2008 Holden Colorado Reviews

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.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 troubleMeanwhile 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.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 competentlyIf 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.

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.DrivetrainsThe 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.InteriorInside, 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.ExteriorThe 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 TowingThe 1687kg truck has a gross vehicle mass rating of 2900kgs and a three tonne towing capacity.SafetyHolden’s Colorado LX safety package includes driver and front passenger airbags, side impact door beams and front lap/sash retracting seat belts.PricingHolden’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.DrivingThe 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