The Chevrolet Bolt is back – for now.
The 2027 Chevrolet Volt will be available in limited quantities at three price points starting around $30,000.
Our one year review 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 went through it all with us during 50,000 miles of torture testing. Towing, cross-country transportation, overland travel, snow, mud, rock and more Details can be found within these links. This is your last chance to convince you that this is the most well-rounded off-road pickup truck you can buy.
Let me clarify that claim. There are midsize pickups that excel at certain types of off-roading. There are also mid-size pickup trucks that are more expensive than the Colorado ZR2.
Consider a mid-size pickup truck equipped for the trails right off the dealer lot. That list includes the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, and Ford Ranger Raptor. (We’ll omit the Canyon AT4, which is virtually identical to the Colorado.) The Nissan Frontier Pro 4X is competitively priced, but also lacks a true performance shock package.
crawl on rock
If your only source of off-road recreation is lapping your local rock trails, the Jeep Gladiator Rubicon may be better suited to your needs, as it features a pair of Dana 44 live axles, each with selectable locking differentials. Additionally, the transfer case’s 4.0:1 low-frequency ratio makes the truck’s precision untouchable, even on rocky terrain. However, those who combine rock crawling with other dirt competitions should consider other options. None of these trucks can match the Rubicon’s sticky, low-speed crawling chop, but both the Colorado ZR2 and Ranger Raptor feature a pair of selectable locking differentials, which are a must for rock-strewn trails. Despite its high cost, the Tacoma TRD Pro does not have a front locking differential.
run fast on dirt
If there’s one place the Colorado ZR2 outperforms the Gladiator Rubicon, it’s when speeds exceed walking pace. As we saw in direct comparison Between Chevrolet’s Tacoma TRD Pro and Jeep’s slightly faster Gladiator, the Mojave, the solid axle can’t keep up with the independent front suspension. This leaves the ZR2 in a battle with the Tacoma TRD Pro and Ranger Raptor.
The TRD Pro’s Fox shocks are intended to be customized, or “click-in,” based on surface type. To get the best performance, the driver has to crawl under the Tacoma and fiddle with the shocks every time it switches from pavement to dirt. Ford also uses Fox Live Valve shocks that use a series of sensors and computers to automatically adjust based on the terrain. No human input required. Colorado ZR2 uses spool valve shocks It minimizes body roll, handles G-outs, smooths washboard surfaces, and absorbs the impact of whoops. All this can be done without manual dials or electronic devices.
While the Live Valve shock is incredibly versatile and does a great job of handling surface irregularities, the Colorado ZR2’s Multimatic Spool Valve shock accomplishes the same job without the electronics and performs wonderfully and reliably on the variety of terrain we tested.
From an analytical standpoint, the Colorado ZR2 excels at rock crawling and is one of the best in the business when it comes to lively riding on dirt. But what else do you need to consider?
Thoughts after 50,000 miles: Ugly stuff.
Aside from regular oil changes (the manual says every 7,000 miles, but I seem to have no problem extending that to 10,000 miles), the Colorado ZR2 has been to the dealer numerous times with brake issues. Brake pads became clogged with dirt and debris, and the pads, rotors, or entire assembly had to be replaced before the repair was complete.
Our Colorado’s rear brake sensor wire also had a tendency to completely tear off from passing obstacles off-road. These same brakes also had a tendency to overheat quickly with vigorous driving on dirt roads, prompting warnings to reduce speed and eventually enabling a 45 mph limp mode. Despite these issues, I didn’t have any concerns when towing or towing on pavement.
Halfway through my stay on the Colorado, I also experienced a 12-volt battery failure. After the power brakes and steering failed while driving on the highway, the truck stopped in the driveway and would not start without the jumper pack. The dealership claimed that the truck’s battery had failed, causing a series of electric gremlins, which was completely normal for a 6-month-old Colorado. The battery was replaced under warranty.
The final complaint is the tires. I forgot to count how many plugs I installed on the tire tread patches and other places. (We told Jared to change the tire sooner, but he kept going further and further — ed.) The Goodyear Wrangler Territory M/T is perfectly fine for most on-road and off-road tasks, but under my watch it seemed to have an extreme affinity for the sharpest objects. Although some tires had plugs and patches sewn in, the factory tires, including a full-size spare, lasted 50,000 miles before needing to be replaced.
All in all, between regular oil changes, filter changes, brake work, and a new set of tires at the end of the loan, we spent $4,182.61 to keep our Colorado ZR2 running. I haven’t run any of my off-road annual review rigs in these harsh conditions recently, so it’s difficult to make a direct comparison, but here are the closest ones from a cost/mileage standpoint: 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Hybrid. The truck cost $2,957.40 over approximately 30,000 miles, likely exceeding the cost of a small Colorado by the time the odometer hit 50,000 miles.
On the fueling front, our Colorado ZR2 fell short of its already low 17/17/17 mpg city/highway/combined EPA ratings, averaging just 15.3 mpg and $0.26 per mile over a year of heavy off-road, towing, and long-distance highway driving. This isn’t great, but it’s not far from the performance of other midsize pickups we reviewed over the year. For example, the 2023 Nissan Frontier SV 4×4 longbed we started with averaged 16.4 mpg, but cost us $0.31 per mile because we rarely strayed far from the Los Angeles metropolitan area, where gas is more expensive.
judgment
Why spend more money on a Tacoma TRD Pro with inferior shocks and fewer off-road tools?The Jeep Gladiator Rubicon is only reasonable if you absolutely need the most serious equipment for rocky terrain. The Ranger Raptor has very similar off-road gear to the Colorado ZR2, but it costs more to do so. If all you need is a rear locking differential and entry-level Bilstein shocks, the Nissan Frontier Pro-4X will suffice.
After more than 50,000 miles, I would argue that from a dollar-per-performance standpoint, the Colorado ZR2 is the best midsize off-road pickup truck money can buy. I know that’s where I’m going to spend my money.
Read more about the long-running Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 below.
Photo credit: Jered Korfhage
