2008 Chevrolet Colorado

When the Colorado was new in 2004, it got a good deal of praise from the press. After all, it surpassed the Chevy S-10 that preceded it, and all of the rival trucks at the time had grown old and outdated. Alas, the Colorado's 15 minutes came and went quickly. Over the next two years, Toyota, Nissan, Dodge, and Honda all unveiled brand new trucks of their own that slammed this Chevy to the back of the pack.

For starters, the Colorado's capabilities fall short, even for a compact pickup. With its best engine, towing maxes out at 4,000 pounds (6,500 is common) and while acceleration is adequate, it lags the entire class without any discernible fuel economy advantage. The culprit is the Colorado's 5-cylinder engine, which by the way constantly emits a thrashy moan and shakes this truck like a vibra-matic at every stoplight. The mushy brakes and wide turning circle don't help. Upsides include a decent ride and, despite numb steering, handling that's somewhat agile (partly thanks to the Colorado's slender body).

There are even fewer upsides to the Colorado's interior. The instrument cluster looks pretty cool and the control layout is sensible, but your attention will inevitably drift toward the flat, low seats that turn painful within two hours -- and their barely acceptable upholstery. And the awkward placement of the pedals. And the cheapest-looking dashboard seen in any 21st century GM product. And the uncomfortable back seat that can't even fold properly (the backrest simply piles on top of the bottom cushion).

Ranging from about $15-25K, the Colorado is at least priced near the bottom of its class, though considering its merits, that's only fitting.
What's new for the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado: No changes.