If GM had hacked the back off of an HHR panel and made a small mini-truck out of it, I'd have considered it.

 

That's what they need to fix.

 

I've gone shopping for a Colorado a few times in the last several years and the Silverado just kills it's little brother. Base Colorado's aside but that isn't a truck you would want to live with. The sales people will gladly show off the Colorado but they will always have you look at a base Silverado too. And once you begin to compare them the Silverado is sometimes cheaper because of rebates. (Why GM doesn't rebate the Coloroado the same escapes me) Fuel economy is also very close. We already know the Silverado is more truck for the dollar. So for those who end up buying a Coloroado its because they really wanted to.

 

And that's the thing. Colorado isn't good enough to elicit the "gotta have it" emotion.

My dad picked one up not too long ago, a 2006 I believe. Its interior is barely nicer than my '01 S10 (a truck that I really like for what it is). The fact that it has an actual back seat in the extended cab is nice. Beyond that, there is very little there to convince me that there aren't better trucks available for the money.

 

That's true of any compact truck though. They are all pricey (MSRP, at least) when loaded up.

I wouldn't take a new Colorado over a new Silverado either, if priced similarly (though that really isn't quite true, I don't think). Nor would I take a Tacoma over a Silverado, nor a Frontier, Dakota, whatever.

Loaded Colorados are, what, $30k (which is nuts)? Loaded Silverados approach $50k (or $60k if talking Duramax / Allison HD trucks). Which is also nuts. Of course, the Silverado comes with features that aren't even available on the small trucks (also probably a universal truth comparing full size trucks to compacts).

I bought my '05 certified used on 12/31/07 with 24k miles on it for $13500. Sticker was about $25k when new, I think. I am pretty sure there were rebates at the time that it was originally sold (November of '05), so I hope the original owner didn't pay much more than $20k for it.

 

I got the feeling when I cross shopped the Dakota, Colorado and Silverado a few years ago that it just seems like GM would much rather discount the Silverado and get a customer into one of those than a Colorado. That was not the case at Dodge as they were not giving the Ram away. Times change!

I agree and love the S10/Sonoma's I had a few from the mid 90's to 2000. They had their flaws like the jump seats instead of a bench for the extended cab but that was eventually added to the lineup. But for the basic needs that my father and I had for a truck it really did everything we asked of it and was pleasant to drive. We didn't need or want a full size pick-up.
IMO GM out priced and then cannibalized it's own Colorado in favor of the Silverado. And that's a shame considering how well the Tacoma has done during the time that the Colorado has floundered.

 

I think that's just it. For me, not much can beat the stance of a smaller, narrow truck high off the ground like the newer Colorado Z71's ride. IMHO you just can't find Silverados with an aggressive enough look in that mid $20k range with 4wd.

That's why I wonder what GM's going to do for the enthusiast crowd. We won't have little truck Z71's, ZR2's, Xtreme S10's or Collys, no Xtreme Blazers. Just Silverados with fake wood trim, huge plastic bumpers, and stamped steel wheels unless you want to drop $30k+ on a new truck. And I'm sorry, but the Equinox doesn't fill the need for a small SUV that you can run over curbs and take on goat trails when you go camping. It's like telling Toyota fools that they can't have their x-boxes and stupidly overpriced FJ's and to buy Toyota Highlanders instead...

 

It is and a VERY rare find. The 5.3L 300HP is available and I've only seen 1 in all my Chevrolet dealer trips. It was an Extended cab/ Z71 4x4 with leather and everything and the price was over 30K putting it into Silverado territory.

Chevrolet needs to study the basics of the Tacoma, it is a solid little truck with a huge following! It does nothing great... but everything well.

 

I have never seen one at the dealer, but I know you can order them. You can get an extended cab 1LT 4WD with the 5.3, convenience package, tow package, and locking diff for right around $29k. With incentives and employee pricing (which now sucks) you can get it for about $25,699.

I have been thinking about ordering one for a while but I am stuck with my Silverado lease until May 2011.

-Geoff

 

BTW, I don't think there are any suspension lift kits out for the 2009+ Colorado's. They changed the from suspension/hub design, and from I read on the forums, there just isn't much demand for them for the aftermarket to hurry and make lift kits for them.

I personally like the ZQ8 crew cab V8. In fact, I would overlook all of the Colorado shortcomings if they offered one with a 6 speed manual.

 

I really like the ZQ8 and Extreme extended cabs. The V8 would be a nice option but a 6 speed auto would be more appreciated. Also updating the interior would have to be done before I would buy one.

 

I have been thinking about one for my next purchase. Especially since they are built right here in Louisiana. There just isn't enough price or fuel savings when compared to the Silverado though. Especially if you want a V8 crew cab.

 

Years ago (late 90s) I took a tour of the Shreveport plant (with my sister's church group), and I asked why there was no V8 available in the small trucks and SUVs. The guy told me that the rest of the drivetrain was not strong enough to support a V8. Later I learned that those trucks used the same transmission and rear axle designs as the F-bodies!

 

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I wonder how S-10 / Sonoma sales were in the beginning of the decade. What a shame for the Ranger.