New Chevy Colorado mega-thread

I put those ahead of forums IMO, when it comes to REAL issues. Forums tend to make everyone hypochondriacs.

 

Reading online complaints is risky business, because you know nothing of the validity of the authors.

Example? I had a period of time where I had some serious performance tire experience in the race prepped street legal class. I knew what worked and didn't. Yet on tire websites, there would be glowing reviews for mediocre rubber, offered by high dollar vehicle owners. Problem was, most of them a) never did more than an occasional stoplight drag b) never actually had used tires with real grip for comparison c) only were capable of driving the vehicle at 3/10ths anyway. Poseurs with wallets.

Point is, it's a grain of salt deal. If you want raw data, you're better off knowing an honest service manager for each marquee. Or the ability to review recalls/TSBs that are being issued, just to give a sense of overall issues.

TIP. JDPowers is lame. Don't even bother looking. Unless you've reached a decision on your own and JD supports it. Then you can use it to sway the wife.

All of the above are a factor in why I buy used. I'd rather wait till some real history is established. On any vehicle. I don't mind occasionally being leading edge, but I avoid bleeding edge. Example. The first real CUV was the Highlander in '01. I bought an '04, and yes, I bought it new. And I'm still driving it. It's been an excellent vehicle for the function I bought it for. And frankly, I still like it's style. Not the peeling clearcoat, but the body lines.

Like @gpb says, get out their and make an annoyance of yourself. Take notes. Take pictures. Ask questions (not of the salesman). Walk away and come back another day. Different weather. Different mood. Full moon. New moon. Conditions matter. You'll figure it out.

 

I drive BOTH and can tell you.....

Ive had my 16 Taco for over a year, still under 14k. Ive been in the Colorado work truck for 5 months, just under 13k already. (free company truck)

I like the V6 in the Colorado a little bit more than the V6 in my Taco. And that is it! It seems to be more responsive on take off and more peppy.
the base colorado does have electric seats....forward and back, up and down....no reclining though. The handle to recline feels like its gonna break everytime I use it. I like to nap for lunch.
the stereo / dash setup is crap. including the AC displays. When you change the volume, fan speed, vent options, it shows on screen for 5 seconds.
But when you take a phone call on bluetooth the fan speed automatically lowers....thats a pro.
This biggest complaint I have about the Colorado is the damn door panels! you cant even put a bottle of water in the non existant pocket straight up. it is at an angle in all the doors. There is no where to put anything of value in the doors. worst design ever.
If you are looking at an access cab and plan on having anyone back there....the seats are like a pad you would take to a football game and sit on instead of the bench. No adjustments.

Im not sure what the cost is on a base colorado....but I wouldnt buy one of my own. I would go full size if I was going to buy any other make of truck.

 

Are there no participation tropheys with Tacomas? My life has been a lie.

 

PS....no complaints about motor or tranny issues on either vehicle. They both Run great.

 

I just looked it up and the average age Tacoma buyer is 49 and the Canyon was 55 but l did not notice the Colorado age.

 

Tacoma or Colorado - I had been looking at Tacoma & Canyon for a few months, after owning two Rangers ('98 & '07) for 20 years. My main criteria were double cab & long bed, and wanting a fully loaded truck. I just picked up my Tacoma Sport DC LB last week.

After driving the Tacoma a couple times, I commented to the salesperson about the Tacoma transmission always seemed to be hunting for gears while around town driving. Salesperson immediately answered, saying to shut off the ECT Power (button on dash). By doing so, the salesperson said I would feel more power, but give up some efficiency. This appears to validate Joe23's comments above.

My main reasons for choosing the Tacoma over the Canyon -

• Blind Spot Monitoring & Rear Cross Traffic Alert (part of Premium & Technology Option Pkg)
• Side View Mirror Turn Signals
• Push Button Start (Sport model & above)
• CD Player (yes, I do not have an MP3 or listen to music from my phone)
• Resale Value - IntelliChoice 5Yr - Taco 78%, Canyon 64%

The things I didn't like about the Tacoma -

• Rear Drum Brakes (GM has rear disc)
• 6 Spd Auto Trans (2017 GM has 8 Spd Auto) (I just read in the latest MotorTrend that the staffers had zero praise for the new GM tranny, albeit in a different car).
• Composite Bed - Both my Rangers had a spray-on liner, which I had zero problems (ie, bed rusting out) with over the 10 years I owned each of them. I got the Toyota dealer to throw-in a bed mat, so cargo won't slide around.

So, I had to give up the power leather seats (what the heck, it is a truck) . . .

Hope this helps.

 

hey where I am I see more younger people driving F150s than anything else.

 

My uncle owns a 2016 GMC Canyon All Terrain package and I will say I am glad I bought my Tacoma. There were a few nice touches, but overall design I give to the Tacoma. Working on the Tacoma is a little easier overall and the engine bay is a dream to work on.

I wish I could agree with you on the powertrain for the Canyon. I drove my uncle's for a bit and it has a 1-2 second delay accelerating from a stop or slow crawl. I found this out the hard way merging onto the highway where it stuttered... stuttered some more then bam took off like a frigging turbo with more of a delay. GM put out a TSB for it but it is still there. Hell my dad's BMW X3 with the 2.0L Turbo has way less delay than the NA 3.6L V6.

