Chevy Improved the 2023 Colorado Trail Boss in 1 Odd Way
The Chevy Colorado has long been the brand’s midsize truck. And after about seven years, it has finally gotten a major update. The 2023 Colorado comes with a number of changes, including the fact that it is powered by a single four-cylinder engine. One of the most exciting parts of this pickup truck might be its Trail Boss trim. And Chevy made an interesting modification to help with off-road use.
What is the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss?
The 2023 Colorado Trail Boss is meant to be an off-road truck, and it is one of four being built with this in mind. Much like the base version of this pickup, it is powered by a turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four engine, but it makes more power. With the Trail Boss trim, you will get 310 horsepower and 390 pound-foot of torque.
If you were worried that dropping the V6 and diesel engine would mean less torque and power, don’t worry. Chevy has clearly developed this engine to have significant power output. It’s been in the Silverado 1500 for about three years now, so it is an engine that has been put to the paces already.
Chevy has improved off-road ability
When it comes to approach angles, they are pretty important for being able to do serious off-roading. And in the past, apparently, folks would remove the front valent in order to improve that angle. I have to imagine that doing so also helps prevent damaging any of those plastic trim pieces.
Now, I haven’t tested this yet, or seen it in action. But Chevy has made it, so the piece is now removable from the factory. It is purpose-built to be taken off when you hit the trail. I have to imagine that because of that, it should be an easier task to get a better approach angle. And that is something that Colorado Trail Boss owners are likely to appreciate.
The Trail Boss might be the best 2023 Chevy Colorado
In terms of which Chevy Colorado is best, according to Car and Driver, it is the Trail Boss trim. Of course, the best Colorado will be the one that fits your specific budget and your lifestyle. If you plan to off-road your truck, the Trail Boss is cheaper than the ZR2. So, it can be a sort of affordable way to get into a 4×4 midsize truck.
The Trail Boss might lack things like the locking front and rear differentials, but it is about $10k cheaper than the Colorado ZR2 that does come with those.
The other three trims of the new Colorado are the WT, LT, and Z71. The Trail Boss sits between the Z71 and LT, putting it squarely in the middle of the lineup. And although it is cheaper than the Z71, you actually get 1.5 inches of more front suspension travel with the Trail Boss.
In the video above, you can see this Chevy truck does have legitimate off-road chops. And it is hard not to see these off-road variants challenging things like the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro.
