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2008 Chevrolet Colorado Quality Review

July 24, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 6 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

designed for comfort
Automobile.com

sub-par fit and finish inside
Edmunds

less wind and road noise than most competitors
ConsumerGuide Automotive

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 it can seat up to six passengers in crew-cab mode. Comfort, though, is not a strength, and the quality and finish of its cabin leave much to be desired.

ConsumerGuide Automotive is generally happy with the front part of the Chevrolet Colorado cab's interior, saying there's "lots of legroom and headroom" and seats are "adequately comfortable for long drives." Kelley Blue Book concurs, declaring the "seats offer firm bottoms and good lumbar support" and that "the cloth fabric is both durable and comfortable."

Other reviews, however, were not so positive. Car and Driver writers are overtly critical of the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado interior, citing its "flimsy seats." Edmunds is not impressed with this Chevrolet, either. "Despite improvements over the years," reviewers concede, "seating comfort and cabin materials still leave much to be desired" with the 2008 Colorado. Chevrolet loses marks for giving "the impression of being cheap," with Edmunds noting "subpar materials, an abundance of hard plastic and mediocre seat comfort."

The backseat stands uncomfortably upright on four-door Colorados, and there's no option to fold the seats under the floor, which would make the rear area much more useful. Car and Driver notes the "small and uncomfortable back seat," and ConsumerGuide says that "adults lack legroom," though the "Crew Cabs are more spacious" on the Colorado. Chevrolet's rear seats are also faulted for being "hard and undersized." Getting to them is also a challenge, as "entry and exit is difficult through small door openings." Like legroom, "storage is limited," though "better on the Extended and Crew Cab" Chevy Colorado models, attests ConsumerGuide Automotive.

As for the truck bed, the six-foot bed won't carry the 4x8 sheet of plywood, and four-door Colorados have only a 5-foot, 1-inch bed.

Kelley Blue Book reports that "even over washboard roads, the Colorado exhibited no sign of dash-rattling or squeaks." Edmunds comments that the Colorado remains "relatively quiet around town," with "wind noise around the doors picking up at highway speeds."

Conclusion

The 2008 Chevrolet Colorado offers a wide variety of body and bed styles, but ultimately, comfort and storage are subpar, as are interior finishes.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 6 out of 10Expert Quotes:designed for comfortAutomobile.comsub-par fit and finish insideEdmundsless wind and road noise than most competitorsConsumerGuide Automotive 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 it can seat up to six passengers in crew-cab mode. Comfort, though, is not a strength, and the quality and finish of its cabin leave much to be desired. ConsumerGuide Automotive is generally happy with the front part of the Chevrolet Colorado cab's interior, saying there's "lots of legroom and headroom" and seats are "adequately comfortable for long drives." Kelley Blue Book concurs, declaring the "seats offer firm bottoms and good lumbar support" and that "the cloth fabric is both durable and comfortable." Other reviews, however, were not so positive. Car and Driver writers are overtly critical of the 2008 Chevrolet Colorado interior, citing its "flimsy seats." Edmunds is not impressed with this Chevrolet, either. "Despite improvements over the years," reviewers concede, "seating comfort and cabin materials still leave much to be desired" with the 2008 Colorado. Chevrolet loses marks for giving "the impression of being cheap," with Edmunds noting "subpar materials, an abundance of hard plastic and mediocre seat comfort." The backseat stands uncomfortably upright on four-door Colorados, and there's no option to fold the seats under the floor, which would make the rear area much more useful. Car and Driver notes the "small and uncomfortable back seat," and ConsumerGuide says that "adults lack legroom," though the "Crew Cabs are more spacious" on the Colorado. Chevrolet's rear seats are also faulted for being "hard and undersized." Getting to them is also a challenge, as "entry and exit is difficult through small door openings." Like legroom, "storage is limited," though "better on the Extended and Crew Cab" Chevy Colorado models, attests ConsumerGuide Automotive. As for the truck bed, the six-foot bed won't carry the 4x8 sheet of plywood, and four-door Colorados have only a 5-foot, 1-inch bed. Kelley Blue Book reports that "even over washboard roads, the Colorado exhibited no sign of dash-rattling or squeaks." Edmunds comments that the Colorado remains "relatively quiet around town," with "wind noise around the doors picking up at highway speeds." ConclusionThe 2008 Chevrolet Colorado offers a wide variety of body and bed styles, but ultimately, comfort and storage are subpar, as are interior finishes.  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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