After a decade-long wait, Chevrolet is finally updating its Colorado for 2023, as it prepares to enter its third generation as an all-new model, inside and out. Along with its General Motors sibling, the GMC Canyon, the 2023 Chevy Colorado receives a new powertrain, fresh looks, and extra trims to choose from.
Off-road enthusiasts will be glad to learn that the new Chevrolet Colorado will be available as a highly-capable ZR2 rock crawler, but for overlanders that want a more relaxed Colorado with a taste for trails, Chevrolet had added a new Trail Boss trim to the lineup. Expected to start at around $43,000, the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss provides mild off-road equipment that makes it fit to compete against the likes of the Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport, Ford Ranger Wildtrak, and its twin GMC Canyon AT4.
As one of the range-topping trims of the upcoming 2023 Chevrolet Colorado, the Trail Boss finds a healthy mix between on-road efficiency and off-road prowess. Here’s why it's perfect for occasional off-road enthusiasts.
The 2023 Chevy Colorado Trail Boss Has Useful Off-Road Tech
To suit its overlanding desires, Chevrolet has graced the Colorado Trail Boss with an array of features that help get the job done, but the automaker delivers a more advanced arsenal of off-road equipment in the range-topping ZR2, which is best reserved for avid off-road drivers. The Trail Boss comes standard with a 2-inch factory suspension lift and a wider chassis that houses larger 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires, making for 9.5 total inches of ground clearance. It also provides a 30.5-degree approach angle as well as a 22.4-degree departure angle.
Notably, 4-wheel-drive will be standard on the 2023 Colorado Trail Boss, and it also comes with a 2-speed transfer case and transfer shield, and a rear limited-slip differential. Drivers can also select several drive modes tailored for specific driving conditions. All this hardware makes the Trail Boss more than capable of tracking mild to moderate off-road trails with relative ease, and even though it might not be as capable as the hardcore ZR2, it compensates with a more forgiving on-road driving experience.
The Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss Gets A Peppy Power Plant
All Chevy Colorado trims will come with the same turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-4 engine that comes straight from the larger Silverado truck, but they’re tuned for different power outputs depending on the selected spec. As one of the more expensive trims, the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss will produce 310 horsepower and 390-pound feet of torque, and even though Chevrolet hasn’t released official 0-60 mph times, we expect the Trail Boss to manage the run in around 6.5 seconds.
The Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss Sports A Unique Design
While the entire Colorado range boasts a fully redesigned exterior, the Trail Boss trim showcases a few exclusive elements that are very much in line with its pseudo-off-road capabilities. It has a unique blacked-out front bumper with ‘Trail Boss’ badging and wider flared fenders with plastic cladding. It misses out on the front skid plate and bull bumper that’s available on the Colorado ZR2, but everything else is pretty much identical.
The new design of the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado as a whole is a huge upgrade from the outgoing model, and it now features a boxier and more rugged design, complemented by updated headlights and taillights and tasteful body lines.
The 2023 Chevy Colorado Trail Boss Has A Loaded Interior
As a high-spec trim, the Colorado Trail Boss comes with most of the amenities on offer, including an 11.3-inch diagonal center touchscreen with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a fully-digital driver’s display, and even a new Off-Road performance display that monitors real-time off-road performance, providing a variety of useful readouts.
Just like all Colorados, the Trail Boss will only be available as a four-door crew cab, which translates to ample rear passenger space and a 5-foot bed. Expect plenty of standard and optional equipment in the form of heated and adjustable front seats, dual-zone climate control, and an array of safety features such as forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, and lane keeping assist with lane departure warning.
Boiling things down, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss perfectly accomplishes what it set out to, and it serves as a respectable off-roader with great on-road manners and enticing performance. As a cheaper option than the range-topping ZR2, we expect the Trail Boss to be a bestseller in the Colorado lineup.