Without that delay the GM V6/6 speed combo would be good. I'm guessing that's why they moved to an 8 speed for 2017. My 2017 Tacoma with ECT on is nice. No Hemi V8 but it's decent.

Working on the GMC seems to be way harder. As you indicated getting to the head lights was a pain in the ass. I offered to wire up a Xenondepot HID kit for him... it was a lot more work than my Tacoma. My friend who is a GM tech confirmed my suspicions.

Read up on the GMC Canyon/Chevy Colorado transmission delay. I would take the Tacoma's combo any day due to the issue. Even after the TSB my uncle's Canyon scares the living hell out of me. Some on the coloradofans forum think it is because it upshifts so fast that it has to drop 3-4 gears to accelerate thus explaining the delay. Personally I don't care what it is, I just don't want to get rear ended or have to patiently wait for 1-2 seconds after flooring the damn pedal.

 

Wow that's a stark contrast from my experience in test driving the colorado

 

I wonder if he just got a lemon. It happens to all companies but I will say that sticks with me.

 

Yeah I mean there's a large group of folks who really love their tacoma and mine sucks so I don't know...

 

You're comparing a Colorado WT to a TRD OR Tacoma?

 

One of the mechanics at the shop I always go to used to have one of the canyon, he got rid of it for a 2014 tacoma. Different gen but either way when I mentioned the searching gear thing to him about the new taco he said thats why he got rid of his canyon. It always would search even the older gen, and said he heard the same issue with the new ones. Its something that's just going to be common with most cars now unless you have manual. All these new fancy transmissions are designed to stay in a certain RPM range to get best MPG. Auto's aren't aware out the outside, they don't have our eyes they dont know whats coming. Think of it in stop and go traffic, you can speed up and get into 3, but really no need it should've just stayed in 2nd because as soon as you get to 3rd you need to stop slowing down again. The searching gear thing is likely only going to get worse with future vehicles.

I'm not a fan of GM regardless even if its a fullsize. If I was buying one it would either be ford or dodge.
All of them have their issues but after the whole auto bailout shit in the US I seriously think Ford has improved and come a long way from the previously well known pile of shit they were. Aside from the ecoboost, have a few at work and they're always having problems, but the 5L V8 they have seems to be pretty good at work. My uncle's had all the domestics and seems like he's had the best results with Dodge besides I like their interior more than the others.

Either way I feel the toyota is better in the powertrain than any other. Toyota has always had their own issues as well. Always find it comical all the third gen hate meanwhile the 2nd gen had a bunch of frame rot problems.

 

As much as I wouldn't buy a full size toyota truck, I wouldn't buy a compact GM truck. All about personal preference imo. I was about to pull the trigger on a new 2500 sierra denali before I got my tacoma. Glad I went with the tacoma.

 

The 2017 duramax looks badass. Functional hood skewp too . I miss my Denali. It was a beautiful and solid truck. Never a single issue with my GMC in 3 years and 36k miles. Just a totally different class of vehicle. The Tundra is a great proven vehicle it just feels like it's about 10 years behind in interior tech and design.

 

Definitely true. Smitty you seem to hate the taco since you've had so many issues with it. Completely understandable though.
Many think ford is absolute shit, when I was younger my parents had a ford minivan that was a pile of shit, but then after it died at 180k we got a 2001 ford focus that up until a few years ago when my parents got in an accident and it was written off was a great car. Got it from a family friend who was too old to still drive and it never once gave us any issues. 290k KM on it when the accident happened not one issue other than a thermostat. My dad went from hating ford to having no problem with them as the car was always reliable.
One bad experience can really change someone's view though. Hell I had a custom exhaust built by one local shop that everyone praises as so great, yet I was so disappointed with their work and would never go back. Same dealer I got my VW from, has great reviews yet had so many problems with them.

Hell the local toyota dealer I was originally going to get my truck from just had a sales rep make me never want to come back. Same guy I was originally going to buy from but took so long to get me a test drive in a TRD OR I bought mine from a different dealer that got the the test drive and gave me a great deal. Was at the local one the other week getting the front bed rail and saw the sales guy so said hi just to be nice and he gave me the most bitter rude hello back since he knew I didn't buy it from him. Made me never want to go back and I was going to get all my service from them since they are close by. But after that shit? fuck them.

 

Might be different in the US market but here the Tundras have shit resale from what I've seen.
Not many used car places want them as they're hard to sell. They're too expensive and really not that great when compared to the domestics. Might be more reliable but looks wise and payload/towing really nothing special compared to the others. Not 100% sure on how the Tundra's are with reliability though.

 

Funny my wifes family had a Ford focus for 6 or 7 years but she said they called it the Ford "FuckedUs" because it was such a pile of shit.

 

LMFAO
Dude how many say VW are terrible? Mine has been fuckin great since I got it aside from a wiper motor that kept breaking when the dealer fixed it, and a faulty air bag ignitor. Both were done by the dealer I got it from and always ahd issues, once it was out of warranty had the wiper fixed myself and never failed again. Failed turbo but no vehicle with a turbo has them last that long anyways its just maintenance when it comes to turbos.
So many say the VW are terrible, had I still been in the market for a car I'd likely be buying another one or an Audi.