2026 Chevrolet Colorado
3rd generation (2023–present)
Spec plateChecked Sep 2026
- Starting price
- $32,400
- 4x4 from
- $35,700
- Max towing
- 7,700 lb
- Max payload
- —
- Most power
- 310 hp
- Ground clearance
- 12.2 in
ZR2 Bison
Our verdict
The Colorado's off-road ladder is easy to read: Trail Boss for a lift and a rear locker on a budget, ZR2 for DSSV dampers and two lockers, and Bison for 35s and steel armor. The four-cylinder is strong for the class, but there is only one body style and the ZR2 gives up 1,700 lb of tow rating.
Best for
Buyers who want the most trail-ready midsize truck GM builds, with lockers at both ends and serious dampers on the ZR2.
Skip it if
You need a long bed, an extended cab or better than about 19 mpg in a 4WD midsize truck.
Strengths
- 310-hp, 430-lb-ft TurboMax is standard on every trim, including the $32,400 WT
- ZR2 pairs Multimatic DSSV dampers with front and rear electronic lockers
- ZR2 Bison comes from the factory with 35-in tires, 12.2 in of clearance and a 26.9-degree breakover angle
- 7,700-lb max tow rating, the top figure in the midsize class
- Trail Boss adds a 2-in lift and an automatic locking rear for $40,500
Weak spots
- Crew Cab with a roughly 5-ft bed is the only body style
- No V6, diesel or hybrid; the ZR2 Bison is rated at just 16 mpg combined
- ZR2 tow rating drops to 6,000 lb
- A ZR2 Bison runs past $60,000 before destination
Capability vs other midsize trucks
- Cabs
- Crew Cab
- Bed lengths
- 5.1 ft
- Fuel economy
- 16–19 mpg combined for 4WD models per fueleconomy.gov (4WD 19, 4WD with mud-terrain tires 18, ZR2 17, ZR2 Bison 16)
- Pricing notes
- Chevrolet.com starting prices, excluding the $2,095 destination charge: WT 2WD $32,400; WT 4WD $35,700 (cheapest 4x4); Custom $33,545; LT $36,000 (4WD $39,300); Trail Boss $40,500; Z71 $44,600; ZR2 $50,700. The ZR2 Bison Edition package (RPO ULV) listed at $11,700 less a $1,500 package discount ($10,200 net) at launch, per GM Authority.
- Configurations
- Crew Cab with a single short bed (about 5.1 ft) only; no extended cab or long bed. RWD on WT, Custom and LT, with 4WD optional on those trims and standard on Trail Boss, Z71 and ZR2.
Off-road hardware
4WD / AWD system
Part-time 4WD with a two-speed transfer case plus an automatic 4WD mode on the off-road trims. Chevrolet lists a 2-speed auto transfer case with a transfer-case shield on Trail Boss; the mechanically identical GMC Canyon lists a two-speed Autotrac transfer case on AT4 and AT4X (the ZR2's twin). 4WD is optional on WT, Custom and LT and standard on Trail Boss, Z71 and ZR2. GM does not publish the 4-Low ratio.
Locking differentials
ZR2 (and ZR2 Bison): selectable front and rear electronic locking differentials. Trail Boss: automatic locking rear differential. Chevrolet does not list a rear locker on its consumer pages for WT, Custom, LT or Z71; GM's trailering chart says the 7,700-lb 4WD rating needs the Trailering Package and a limited-slip differential.
| Approach angle | 38.2° |
|---|---|
| Breakover angle | 26.9° |
| Departure angle | 26.0° |
| Ground clearance | 12.2 in |
| Water fording | Not published |
Off-road tech
- Multimatic DSSV dampers (ZR2)
- Front and rear electronic lockers (ZR2)
- Terrain mode with automatic brake application for low-speed climbing
- Off-Road mode
- Baja mode (ZR2 only, with launch control)
- Underbody cameras (ZR2)
- Off-road performance display
Engines & transmissions
| Engine | Power | Torque | Transmission |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2.7L TurboMax turbo I-4Only engine, standard on every trim since 2025; runs on 87-octane regular. 3.42 axle ratio across the lineup. | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 8-speed automatic |
The off-road trims
Trail Boss
2-in factory lift and wider track, 18-in wheels with 32-in all-terrain tires, two-speed auto transfer case with shield, automatic locking rear differential; 9.5-in ground clearance.
