New Chevy Colorado mega-thread

Sticker was $51,000. Got them down to $45k but should have done better. Was pretty hard to negotiate much more with so few available around the entire state/country as 2014 production had ceased and 2015 ordering not yet open.

Just got best mileage yet, 146 mile trip with a lot of up hill, dirt roads, idling (camping/fishing trip). 30.1mpg, myself and friend (400 lbs of human) + 300 lbs of stuff-cooler,beer,recovery gear, etcetc)

 

Damn, 30 MPG on a trip like that? What do you get on the highway or on city? If you don't have a gauge that tells you all that, what is your average MPG?

 

I have a Hemi 8 speed for a work truck, zero hunting. One of the best transmissions ive ever felt.

I also have been looking at Touareg TDI's and they also come with the ZF 8 speed, again amazing to drive.

If the vehicle has the torque to properly use an 8 speed they are great. People with the Tacoma think shifts are slow and noticeable (like they are on the 5speed auto). With the ZF 8 speed it isn't noticeable at all feels amazing.

 

I tested an EcoDiesel for a weekend and got 26mpg combined on the 1 tank I put in. The reason I didn't buy it was because it seemed a little slow and a fullsize is just to big for my needs.\


Locally In Vancouver BC Canada you can get an ecodiesel Outdoorsman (comparable to the TRD Sport Tacoma) for $41,000 after the current rebates (which are $10,000) before haggling.

I would think $39,000 is easily achievable as a final price.

A TRD Sport is $37,000 before haggling, so maybe $35,000 as a final price.

Definitely a great option for those wanting better gas mileage.

 

The wife has a new cherokee with the 4 cyl and 9 speed auto. The transmission is awesome and incredibly smooth. I don't think I have ever seen the. 9th gear though even at 80 mph on the freeway unless I manually shift it. The other bonus is you usually have a insane crawl ratio with the low 1st gear you have. We live in the mountains and it seems her car can always pick the perfect gear for the grade. I would love to see a new tacoma with an 8+ speed gear box.

 

I wish the Tacoma had a power sunroof.

 

The future wife and I test drove an Ecodiesel. It seemed like it fit the truck nicely and didn't hunt gears when we took it out for about an hour. It's still a Dodge though, and our experience with them hasn't been stellar mechanically, so now she's trying to choose between an F150 and a 4Runner.

The sticker price in Lethbridge, Alberta on a 1500 Sportsman 4x4 Ecodiesel with a few extra's was 45K (after some factory discounts) no taxes included. I had the dealer all the way down to 36K without taxes but the wife said no and we left. I still don't see how Dodge can sell trucks that cheap and not lose quality or profit. I'm curious to see how the dodges are after 2-4 years and if they'll have the multitude problems that seem to plague the Hemi half tons. If they hold up maybe I will consider Dodge again for myself instead of the future wife.

In other news, she'll probably end up with a 4Runner .

Edit: Almost forgot to add. This morning 58 km's east of Lethbridge the Taber gas stations had diesel priced at $ 1.23/L and regular gas for $1.17/L. That's only a difference of about 5%! If that holds up diesel has a future in smaller trucks around here.

 

Diesel is $0.03 /L cheaper in BC right now.

I have a feeling diesels will soon be taking significant market share.

 

Short answer...if Toyota doesn't keep pace with their competition they'll fall to the back of the pack. I can't help but wonder if Toyota is distancing itself from the truck market.

 

Honestly I don't like dodge because every time I get in one that is a bit aged it always looks like it aged like crap. I work as detailer while I go to school so I am inside probably 10-20 cars a day every day.
My dad has an 2008 that has an awful interior. He is always fixing stuff from the front suspension that is an epidemic on those trucks. He babies the hell out of his truck so it's not like hes thrashing it. Dodge trucks and cars that aren't babied seem to have the interior falling apart after a few years.
If they do get 30 mpg great but when it feels like shit is cheap inside and falling apart in the front suspension I couldn't deal with that. Maybe it's changed on new models but I don't know and I'm not going to gamble on a brand new vehicle.

 

Wish I had a solid answer for you but if I reset the mileage for a 5 day work week with zero interstate I hit between 21 and 23. 21 being the first week I got the truck A/C blasting 100% of the time. I actually gain a little in fuel economy on the way in to work and lose some on the way home. Evening traffic is a pain and I end up sitting at the same stop light for like 3 or 4 green cycles. Max speed limit between home and work is 35mph so that doesn't help. For the record, I've only had the truck long enough to do the above for 3 weeks/15 days of uninterrupted city driving.

Tacoma was getting about 18-19mpg city or highway, 80mph definitely killed it on the interstate. Seems like the new truck is less affected by this but it's got the factory lean on where the Tacoma was leveled.

