Used Holden Colorado review: 2008-2011

When General Motors and Isuzu split, Holden relinquished the popular Rodeo badge. The revised replacement in 2008 was the Colorado.

To meet the evolving role of utes as combined tradie-family transport, the Colorado had a flashy new look that would fit comfortably in suburbia and bush alike.

New

Underneath it remained the same tough truck as the Rodeo predecessor and was just as capable of slogging through the rough stuff off-road.

There were two and four-door Colorado utes, with rear or four-wheel drive and petrol or turbo diesel engines.

Depending on your need for comfort you could choose between the LX and LT-R, the latter with all the fruit you could want. Even the LX had aircon and MP3 sound, the LT-R adding Bluetooth phone connectivity and reversing sensors.

The petrol option was a punchy 3.6-litre V6 (157kW/313Nm) and the turbodiesel a more frugal 3.0-litre four-cylinder (120kW/360Nm). Backing them were a smooth-shifting five-speed manual or a four-speed auto.

For lighter duty, the rear-wheel drive model sufficed.

For going off-road there was also the option of dual-range four-wheel drive.

On the road the Colorado was comfortable and quiet, the seats were supportive and the cabin well laid-out and welcoming.

The price for the V6's ample performance potential was in fuel consumption when pushed.

The well-proven mechanical package gives little trouble

Meanwhile the turbo diesel was not only the thriftier engine when it came to fuel consumption, it also had greater low-down grunt to make it more drivable and more comfortable and competent off road.

The Colorado is rated to tow up to 3000kg braked.

Now

The well-proven mechanical package gives little trouble, according to the trade and owners alike.

Initially there were some complaints from owners about noisy front suspension bushes.

Holden got on top of that relatively quickly with revised upper shock absorber bushes and retainers so there shouldn't be any out there still exhibiting the distracting noise.

The Colorado is well equipped to handle the hard going and will do so competently

If you hear a creaking sound from the front when road-testing a Colorado, check to see whether the revised setup was fitted.

Some owners complain of the fuel consumption of the V6, others moan about the turbo lag of the diesel.

The Colorado is well equipped to handle the hard going and will do so competently if driven by someone knowing how to do it. Look for damage underneath, to the floorpan, chassis fittings, exhaust etc.

It looks good, goes well, good for family or work use.

Also check for a service record. It's most important on any vehicle but it's even more important on a car that's made to work hard for its keep, such as towing or off-roading.