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2008 Chevrolet Colorado Review

July 24, 2008

STYLING | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

aerodynamic, angular and athletic
Cars.com

rugged, bold look
Kelley Blue Book

rental-car interior decor
Car and Driver

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.

Kelley Blue Book is relatively impressed with the base 2008 Chevrolet Colorado trim, calling it "an attractive alternative for those whose truck use tends to be recreational." The exterior has a "look that says 'Chevy,' [with] bulging fender flares and bright alloy wheels [that] punctuate tall slab sides." Automedia calls its styling “terrific,” and believes it “resembles a scaled-down Silverado with a rugged and sporting stance.” Truck Trend notes that the Colorado comes in three different cab styles: “regular cab, extended cab, crew cab (with four full-size front-hinged doors)” and that “regular and extended cabs get a 6-foot-1-inch-long bed and crew cabs feature a 5-foot-1-inch-long bed.” Edmunds feels that “The Colorado's aggressive, angular styling makes big promises of power, ruggedness and capability.” Cars.com calls it "aerodynamic, angular and athletic."

The Colorado’s interior draws praise for its layout, but takes hits for its aesthetics. Automedia thinks that “Inside, Colorado looks and feels more like a spacious, well-appointed full-size pickup,” and Kelley Blue Book describes the Chevrolet Colorado interior layout as "highly functional, with all the gauges and controls in clear sight and easy reach of the driver." However, they also note an "over-abundance of gray throughout the cab" that only differs "in the pricier trim levels." ConsumerGuide likes "the audio and climate controls [that] are simple to use and are clearly marked" and gauges that "are easy to read," though "some digital readouts wash out in direct sunlight." Edmunds complains “recent upgrades to the Colorado's interior make today's version more hospitable than in previous model years. However, plenty of evidence of cost-cutting remains in the form of hard plastics, inconsistent build quality and a near absence of style.” Car and Driver slams its "rental-car interior décor."

Conclusion

The Chevrolet Colorado has big-truck styling outside, but a more Spartan interior than most reviewers like.

STYLING | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:aerodynamic, angular and athleticCars.comrugged, bold lookKelley Blue Bookrental-car interior decorCar and Driver 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. Kelley Blue Book is relatively impressed with the base 2008 Chevrolet Colorado trim, calling it "an attractive alternative for those whose truck use tends to be recreational." The exterior has a "look that says 'Chevy,' [with] bulging fender flares and bright alloy wheels [that] punctuate tall slab sides." Automedia calls its styling “terrific,” and believes it “resembles a scaled-down Silverado with a rugged and sporting stance.” Truck Trend notes that the Colorado comes in three different cab styles: “regular cab, extended cab, crew cab (with four full-size front-hinged doors)” and that “regular and extended cabs get a 6-foot-1-inch-long bed and crew cabs feature a 5-foot-1-inch-long bed.” Edmunds feels that “The Colorado's aggressive, angular styling makes big promises of power, ruggedness and capability.” Cars.com calls it "aerodynamic, angular and athletic." The Colorado’s interior draws praise for its layout, but takes hits for its aesthetics. Automedia thinks that “Inside, Colorado looks and feels more like a spacious, well-appointed full-size pickup,” and Kelley Blue Book describes the Chevrolet Colorado interior layout as "highly functional, with all the gauges and controls in clear sight and easy reach of the driver." However, they also note an "over-abundance of gray throughout the cab" that only differs "in the pricier trim levels." ConsumerGuide likes "the audio and climate controls [that] are simple to use and are clearly marked" and gauges that "are easy to read," though "some digital readouts wash out in direct sunlight." Edmunds complains “recent upgrades to the Colorado's interior make today's version more hospitable than in previous model years. However, plenty of evidence of cost-cutting remains in the form of hard plastics, inconsistent build quality and a near absence of style.” Car and Driver slams its "rental-car interior décor." ConclusionThe Chevrolet Colorado has big-truck styling outside, but a more Spartan interior than most reviewers like.  2008 CHEVROLET COLORADO STYLING | [7 out of 10] Cars.com: "aerodynamic, angular and athletic" Kelley Blue Book: "rugged, bold look" Car and Driver: "rental-car interior decor" The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado looks more like a full-size truck than its compact size would indicate—but ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

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:

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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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