Specifications of Chevrolet Colorado II Crew Cab Short Box 2.5i (203 HP) Automatic
General characteristics of Chevrolet Colorado II Crew Cab Short Box 2.5i (203 HP) Automatic
The truck's dimensions depend on whether you opt for the Extended or Crew Cab, and the short or long box bed. This is because the short bed measures 61.7 inches in length, while the long bed is 74 inches. Similarly, the wheelbase varies from 128.3 inches to 140.5 inches depending on the configuration.
The Extended Cab comes equipped with the long bed only, for an overall length of 212.7 inches. The larger Crew Cab retains the same length with the short bed, but this grows to 224.9 inches when the long box is swapped in. Width is 74.3 inches without the mirrors regardless of these factors. Height and ground clearance range from 70.3 to 70.7 inches and 8.1 to 8.3 inches, respectively.
The off-road-focused ZR2 not only has the most aggressive styling, but deviates from the rest of the range in terms of its dimensions. It gets a 128.5-inch wheelbase, and length varies between 212.4 and 212.7 inches, depending on Extended Cab/long box or Crew Cab/short box configuration. It is 2.4 inches wider than the other trims, and stands taller at 72.4 to 72.5 inches, which gives it a greater ground clearance of 10 inches. Curb weight ranges from 3,845 lbs for the 2WD Work Truck Extended Cab with the long box to 4,533 lbs for the 4WD ZR2 Crew Cab with the long box.
One of three engines sit under the hood of the Colorado, with power and capabilities varying widely between. The most basic is the 2.5-liter four-cylinder that comes mated to a six-speed automatic transmission to develop 200 hp and 191 lb-ft. Both components are old and unimpressive, but they supply enough power to move the pickup around town or perform light-duty work.
The other four-pot option is the 2.8-liter Duramax turbo-diesel, which can be outfitted to all but the base trim. It gets the same wishy-washy six-speed auto, sadly, but a whole lot more torque - 181 hp and 369 lb-ft, to be exact. It is still quite a way from being described as quick and responsive, but this power plant allows the Chevy to do some serious work. In fact, it is this set-up, with the front-wheel drivetrain, that delivers the best towing capacity of 7,700 lbs.
If you don't mind losing a bit of torque, a 3.6-liter V6 is available across the range. Mated to a far superior eight-speed automatic transmission, it produces 308 hp and 275 lb-ft. So, while it loses out on some towing capability, it offers a lot more power on tap for quicker acceleration and overall maneuverability.
Every power plant pairs well with rear- or four-wheel drive, but the ZR2 does not allow you to spec the former.
With various engine and drivetrain options, gas mileage ranges from average to terrible. In its most basic configuration, which is 2WD paired with the four-cylinder gas engine and six-speed automatic gearbox, the pickup returns an EPA-estimated 19/25/22 mpg city/highway/combined, while swapping out for the diesel engine increases this to the best figures of 20/30/23 mpg. Opting for the 4WD drops one to two mpg across all three cycles. The thirstiest variant is the ZR2, which comes standard with 4WD and offers a choice between the diesel or V6 engines, returning 18/22/19 and 16/18/17 mpg, respectively. The V6 gets its best figures of 18/25/21 mpg when paired with 2WD. Equipped with a 21-gallon fuel tank, the pickup has a maximum range of 483 miles in mixed driving conditions when equipped with the diesel engine and 2WD.
Since there is no conventional trunk, cargo space is dependent on bed length. The long box can be paired with either the Extended or Crew cabs, measuring 74 inches long and 57.8 inches wide at the floor. This offers a total cargo capacity of 49.9 cubic feet. The shorter box can only be combined with the Crew Cab, and has a reduced length of 61.7 inches. This, in turn, reduces the overall cargo capacity to 41.3 cubic feet. In comparison to the rest of the segment, these figures are quite competitive, and allow the pickup to haul payloads of up to 2,181 pounds - applicable to the 4WD Extended Cab with the long box and diesel engine.
Around the cabin, there is a fair number of storage solutions. A standard glove compartment supplies space for larger items, while the door pockets can accommodate smaller items. Along with the expected door pockets, the Extended Cab comes with rear underseat storage. Naturally, cupholders are standard, too, with two up front and two in the back. An overhead console is added on every trim from the LT upwards.
