Holden Colorado 2008 Review

So far it’s sold pretty much as well as the Rodeo, but it will need to do more than just scrape by when there’s hotter competition for the buyer’s wallet. If it wants to be a frontrunner, it will need to really impress. And it does.

Drivetrains

The LX manual diesel runs on a 3.0 litre, 4.0 cylinder common rail turbo engine that outputs 120kW at 3600rpm and 360Nm at 1800rpm. There is also an optional four speed automatic transmission that reduces torque to 333Nm at 1600rpm.

Interior

Inside, the LX certainly doesn’t overwhelm the driver with unnecessary features. It’s quite simple but doesn’t skimp on comfort with its soft feel steering wheel, airconditioning, supportive bucket seats and an MP3 compatible stereo system.

Exterior

The new Colorado has brought with it – and improved on – the rugged looks of the Rodeo it replaces.

One piece bumper and grille surround with air dam, 16 inch alloys, clear multi-reflector headlamps and body coloured side mirrors are some of the features that have made competitors sit up and take notice.

The LX Space Cab Chassis we drove is the only unit with an oiled wooden tray and body coloured side and tail gates, which with the drop sides makes it both practical and good-looking.

Payload and Towing

The 1687kg truck has a gross vehicle mass rating of 2900kgs and a three tonne towing capacity.

Safety

Holden’s Colorado LX safety package includes driver and front passenger airbags, side impact door beams and front lap/sash retracting seat belts.

Pricing

Holden’s Colorado range starts at $19,490 for the DX 4x2 Single Cab Chassis and tops out at $49,690 for the LT-R 4x4 Crew Cab Pick Up. The LX 4x4 Space Cab Chassis is priced at $41,490.

Driving

The Colorado range is extensive – 16 variants worth – and so caters for many needs and tastes.

Our cherry red LX Space Cab Chassis with its oiled wooden tray gets our vote as the most elegant of the lot and probably the most practical with its fold-down alloy sides and tail gate.

Inside, the Colorado is clean and simple - just how you want a no-nonsense work ute to be. There’s not much to the dash – just the necessary bits like air con, a decent CD/MP3 player - and its all intuitive and of better than average quality. We found the seats to be comfortable and supportive.

The three litre oil burner produced more than enough torque for four hilly trips to the tip with a substantial load each go. Changing gear with the long slender stick was easy and smooth.

We didn’t fit in as much off tar practise as we would have hoped but for the few dirt roads we did manage, we found the truck to be capable and comfortable, if a little bouncy – but we liked that, really.

With the windows up it was quieter than we expected for a diesel with a little wind noise from the side mirrors at high speed. Tyre noise was negligible.

Verdict 7.5/10