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2008 Chevrolet Colorado Bottom Line

November 7, 2008

By Marty Padgett's avatar Marty Padgett, Executive EditorMarty Padgett

TheCarConnection.com's editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the class, and to give you the best advice even when other reviews present conflicting opinions.

Likes:

  • A real compact truck
  • Variety of body styles
  • Fuel-saving four-cylinder option

Dislikes:

  • Lack of V-6 or V-8 engines
  • Interior quality
  • Six-foot bed is longest available
  • Uncomfortable rear seats don’t stow, either

Buying Tips:

If you need a work truck with four cylinders, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado might be a good bet. Aside from the Ford Ranger, there's not much competition at the bottom for this type of truck--mostly because a cheap full-size pickup isn't that much more expensive. It's easy to push a Colorado's price tag into the high $20,000 range, which isn't recommended. Stick with the less plush versions and you'll get the best value for your money.

There are plenty of good reasons to own a compact pickup truck like a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. For tradesmen needing better fuel economy, there's nothing to substitute for a vehicle with a bed. Still the Chevy Colorado isn't that satisfying a vehicle to drive, and its meager four- and five-cylinder engines, combined with a short pickup bed, limit both its entertainment value and its utility.

High gas prices have given the Chevy Colorado a new appeal. Base models are powered by a 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine offering 185 horsepower, while the optional inline five-cylinder engine measures in at 3.9 liters and delivers 242 horsepower. Drivers can see as much as 18/24 mpg with the four-cylinder, and can even manage 15/20 mpg with the five-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. Neither combination is very enjoyable to pilot or to listen to; they're noisy engines that sound unrefined next to the silkier sounds coming from a four-cylinder Toyota Tacoma. A smoother V-6 would be a good option, but none is available.

Variety is one of the Colorado's chief draws. It's available in either rear- or four-wheel drive, in short-wheelbase regular-cab and long-wheelbase extended- and four-door crew-cab versions, and can seat up to six passengers in crew-cab mode. The backseat stands uncomfortably upright on four-door versions, though, and there's no option to fold the seats under the floor, which would make the rear area much more useful. The six-foot "long" bed won't carry the 4x8 sheet of plywood, and four-door Colorados have only a 5-foot, 1-inch bed anyway.

The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado looks more like a full-size truck than its compact size would indicate—but inside, it’s awash in inexpensive plastics and cheap-feeling switches.

Three different suspension packages are offered, along with a long list of options that allows for maximum customization. In most versions, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado has better-than-average ride and handling.

Standard equipment includes air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, and folding exterior mirrors. Options include traction control, XM, fog lamps, leather seats, a sunroof, a six-CD changer, and a sliding rear window. OnStar is offered, but there is no navigation system--a real need in work trucks.

Front-impact safety performance is good--the four-door Chevrolet Colorado gets five-star crash scores, while other versions get four stars--but side curtain airbags are optional, but the Colorado gets a "poor" rating for side-impact safety from the IIHS.

Other Choices:

If you like the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado, also consider:

Reason Why:

Aside from the GMC Canyon with which it shares platforms and components, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado's only real competitor is the Dodge Dakota, which comes with a wide variety of engines but is substantially larger, as are the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. The evergreen Ford Ranger can be ordered with four cylinders, and it gets good crash-test results, and usually it's an even better bargain than the Colorado due to its advancing age.

The Bottom Line:

The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado fits the bill as a compact work truck with a smaller appetite for fuel, but its engines are noisy and the rear seats on four-door models are a letdown.

