As to those features, the LTZ gets much of the top Z71’s fare inside with climate air (single-zone only) and integrated sat nav along with the new infotainment system, which is a simple-to-use contraption with a few hard buttons to help operation. Or, if you prefer, plug your phone in and enjoy the CarPlay or Android Auto features. The LTZ is trimmed in cloth but the front seats could do with some more padding, while the cup holders in the center console are on the small side.
When you open the Colorado’s front doors, the window will drop a few centimetres to help with cabin venting when closing the door. It’s a handy feature as it can be harder to close the rear doors without giving them a good slam, but then the driver’s window occasionally did a few weird things, such as not closing again, or going up and down a few times of its own accord.
Another of the Colorado’s redeeming features is its engine; there’s plenty of torque without excess lag and it revs well too. The six-speed auto is good enough for town trawling and highway rambling, though you may find the need to shift it manually on winding, hilly sections to ensure optimal gear selection. The only reason for buying the manual would be for potential fuel saving. The urban fuel use figure for the LTZ 4×2 auto is 10.6L/100km, and that’s what city folk should expect as an overall figure, while rural runners could expect something closer to the seven mark.
Colorado’s better dynamic traits include its unladen ride quality and the traction supplied via its LSD. It gives Colorado great traction, both when gassing it off the mark (where you won’t get stymied by traction control intervention) and it’s obliging when you get one of the rear wheels on a slippery surface; it’s adept at getting itself unstuck. It makes for a more capable rear drive option but it’s not unstoppable off road remember.
This particular Colorado looks bush ready, but given it’s a 4×2 model it’s a case of all dressed up with no place to roam. The LTZ 4×2 has an RRP of $51,990 while the 4×4 version is $62,990, and so the money saved by opting for the rear-driver can then be blown on accessories to make you look like the alpha male adventurer.
The Rhino rack looks safari ready but at 100km/h the wind noise is plain to hear, while you’ll need some bigger wheels to better fill those flared arches. The off-road bumper integrates well and adds to the approach angle and if you pay more you can get the parking sensors reinstated up front, which otherwise are standard on the LTZ.
On road, the LTZ gets along well thanks to the grunt of the engine, and while the new electrically assisted steering is lighter and quicker, it’s not as precise as Amarok’s, or as interactive as Ranger’s. Colorado is tidier through the bends than it used to be, the new suspension tune helping contain wayward movements, though the ESP is quick to curtail any shenanigans, probably wise considering the mass and potential velocity involved.
The revisions to the MY17 Colorado see it better equipped in the ute battle, preferable to the likes of Triton and Hilux, and more comparable now to Navara and Ranger. And the 4×2 models leave you with money to spend on accessories, even those of questionable use.
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