2026 Chevy Colorado Specs, Interior, Colors – The return of the midsize truck has opened up a world of options. Whether you’re looking for a daily driver or a weekend warrior, these alternatives will fit your needs. All of these options are at your disposal. The 2026 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Runner proves that pickup trucks can be both functional and visually beautiful. Located smack dab in the center of the market’s explosive growth is this huge rig.
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2026 Chevy Colorado Redesign and Update Plan
Exterior and Interior
The Trail Runner isn’t an independent machine like the Colorado ZR2, but rather an add-on for Z71 models, which is what I happened to have. The ZR2 is typically seen as the extreme pickup truck, but the Trail Runner package offers a taste of its design and substance without going far. The ZR2, in contrast, is unnecessary.
It is not a bad starting point for using it, considering it is based on the Z71. Imagine it as the all-wheel drive-only off-road lite trim in Canada, but with a Canadian twist. The ZR2 is an exceptional pickup truck thanks to its adventure-ready package, which features adjustable dampers, locking differentials, a higher suspension, a menacing front bumper, and more… On the other hand, because that Colorado improvement is so tailored to my needs, I’d rather stick with the Z71 and save the nearly $7,000.
Given this, the Trail Runner’s case becomes quite compelling. It has the grille, additional rock rails, and skid plates from the ZR2. On top of that, it is shod with enormous 31-inch Goodyear Duratrac tires. While not particularly showy, it does give the Colorado a more rugged appearance and feel while still highlighting its functionality as a pickup truck.
2026 Chevy Colorado Specs
This vehicle is capable of handling tough terrain without sacrificing road performance in the least. Among today’s trucks, the Colorado actually offers the most automobile-like handling. Just like any other truck, the Colorado’s chassis may feel the effects of road imperfections. Despite being 5,403 millimeters long overall, the Colorado looks much shorter thanks to its incredibly precise and delicate steering system.
Even if there is a tiny dead spot in the steering, it is likely caused more by the tester’s mushy all-terrain tires than anything else. There may be a dead zone, but this is still accurate. Those of you who are coming from smaller vehicles or crossovers won’t have any trouble keeping the Colorado’s straight line of travel (I’m looking at you, Jeep Gladiator). The Colorado’s natural strengths as a straight-line driver are to blame for this. This impediment allows the Colorado River to continue in an absolutely straight line.
Engine and Performance
I got a good feel for the V6 gasoline engine that propelled the truck beneath the hood. Even if it’s not the engine I’d buy myself, I do like it for numerous reasons. The 2.8-liter turbo diesel is my personal favorite. It has several things that I really like. The normally aspirated engine in this vehicle produces 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque from its 3.6-liter displacement, which is ideal for a truck of this size. As the Colorado achieves its maximum speed of 4,000 rpm, the torque is applied gradually, contrary to popular belief that it is a quick automobile. This is a significant upgrade over the five-thousand-rpm engines used in the Chevrolet Camaro and Blazer, which are mechanically identical. 2026 Chevy Colorado Specs
Linked to it is an eight-speed automatic transmission that, for the most part, is aware of the proper gear to use. Why is it being so careless when passing on the highway? It could be because you forgot to downshift or because you aren’t giving the engine enough revs to accomplish the job. To keep itself in the meaty portion of the powerband while in tow/haul mode, it becomes slightly more alert and keeps the gears engaged for slightly longer. The stability of the powerband is our primary goal in doing this.
2026 Chevy Colorado Fuel Economy
The quantities of gasoline utilized must be the determining factor in all matters. My cumulative rating of 11.9 liters per hundred kilometers after a week of testing was quite ordinary. Nonetheless, it surpasses the Colorado Natural Resources Canada (NRCan)-assigned 12.2 liters per hundred kilometers for the same mileage. To keep things on the straight and narrow, I largely explored the back roads north of the GTA while driving in two-wheel drive.Twenty-26 Chevrolet Colorado Paint
The Colorado’s V6 engine allows it to achieve fuel efficiency that is typical for a vehicle of its size. Midsize SUV rivals like the Gladiator, Ranger, and Tacoma all get far better gas mileage than the Colorado. It appears, nevertheless, that other items using the same engine outperform this one in terms of performance. One example is the Blazer RS that I recently drove; in a week-long test, it achieved slightly better gas mileage than the one before it, averaging 11.5 liters per hundred kilometers. 2026 Chevy Colorado Specs
2026 Chevy Colorado Safety Features
While getting a good gas mileage may not be your top priority when looking for a pickup truck, it is something to keep in mind. It would be great if the advanced safety features of this automobile were as minimal as the conventional safety features, given how few there are. Equipment that is both in great demand and available elsewhere was simply withheld from the Colorado, even though it was reactivated only a few years ago. This is the case despite the fact that it was only put back into operation not long ago. So, you won’t find any adaptive cruise control, automatic braking, or lane-keeping features on this vehicle.
Nevertheless, a number of safety features, such as sensors for the back of the vehicle, front collision warning systems, and lane-departure warning systems, are available as part of an upgrade package. In addition to the government-mandated backup camera, six airbags strategically arranged throughout the interior, and electronic traction and stability control systems are also incorporated as standard equipment.
Even though the majority of the IIHS crash test findings were favorable, the Colorado did not do well when the brief front overlap was evaluated from the passenger side. “The passenger’s survival space was not maintained well,” the nonprofit group said, casting doubt on the safety cage’s reliability. Because of these two things, the safety cage was deemed unfit. 2026 Chevy Colorado Specs
2026 Chevy Colorado Price and Release Date
You can get a Colorado crew cab for $40,798 without the enlarged box and an additional $600 with the storage space. Actually, that is really good performance for a modern truck, especially when you consider the V6 engine hidden under the hood. (In the meanwhile, diesel power will cause the price to surge by $5,000.) You can purchase a Ford Ranger with the same specs for about the same price, but it has a turbocharged four-cylinder engine instead of a diesel. The Toyota Tundra and the Toyota Tacoma both come standard with the identical amenities, but the Tacoma is significantly more expensive. If you were watching Friends last season, you might also recall the iconic Nissan Frontier. If you have been following along, you may have noticed that the Nissan Frontier made an appearance this season.
My tester cost a whopping $48,183 before taxes when I added the Trail Runner package, improved paint, spray-in bedliner, and a few other extras. The prices listed were all before taxes. The additional $5,385 spent on gear was also a part of that total. Even if there is still a lot of change, it seems justified when you think about how valuable and usable it is. 2026 Chevy Colorado Specs