Is The 2015 Chevy Colorado In Danger Of Becoming A Failed Experiment?

Why? Because the Tacoma rightfully deserved the award?

 

Kinda crazy how far capacities have come.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_F-Series_sixth_generation

F100 F101 F102 F103 F104 F105 F106 F107 F108 F109 F10N: 1/2 ton (4,550–5,700 GVWR max)
F110 F111 F112 F113 : 1/2 ton (4×4)(5,250–6,500 GVWR max)
F150 F151 : "heavy" 1/2 ton (6,050–6,200 GVWR max)
F140 F141 F142 F143: "heavy" 1/2 ton (4x4)(6,050–6,500 GVWR max)
F250 F251 F252 F253 F254 F255 F256 F257 F258 F259: 3/4 ton (6,200–8,100 GVWR max)
F260 F261 F262 F263 F264 F265 F266: 3/4 ton (4×4) (6,500–8,400 GVWR max)
F350 F350 F351 F352 F353 F354 F355 F356 F357 F358 F359 F35P: 1 ton (6,000–10,000 GVWR max)
F-360: 1 ton (4×4) (8,550 GVWR max)

 

Or probably because either the Ram 1500 or Ford F150 was just as deserving of the award. My opinion of course, and I don't like Dodge.

 

Yeah, 1/4 and 1/2 ton doesn't mean much anymore. There is a huge difference between those sizes in my area considering winds and undeveloped road. The wider and longer wheelbase trucks have a much easier time controlling trailers. That's part of why I did some test towing in the winds (+35 mph constant speed, bigger gusts) with the F150 because I wanted to make sure the aluminum body didn't hamper towing. It didn't, the truck at 4000 lbs was almost as solid in a crosswind as my Ram 2500, for whatever reason.

I know what you were getting at btw, that I should of used figuratively instead literally when comparing the two sizes. You have me there lol but I wanted to illustrate, from my experience running a fair sized small fleet of trucks at work, that there is a BIG long term difference between the tonnage sizing of trucks when it comes to regular loading, abuse, and towing. When any of those things come into play the heavier truck almost always is a better idea.

There's a reason why I own a Tacoma and an F150. I live in a two member, future three member , household in a small town. Two trucks is almost the norm here, and we are the weird ones with a small truck in the driveway. If the Colorado was available I would have looked at it when I bought my Tacoma, but judging how much fun I've had modding the Tacoma and all the parts available (S/C, custom bumpers, switches that perfectly fit blanks, etc) I think I would of went with the Tacoma anyways. Not knocking the Colorado, because if I was going to drive a truck stock as a commuter/weekend warrior a Z71 would be hard not to choose.

Also, just FYI for the thread, I was driving past the dealership and the Colorado they've had on the lot for 3 months was being loaded back onto a trailer. The dealer traded it away. It seems the demand for these trucks in my rural area will be very low, which surprises me because you do see a good chunk of Tacoma's around.

 

Loading up the Taco to full capacity and the F150 to half its' isn't a really good comparison.

Me thinks a better comparison is to load them both up to their full capacities. Most likely both will be "ok". For our move from AZ to ID, I loaded a diesel 26' bobtail right to its' 10,000 payload limit...it kinda sucked. I dunno, anything loaded to full capacity does marginal.

Normally, I like to tow/haul at 3/4ths or below capacity.

 

Agreed! I would never push more than 9,000 lbs with our F150 or 5,000 pounds with a Tacoma, even though both are rated to tow higher. It's just to much weight to be totally safe in the wind around here.

Actually, one thing I forgot to mention, has anyone heard of the new standards for towing?

http://wot.motortrend.com/1402_chrysler_ford_gm_to_finally_adopt_new_towing_standard.html

What's shocking is that even under this much stricter definition of tow ratings that Ford was able to up there game again. I'd like to see what some other trucks tow ratings would be, especially our lighter trucks, under this new standard. I bet Chevy is going to have a hard time keeping up since they have chosen to use less technology on there frames and bodies (less high strength steel in the frame and no body lightening.)

