Chevrolet Colorado 3rd Gen

The 3rd-gen Colorado launched for 2023 on an all-new platform built specifically to take the Tacoma TRD Pro and Ford Ranger Raptor on directly. Powertrain is one engine across the lineup: a 2.7L Turbo I4 in three tunes (237, 310, or 310 hp depending on trim) paired with an 8-speed automatic. Replacing both the four-cylinder and the previous diesel with a single turbocharged I4 simplifies the build cycle and lets every Colorado share the same drivetrain mounting and exhaust routing.

The ZR2 is the headline trim for off-road buyers. Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers (the same architecture as the Camaro ZL1 and Ford F-150 Raptor R) handle damping with three flow zones per direction instead of conventional shim-stacked valving. Front and rear electronic locking differentials are factory standard. 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires on 17" wheels, 10.7" of ground clearance, and a 1.43-inch wider track than the lesser trims. The ZR2 Bison package, co-developed with AEV, adds boron-steel skid plates, AEV-style bumpers, and dedicated DSSV tuning.

Below the ZR2 sit the Trail Boss (lifted suspension, hill descent control) and the Z71 (smaller off-road bias, dual-rate dampers, locking rear). The base WT and LT are fleet-oriented and not overland-relevant.

Aftermarket support is still building out. Most major brands had at least a bumper and a rack on shelves within 6 months of launch, but lift kit and suspension options remain thinner than the equivalent Tacoma catalog. The ZR2's factory suspension is good enough that most owners don't modify it for the first 50,000 miles.