2021 Chevrolet Colorado

Show us an American that doesn't love a pickup truck, and we'll show you a weirdo. There are few cars that sell as well in the USA, and the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado is just the latest in a long line of successful trucks from the homebred brand. Its lasting appeal is largely thanks to its rugged looks, off-road capabilities, dependable towing capacity, and high value proposition. As with just about any pickup, the Colorado is highly customizable, with three engine options on offer. The most potent is the V6, which develops 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque, but the turbo-diesel is the one that empowers the Chevy with its 7,700-pound tow rating. Despite this appealing spec sheet, the 2021 Colorado is still not a shoo-in for your next pickup, since there is stiff competition from the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, to name just a few.

The first engine in the range powers the WT and LT as standard. It's a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 6-speed automatic that delivers 200 hp and 191 lb-ft to a front- or all-wheel drivetrain. Neither the power plant nor gearbox do the pickup any favors, and the lack of power really hurts it in the towing department, which maxes out at 3,500 lbs. Still, it's an adequate setup if you only need to do very light work around town.

Next up is the turbo-diesel option. Displacing 2.8 liters, this engine develops less horsepower but a whole lot more torque - 181 hp and 369 lb-ft, respectively. This increases towing to its maximum figure of 7,700 lbs with the front-wheel drivetrain. Sadly, the 6-speed auto is still your only option, but the better fuel economy figures are nice. The Duramax is accessible to every trim above the WT, and can pair with either of the two drivetrains.

Standard on the top-tier Z models but available to the lower trims is the 3.6-liter V6. It boasts the highest horsepower but sacrifices some torque of the diesel - 308 hp and 275 lb-ft, to be exact. What really helps it shine, though, is the 8-speed automatic gearbox. This is far more responsive and really helps the Chevy's performance around town and on the highway. Maximum towing with this engine is limited to 7,000 lbs.

Having been around for about a decade, the Colorado pickup has had a lot of time to win over consumers, and it's done a pretty good job of it. Looks have never been a problem, but the latest facelift ensures that this rugged vehicle appeals to every trucking enthusiast. It certainly doesn't hurt that the Chevy delivers an impressive maximum towing capacity and some off-roading capabilities.

Rugged and sturdy design translates to high reliability expectations, but the NHTSA and IIHS reviews of the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado are a little less generous. Its safety rating is decent, but not stellar, and the lack of many modern advanced driver assists hurt it in the eyes of discerning shoppers. Many of these features can be added, but doing so raises the reasonable starting price to uncomfortable heights.

The Chevy pickup is starting to feel its age, even if it doesn't look it, thanks to the latest facelift. It's still a hardy and dependable truck, but more modern rivals are starting to offer better overall value. That said, the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado is still a great choice if you want to keep costs down, and if you don't mind the sparse list of standard features.

Picking the right model of pickup truck is a very personal process. This is because most automakers supply you with a lot of customization options, and everyone's needs are different. If you simply want to do some honest labor with it, then the Work Truck equipped with a 2-door cab and the beefy V6 is a cheap but capable setup. The price of the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado pickup with this build is $26,685 before destination fees. If you absolutely need that extra 700 lbs of towing capacity, the Duramax engine forces you to pair it with a 4-door cab on the LT trim or higher, so it costs quite a bit more. The Z71 and ZR2 have access to both the more capable powertrains, but they ask for more investment than we are comfortable with, especially considering the additional features and luxuries are minimal at best.