Z71
No lift; 18-in wheels with 32-in all-terrain tires, off-road drive modes and performance display; 8.9-in ground clearance per GM's launch specs.
ZR2
3-in lift, Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers, front and rear e-lockers, 33-in mud-terrain tires on 17s, full skid plates and rocker protection, underbody cameras and Baja mode; 10.7-in clearance and a 38.3-degree approach angle.
ZR2 Bison Edition (package on ZR2)
AEV steel bumpers, five hot-stamped boron steel skid plates, front and rear jounce-control dampers, 35-in mud-terrain tires on 17-in beadlock-capable AEV wheels, bed-mounted spare; 12.2-in clearance.
What's new for 2026
Mostly carryover. The ZR2 gets a Bison-spec hot-stamped boron steel transfer-case shield and a new dealer-installed ZR2 Lift Kit (not compatible with Bison), plus new 20-in wheel options for Trail Boss and Z71, a Bronze Accent package for Trail Boss, White Sands paint and a deleted engine cover. Chevrolet now markets a WT-based Custom model from $33,545.
Rivals worth a look
Sources & data notes
These specs were checked on September 24, 2026 against the sources below, starting with the manufacturer's own material. When a figure isn't published, we leave it blank instead of estimating. Ratings are maximums for the best-equipped configuration; confirm yours on the door-jamb labels.
Sources for this page 21
- chevrolet.comchevrolet.com/trucks/colorado
- chevrolet.comchevrolet.com/trucks/previous-year/colorado
- chevrolet.comchevrolet.com/content/dam/chevrolet/na/us/english/index/trucks/trailering-and-towing/2026_Colorado.pdf
- news.gm.comnews.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2022/jul/0728-colorado.html
- news.gm.comnews.gm.com/home.detail.html/Pages/topic/us/en/2026/mar/0318-zr2.html
- news.gmc.comnews.gmc.com/newsroom.detail.html/Pages/news/us/en/2023/jul/0706-canyon.html
- gmc.comgmc.com/trucks/canyon
- gmc.comgmc.com/trucks/canyon/at4
- gmauthority.comgmauthority.com/blog/gm/chevrolet/colorado/2026-chevrolet-colorado/
- gmauthority.comgmauthority.com/blog/gm/chevrolet/colorado/2026-chevrolet-colorado/2026-chevrolet-colorado-changes-updates-new-features/
- gmauthority.comgmauthority.com/blog/2025/08/here-is-2026-chevy-colorado-pricing-with-options-and-packages/
- gmauthority.comgmauthority.com/blog/2026/08/chevy-colorado-discount-lease-finance-deals-incentives-offers-august-2026/
- gmauthority.comgmauthority.com/blog/2026/09/2027-chevy-colorado-gmc-canyon-get-power-and-torque-increases/
- autoevolution.comautoevolution.com/news/2027-chevrolet-colorado-to-start-production-october-19-2026-270712.html
- motorauthority.commotorauthority.com/news/1139793_2024-chevrolet-colorado-zr2-bison-specs
- motorweek.orgmotorweek.org/road-tests/2026-chevrolet-colorado-zr2-bison/
- autoblog.comautoblog.com/reviews/2026-chevrolet-colorado-trail-boss-review
- tfltruck.comtfltruck.com/2024/10/2025-chevy-colorado-updates-news/
- edmunds.comedmunds.com/chevrolet/colorado/2026/
- kbb.comkbb.com/chevrolet/colorado/2026/
- fueleconomy.govfueleconomy.gov/ws/rest/vehicle/menu/model?year=2026&make=Chevrolet
Understand the hardware