 

It's fair if that's the job each truck will have to do IRL. I have a 4000 lbs trailer I regularly tow and I really want to buy a quad that'll have to go in the box once I pay off the truck. Each truck would need to do the same weight, I'm not trading down my trailer just because I'm not a huge fan of towing with the Tacoma all the time.

Or do you think we should start testing each kid only to his own capabilities to make them all feel like winners .

Same idea.

 

Per their criteria, to be considered for the award, either a remodel, refresh or significant mechanical change is required. The Ram won the last two years, getting the second win due to adding the diesel option. The Ram was basically unchanged for this year.

The Ford not winning was surprising to many and myself included, especially with the all-new aluminum sheet metal.

 

Yeah, I'm not a fan of the formula or the publication. Too be honest no one is really writing unbiased truck, car, or vehicle reviews anymore. It's all about whose treating/paying them the best.

The real fate of the Colorado will come from the engine. If this one blows up like the Atlas family was known for that's what will torpedo sales. If the truck holds together well and can get it's own little off road fan base then maybe it can stick this time. No matter what the truck is here to stay for 7-8 years, GM won't just abandon it if it sells even half decently. The question will come up when the redesign in necessary. If the truck isn't selling at least 25% of the midsize market by that point I doubt GM will keep the lines going.

 

Nothing wrong with personal rationalization. The F150 will do better for you.

I try to rationalize buying a fullsize for myself, I rarely tow more than 2000 lbs. Though since fullsizes are getting nearly the same mpg as the Tacos, hard not to look at them even though I don't need a full size for 98% of my needs.

Everyone gets a trophy! LOL (sarcasm)

 

Most of that is just paper work, not a vehicle is physically capable of. Have buddy that is a fleet manager...he'll have the exact physically the same truck side by side, but one is specced differently on paper.

We did the same with our medium duty dumps, you can change the paper work rating to a lower capacity so the driver didn't have to get a CDL. Sure the truck can handle more, but the driver wasn't legally allowed to haul more.

Kinda like they tweak the law for large RVers so they don't need a CDL (which they should imo)

 

Changing your insured and registered GCVR and GCWR is not the same thing as how the companies rate their towing and payload capacities. I do operations work for my facility. I know what you mean but at the end of the day the most you can register a truck for is what it was stamped with on the factory floor. Over rating a truck requires a LOT of additional inspection paperwork and money, not to mention you have to prove every component is uprated legally should something ever go wrong.

My boss fucked up years ago, before I helped with Ops, and registered and insured a couple of half tons for less weight than they weighed empty.... lol.

 

True...but I take the how they rate them with a grain of salt...much like how I take EPA mileage ratings with a grain of salt.

 

True lol. At least now though they are all rating there trucks according to the same rules rather than picking a rating system out of a hat!

I wonder if anyone actually tried towing 30,000 pounds with a Ram 3500 dually. I mean the truck can physically handle the weight, but braking and turning not so much lol.

 

Yes much better!

That has to be so sketchy.

I used to tow a John Deere 350c with a F700, you could really feel the weight. IIRC the machine alone was around the 12K lbs mark.

 

I have physically seen in person a ~95 Ram 3500 reg cab dually with no bed (just hitch) towing 5 cars on a double deck car hauler. Crazy. Had a pic on my old phone but that was before all the auto backup.

 

The dude who came to pick up my VW Westy to be shipped off to the Netherlands had 3 others on the trailer...it was so sketchy, I almost didn't let him take the VW.



Check out where the rear tires are on the Raptor.

 

Reminds me of that show about the people who work on bids from U-Ship lol. I remember watching that show and seeing people show up with the wrong trailer, equipment, and attitude to move $100,000 dollar items. I would NEVER use a service like that unless I was shipping garbage.

They even had some poor redneck kid trying to tow 10,000 pound plus items around with an old 1/2 ton chevy van.

 

They best guy on that show passed away.

 

I was on the phone with the broker when he was loading, asking if they were sure about this. Basically as soon as the money transfer went through and I signed over the title to the driver, it was his responsibility.

Alrighty then...not my problem!

Of course at the end of the day, the shipper called me saying the driver didn't have the title. Good thing I took pictures of the whole exchange.

Those guys are sketchy.