TheCarConnection.com's editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the class, and to give you the best advice even when other reviews present conflicting opinions. Likes:A real compact truckVariety of body stylesFuel-saving four-cylinder optionDislikes:Lack of V-6 or V-8 enginesInterior qualitySix-foot bed is longest availableUncomfortable rear seats don’t stow, eitherBuying Tips:If you need a work truck with four cylinders, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado might be a good bet. Aside from the Ford Ranger, there's not much competition at the bottom for this type of truck--mostly because a cheap full-size pickup isn't that much more expensive. It's easy to push a Colorado's price tag into the high $20,000 range, which isn't recommended. Stick with the less plush versions and you'll get the best value for your money. There are plenty of good reasons to own a compact pickup truck like a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. For tradesmen needing better fuel economy, there's nothing to substitute for a vehicle with a bed. Still the Chevy Colorado isn't that satisfying a vehicle to drive, and its meager four- and five-cylinder engines, combined with a short pickup bed, limit both its entertainment value and its utility. High gas prices have given the Chevy Colorado a new appeal. Base models are powered by a 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine offering 185 horsepower, while the optional inline five-cylinder engine measures in at 3.9 liters and delivers 242 horsepower. Drivers can see as much as 18/24 mpg with the four-cylinder, and can even manage 15/20 mpg with the five-cylinder engine and automatic transmission. Neither combination is very enjoyable to pilot or to listen to; they're noisy engines that sound unrefined next to the silkier sounds coming from a four-cylinder Toyota Tacoma. A smoother V-6 would be a good option, but none is available. Variety is one of the Colorado's chief draws. It's available in either rear- or four-wheel drive, in short-wheelbase regular-cab and long-wheelbase extended- and four-door crew-cab versions, and can seat up to six passengers in crew-cab mode. The backseat stands uncomfortably upright on four-door versions, though, and there's no option to fold the seats under the floor, which would make the rear area much more useful. The six-foot "long" bed won't carry the 4x8 sheet of plywood, and four-door Colorados have only a 5-foot, 1-inch bed anyway. The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado looks more like a full-size truck than its compact size would indicate—but inside, it’s awash in inexpensive plastics and cheap-feeling switches. Three different suspension packages are offered, along with a long list of options that allows for maximum customization. In most versions, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado has better-than-average ride and handling. Standard equipment includes air conditioning, a tilt steering wheel, cruise control, and folding exterior mirrors. Options include traction control, XM, fog lamps, leather seats, a sunroof, a six-CD changer, and a sliding rear window. OnStar is offered, but there is no navigation system--a real need in work trucks. Front-impact safety performance is good--the four-door Chevrolet Colorado gets five-star crash scores, while other versions get four stars--but side curtain airbags are optional, but the Colorado gets a "poor" rating for side-impact safety from the IIHS. Other Choices:If you like the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado, also consider:GMC CanyonDodge DakotaFord RangerReason Why:Aside from the GMC Canyon with which it shares platforms and components, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado's only real competitor is the Dodge Dakota, which comes with a wide variety of engines but is substantially larger, as are the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. The evergreen Ford Ranger can be ordered with four cylinders, and it gets good crash-test results, and usually it's an even better bargain than the Colorado due to its advancing age. The Bottom Line:The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado fits the bill as a compact work truck with a smaller appetite for fuel, but its engines are noisy and the rear seats on four-door models are a letdown. TheCarConnection.com's editors read the latest reviews on the new 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to write this comprehensive review. Our car experts also drove the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado to be able to deliver our definitive opinion on the car, to compare it with other cars in the class, and to ...

Other Choices:

Aside from the GMC Canyon with which it shares platforms and components, the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado's only real competitor is the Dodge Dakota, which comes with a wide variety of engines but is substantially larger, as are the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma. The evergreen Ford Ranger can be ordered with four cylinders, and it gets good crash-test results, and usually it's an even better bargain than the Colorado due to its advancing age.

Next Steps:

Check Insurance Rates

for the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado

Check Financing Rates

for the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado

Check Local Classifieds

for a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado near you

See the Chevrolet Colorado in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004

Comments (2 total)

  1. By JAw #1, Posted: 9/15/2008

    Colorodder

    You guys just love your rice burners don't you. Funny, I've never heard of a 3.9 liter in a Colorado. Get your facts straight.The proper literage is 3.7. How in the world is 242 Horsepower matched with 242 ft. lbs. dissapointing? I agree that it needs more acceleration when starting out, but practicality reigns supreme when you are selling a product to an everyday driver. Maybe my Colorod is a freak but it takes toyota 4 cylinders and chews them up. As for the "unrefined" idle of the Colorado, to spite its dual balancing shafts, I agree it idles rough. A refined idle is for a BMW and luxury is for the old. Give me a cammed V8 anyday.

  2. By phantom1991 #2, Posted: 8/31/2009

    Colorodder-you missed one thing: the picture they have is not of a crew cab but of the base cab. For the record, I love my 2008 5 cylinder crew cab.

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