Compact pickups sure have come a long way over the years. A few years back there weren’t all that many pickups in the category to begin with. Dodge had dropped the Durango. Ford stopped selling the Ranger in the US (despite selling it in other markets). Sure, Nissan and Toyota made them, but the engine performance made these compact pickups not suitable for tough work. Through it all though, the Chevy Colorado has remained constant. It came out back in 2004 to replace the S-10 (which you can still buy if you were to hop on down to Brazil). And over the last 15 years, this compact pickup has proven time and time again that you don’t need to invest in a full-size truck if you don’t need the bulk. The 2020 Chevy Colorado simply reiterates this very fact with all the new upgrades, perks, and added features.
Engines With Plenty Of Options
Just about every truck you see sold today has nearly limitless trim options. You can gloss over the spec sheets and find well over a dozen in most cases, and then each of these trim packages will offer 2×4 or 4×4, varying bed sizes, a traditional cabin, a quad cab, a smaller rear seat, and all kinds of other variables and adjustments to best fit exactly what you need. The 2020 Chevy Colorado also comes with several engine options and configurations to choose from.
The entry-level 2WD Ext Cab Base comes with a smaller engine. It won’t set the world on fire, but it’s a solid engine for when you just want to use the truck bed for random jobs while keeping solid fuel economy. This model uses an I4 2.5L engine that produces 200 horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque. With this engine, you will net around 26 miles per gallon on the highway and 20 miles per gallon in the city. The entry-level Colorado has a max trailering capacity of 3,500 pounds.
Of course, if you were more interested in something with a bit more punch and the capability of towing a bit more, there are upgraded engine options. Take, for example, the cream of the crop trim package of the 2020 Chevy Colorado, which is the 4WD Crew Cab ZR2. Now, if you wanted the smaller engine for the improved fuel economy while keeping the same trim package, you’re more than able to. However, this ZR2 does come standard with a 3.6L V6 that produces 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque. With the engine performance, you’re able to boost the maximum trailering capacity up to 5,000 pounds.
Comforts Without Breaking The Bank
One of the nicest additions trucks have made in recent years is the inclusion of a back-up camera. It’s not that the vehicle is too big. Once you get a handle for a truck and its dimensions, there isn’t all that much of a problem with navigating it, even into tight spaces. The real sticky part is hooking it up to a trailer hitch. If you’ve ever owned a truck in the past, you know the frustration of hooking up a hitch to a trailer on your own, backing it up to the trailer, getting out, and then realizing your truck is about two inches off to one side. So you get back in to correct it, and then you’re off to the other side. It might take a few tries just to line the truck up. It’s a minor inconvenience but an inconvenience non-the less. Thankfully, all 2020 Chevy Colorado pickups come with a back-up camera standard. This way, you’ll never deal with the problem of connecting to a hitch ever again.
Some of the other features tucked into the standard, the entry-level truck includes auto-off headlights, anti-theft system, power steering, and power door locks. These are all direct and to the point features. Sometimes you just don’t want all the bells and whistles on a truck. In a way, it makes it feel like a truck you might have been in as a kid, with your elbow out the window and wind in your hair.
Of course, if you are aiming at maxing out your pickup with all the latest features, you’ll find it on the top of the line trim package. This particular package comes with all the same features as the base, in addition to remote engine start, heated steering wheel, heated mirrors, power mirrors, keyless entry, front reading lamps, an alarm, and the option of included fog lamps.
Safety On The Road
One of the benefits of purchasing a new pickup is the sheer safety of it. Raising you off the road instantly makes you safer than if you were in a smaller sedan. Of course, that only goes so far, which is why General Motors includes a number of safety features in the 2020 Chevy Colorado. This includes driver, front head, front side, passenger, and rear head airbags (although it will depend if you have a second row of seats in the pickup). It also includes 4-wheel ABS and disc brakes, electronic stability control, daytime running lights, and traction control. The upper-tier trim models also have front tow hooks.
Infotainment Features
Whether you’re on a long road trip or you’re just trying to make it home after work, the entertainment features built into your truck can make all the difference. Of course, for some, they only need a simple AM radio to listen to the ball game. Others prefer as many options as possible. Thankfully you can find your sweet spot with any number of information and entertainment features.
The base trim package of the 2020 Colorado comes with an AM/FM stereo, AUX input for connecting any external audio device that still has a 3.5mm headphone jack, smart device integration via Bluetooth, and an optional MP3 player.
The maxed-out trim package comes with the same features, plus HD radio to improve the audio quality of the radio stations, satellite radio (with a subscription after the trial period ends after purchase), plus WiFi hotspot (again, with subscription). You also have the opportunity to upgrade the infotainment features of the pickup to include a premium sound system and a navigation system. The built-in navigation is easier to work with than fumbling with your phone (and with more and more states going hands-free phone driving, it’s best to have this built-in anyway), and the screen is bigger. This way, it’ll be easier to use the GPS navigation features of your 2020 Chevrolet Colorado.
You Don’t Need All The Size To Get All The Truck
The 2020 Chevy Colorado is all truck through and through. It might not have the sheer horsepower and torque numbers as the larger Silverado, but that may not be necessary. After all, if you need a pickup for carrying hiking gear to the campgrounds, lug chopped lumber, or just toss odds and ends into the rear of the bed, the Colorado may end up being a better purchase. So when you want all truck but don’t need all the size, the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado is an excellent truck with more than enough trim options to satisfy your needs.
