the 2023 Colorado are now over an inch larger up front, and nearly an inch bigger on the solid rear axle. It's grown 200 to 300 pounds heavier in 4WD configuration, but the biggest increase is for ZR2 models. The last crew-cab ZR2 we tested had the soon-lost 3.6-liter V-6 and weighed 4749 pounds, but the new ZR2 is up in pant size to 5298 pounds, the largest increase we noticed from the specs provided.

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The midlevel Z71 and new-for-2023 Trail Boss trim come with a 310 horsepower and 390 pound-feet of torque with 7700 pounds of max towing. That's the highest in the segment. This powertrain is also available for WT and LT levels.

Finally, the big-daddy ZR2 has the same horsepower as Z71 and Trail Boss, but with 430 pound-feet of torque at 3000 rpm. That's a 121 horsepower and 61-pound-foot improvement over the outgoing diesel engine. Chevy says any trim can upgrade to the high-output engine through their Limited Production Option (LPO) preorder offer.

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It will continue to be built by the folks at GM's Wentzille, Missouri, assembly plant, with the start of production sometime in the first half of 2023.

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