Vantage, the throttle definitely takes some getting used to and I'm sure the power figures are rather low when you're not producing any boost. People with the bluespark system seem to notice less turbo lag. Me personally.. I just anticipate needing to step on it and about two seconds later I'm flying. Never drove a 4.0L Tacoma but this thing obviously stomps my 4cyl taco and my 3.4L 4runner.

Who knows, we'll see about the whole Dodge/Ram/Chrysler reputation with these new trucks. I will state to all though that new diesel emissions are terrible and we shouldn't have too high of expectations when/if more manufacturers begin to make smaller diesel engines more available. Take Toyota's most reliable diesel that they use with great success overseas, slap a terrible bottleneck in the exhaust with a filter that naturally clogs up (diesel particulate filter) and then require a dozen sensors to monitor wtf is happening - and everything the motor once represented is jeopardized. Without that junk though new diesels won't make it to America.

As a final note as this post is stupid long and I may seem like I'm humping Ram's leg - if Toyota were to actually release a new Tacoma and incorporate an efficient diesel, I'd be all over it in a couple years. Actually gas would be fine too, but in any event it'd require them to actually become more competitive with creature comforts, engines, and fuel economy... and redo the exterior from the ground up just to show some effort. At that point though we'd probably have something as ugly as the new Cherokees.

Sit in a newer Laramie / Longhorn / Limited 1500 and I think you may be surprised. Takes the cake versus any other truck interior on the market today. Everything feels solid, what's plastic seems to be of high quality, doesn't bow when pressed, doesn't rattle. A few years from now though... who knows.

 

Enigmadsm basically just said it all. Couldn't agree with you more.

 

My only argument ever. Bought a $53k truck and the truck's cooled seats stopped working with 250 miles on the odo.

 

My 2008 represents some decent 2008 technology.
Unfortunately, the 2014, and likely 2015 still represents some decent 2008 technology.

If I was in the market for new...difficult choice.
If Ford does some of the new stuff to their Ranger line, that would hit Nissan, Toyota, Honda, and Chevy.

 

Hour, lot of good points in your post. I really hope the new Tacoma stands up to all that is offered with the ram. I would live a eco-diesel, turbodiesel, or whatever in the Tacoma. Like you said, even a gas would be okay. You mention the regulations that NA motors have vs foreign motors, but If other motor companies are making it work, Toyota can too. Like you said I think they put forth less effort than they portray, I heard a statement that was actually probably in the article this thread was made for, something along the lines of "We plan to incorporate hybrid diesels/eco diesel into some of our vehicles to catapult ourselves ahead of the competition." My first reaction... No... You're playing catchup with the competition. I'm really loyal to Toyota because the Tacoma is just such a beautiful (and reliable-good for me) truck that I probably couldn't drive anything else. However if they flop this redesign I honestly can't say what I'll be in 4 years from now... I really hope they don't rely fully on customer loyalty because loyalty is earned and doesn't last forever after one good run.

 

You sir, are right on the money.

WARRANTY. WARRANTY. THEN SOME EXTENDED WARRANTY. I had a fully loaded Chevy Z71 before my Tacoma, and I bought an extended warranty at the stealership where I worked. 2 weeks later, the transmission shits the bed, along with some other minor issues. 3k it would have cost me, but with the extended warranty it was $100 deduct. I think warranties are a good idea, depending on what you drive and how long you are going to drive it.

YES

 

Like others have said Toyota needs to be innovative with the redesign rather then just getting b. Seems like lots of members want leather, dual zone cc, heated mirrors...I hope they just give me a cargo light, tailgate lock and a truck that doesn't vibrate like hell. It's beyond me how a truck that has been out since 2005 that they cannot find a fix. Hopefully the redesigned Tacoma will be better.

 

I just hope the new Colorado and Canyon sell like hot cakes and maybe then the Tacoma and Frontier will finally get a redesign without some of the vibration problems.
I will be giving a close look and test drive of the Colorado.

 

I will be doing the same, I like my Tacoma but hate the vibrations I have on a stock truck with only 34k it, unacceptable. I have heard rumors to wait until 2016 for Colorado as it will be released with an 8 SPD with the diesel.

 

I will not wait for the 2016 if I like what I see.
Toyota has disappointed me with these shudders and vibrations. The 2006 and 2010 Tacoma I did not have those problems but my 2012 does. It seems like all they would have to do is go back to what they changed to cause this. Did they change springs? Did they reduce wheelbase by 1/2 inch? They changed something to cause this.
I wanted a 2014 Tacoma but did not get one because of these issues. I was hoping for a 2015 Tacoma redesign that did not have these issues but it is not happening.
Yes, I will be looking very close at the Colorado!