We’ve known for some time that the Bowtie Brigade has been busying themselves with a refresh of their midsize Colorado pickup. With a new Ranger on the way and Nissan’s new (final?) Frontier already here, you can bet Chevy won’t be caught napping in this profitable segment.
To date, we’ve been left guessing as to what styling changes GM has in store for the Colorado in ’23. A teaser video published to YouTube just last week – and the magic of well-timed screenshots – gives us our first clues for what to expect.
Up front, its headlamps are notably thinner, taking some cues from the big bro Silverado and extending themselves into the grille. That area seems very square, bifurcated as usual with a styling bar that holds the bowtie badge. This trim is equipped with what GM calls a ‘safari bar’, undoubtedly part of an optional package for either the ZR2 or Bison off-road trims. One can probably append it as an accessory to their two-wheel-drive LS as well if you feel like annoying onlookers at the trailhead.
Hilariously, a caption at the bottom of the screen – courtesy of GM’s legal department, natch – says the Safari Bar may block the front camera and scupper the surround-view camera system. I guess the bed-wetting lawyers felt the need to inject their unique brand of dourness on us in some form. We will note these types of cams are welcome additions off-road, permitting the driver to peer ahead and (mis)judge obstacles with accuracy. They’re useful in parking lots as well, which is probably where the majority of these trucks will spend most of their time. The rear of the truck shows taillights which crib much from the Silverado in terms of their shape.
It is unclear which engines will remain available in the 2023 Colorado and its Canyon sibling. Those models are one of the few not yet listed on next year’s fleet order forms, suggesting either significant changes being kept under wraps or a sysop who is asleep at their keyboard. At present, one can select a 200-horsepower four-banger or a V6 with 308 ponies. There is also a diesel option making just 181 hp but cranking out 369 lb.-ft of torque. All are connected to an automatic transmission after GM quietly dropped the manual box a couple of model years ago.
The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado is set to debut exactly one month from now on July 28th.
[Images: GM]
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I thought I read either on the GM website or some where that GM was dropping the V-6 and the diesel option from the 2023 Colorado/Canyon offering a standard turbo 4. I guess we will have to wait on July 28 to know for sure. I think if GM kept both of those that it would help with sales of the Colorado/Canyon particularly those that might want a V-6 which could decide to buy a new Tacoma and all new Frontier which I believe the Frontier will capture a lot of conquest sales. The new Frontier is a very competitive midsize truck.
The nose is right off the Toyota 4Runner.
Time to see the optometrist.
V 6- get them while you can. Diesels,,,? Love them but I m not sure if the DEF, EGR, catalyst choked down diesels are more trouble than they re worth.
Detroit Freep. Phelin was going to drive a Lyric from Salt Lake to Denver. 500 miles – Would require 5 hours of recharging. NOPE. Come on man. ( per the GM – Detroit Free Press press release puff piece ( not supposed to be anything negative))
BEV are going to be a disaster.
I am going agree with you in that if you want a V-6 in a Colorado/Canyon not to wait because from what I heard earlier a turbo 4 will be the only engine available. Lou_BC found a diesel Colorado that he wanted and for his sake it is better that he did not wait because I doubt it will be available for 2023. Auto companies are for the most part going to turbo 3s and 4s to get the performance and to comply with the upcoming mpg standards. I think there will be less V-8s available in the near future as well and there will be more of a premium charged for them.
All the research I’ve done plus a conversation with a GM mechanic made me want the diesel. Some trucks had issues with DEF injector and DEF pump. Mechanic told me he hadn’t encountered any diesel engine issues but multiple V6 and 8 speed issues.
The 2023 will have the turbo 4 banger and 10 speed. It will have different tuning based upon application. The ZR2 will be the high end version and a soft tune for the fleet end of the line.
I had heard of problems with the 8 speed automatics in the Colorado/Canyon>
Yup. 2018 owner here. The OEM fluid keeps water moister and kills the viscosity. It makes the truck feel like it is misfiring, but really it is TQ converter grip issues.
if you drive it too long, you need a new TQ converter. If not to long a simple fluid change to the revised spec fluid solves it.
Bought mine used and in 8th gear it would stutter/chatter. as a test i added a friction modifier and instantly solved it. took it in and drained and filled the trans and all good.
FYI you might ask .. how the crap nuggets does so much moister get into the trans.. well there is nothing but a rubber stopper on the top of the fill port. dumbest thing i have ever seen. it does not even latch in .. pull it out with just my fingers.
@kjhkjlhkjhkljh kljhjkhjklhkjh – Do you live in an area with cold winters? Some of the V6 Colorado’s had problems with the high pressure oil pump that would aversely affect oil flow. In some cases engine damage occurred. Cold climates made this problem much worse.
@Lou_BC ; Oregon .. and I am too old to go anywhere sub freezing for any length of time .. i’m good :D ( I hope)
Is that the best they could do for panel alignment on a press vehicle?
That hood and fender, damn!
Looks lined up to me. Wow, if you screen name doesn’t scream “Hyundai fanboy”. To funny.
Pssssst – hey, kid – you there. Stay on the pavement — your life will be better. Now go.
Nope, plenty of their products I wouldn’t recommend. And plenty that I do.
I do enjoy repairing them for my customers however, hence the name.
The headlights and grille look like they were lifted off a Traverse.
If it’s the rumored i4, then this might not be such a bad thing. The 2.7 has lots of hp and torque and is tuned almost diesel-like. It’s a surprising engine and would do well in this use.
It absolutely blows my mind that GM puts that engine in a half-ton! And expects you to be able to tow a cheese sandwich with it! And expect anything resembling long-term durability.
It’s got an iron block, ample cooling, and doesn’t rev high. GM’s always capable of screwing things up but if they didn’t screw things up there’s no reason it couldn’t last.
Remember that the engines in the hardest duty cycles in the world, Class 8 truck engines, are turbocharged and relatively small by the standards of the job. They typically go well over a million miles between overhauls.
@sgeffe – I too doubt it’s towing ability. I test drove a Silverado TrailBoss crew long box up a plateau to some farmland. It went up fine but the steep switchbacks on the dirt road off the plateau was scary. It would not hold the truck back under compression braking. I manually shifted down to 1st and let it go. It steadily built RPM and speed almost to redline before I lost my nerve and hit the brakes. My 2010 5.4 F150 with a partial load will easily hold 30 – 40 kph on engine alone in the same switchbacks.