What's the difference?
The Holden Colorado is a quiet achiever in the ute market: it has a solid rep as a work-and-play vehicle, generally records positive results in objective editorial reviews and comparisons, and it sells well.
But how does a Z71 do as a tow vehicle? Read on.
There’s a fairly big change hiding under the metal of one of Australia’s favourite utes. The Isuzu D-Max has a new 2.2-litre engine, replacing the 1.9-litre unit, and it brings a couple of other things with it.
A bigger engine designed to be more powerful and more efficient can only be a good thing, surely, especially with Isuzu looking down the barrel of stringent emissions laws with only two models in the line-up, both diesel powered.
But is this new 2.2-litre engine any good? Isuzu’s gone to the trouble of a new gearbox and some new tech to go with it, so we check it out to see if it stacks up against the increasingly strong competition.
The Holden Colorado Z71Â is a pretty decent towing machine, handling all aspects of general load-lugging duties with a quiet reliable efficiency. In simple terms, it kept the whole ute-and-van combination trucking along nicely.
The Z71 is a solid Colorado package all-round with some welcome flashiness to its functionality.
The new engine makes the D-Max a much more likeable ute than it already was, which is high praise.
It’s smoother and quieter and makes for a more pleasant drive. The added efficiency is a bonus both for your wallet and Isuzu’s emissions credits.
The 3.0-litre engine will probably remain the favourite, but anyone who test drives a 2.2L might even be tempted to opt for the smaller unit. Isuzu sure hopes so.
Note: CarsGuide attended this event as a guest of the manufacturer, with travel, accommodation and meals provided.