Rodeo becomes Colorado

The Rodeo is dead. Long live the Colorado.

That's the new name for the trusty Rodeo badge which is being retired later this year.

The Rodeo name belongs to Isuzu with which Holden no longer has any ties.

In a strange twist, Isuzu is taking the name back and releasing a Rodeo in Australia under its global name of D-Max.

However, it will be distributed by Mitsubishi, not Isuzu. And Mitsubishi Motors knows nothing about the vehicle.

Mitsubishi Motors senior manager corporate communications, Lenore Fletcher, said they had nothing to do with it.

“Mitsubishi is a large corporation and the link-up could be with another Mitsubishi company, not the motor company,” she said.

Meanwhile, GM Holden product information manager Kate Lonsdale said the Colorado would be released later this year.

“There is no official timing yet, but it will be called Colorado,” she said.

Holden had an opportunity to badge the popular Thai-made ute with an Australian name, but has decided to go with the same name used in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lonsdale said the Colorado would be “slightly different.”

“It will be a similar offering, but with slightly different features,” she said.

In a GM Holden media release, the company said the new Colorado range would continue to offer a choice of petrol or diesel engines, 4x4 or 4x2 models, and numerous body styles such as single cab, space cab and crew cab.

GM Holden light commercial vehicles marketing manager Teresa Basile said; more details such as price would follow in the coming months.

“The light commercial segment is a significant market for Holden and with this exciting new addition we will remain a major player with a highly competitive new entry,” she said.

She said current Rodeo owners would continue to be covered by GM Holden's three-year/100,000km warranty and roadside assistance for 12 months.

“Rodeo owners can rest assured that Holden remains committed to providing superior customer service and parts availability to the current range,” she said.

The Rodeo has been a popular ute, at one stage the biggest selling.

However, it has been usurped in the past few years by the Toyota Hi-Lux, which has dominated the sector and is the biggest-selling vehicle of any type in Queensland.

While the Hi-Lux has led the field with its more modern and brutish looks, Nissan's Navara and Mitsubishi's Triton have followed suit, leaving the Rodeo looking a little anaemic and old-fashioned, outside and in.

I prefer the less bloated look of the Rodeo's exterior and the functional, user-friendly interior.

It has many other attributes which commend it to tradies and weekend warriors alike.

For a start, it has one of the quietest cabins of the lot. There's almost no engine noise (except in the diesel at idle and full noise), no wind buffeting and surprisingly very little tyre noise.

The interior may be a bit austere and old-fashioned, but the door and seat trim are very smart, even in the base model.

Back seat passengers don't quite sit bolt upright and there is plenty of legroom.

And no one could doubt the abilities of the airconditioning to make a beer truly frosty.

If we are asking for anything in the new Rodeo/Colorado, audio controls on the steering wheel would be nice, less pitch and roll in the suspension would be handy and stability control is a must, especially in the rain.

Just make sure it's switchable for the obligatory circle work in the car park at the next B&S.