The new generation of Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon debuted to much applause, if not for being a solid midsize pickup in of itself than for being a huge step forward from the outgoing generation which had been on sale in North America since the 2015 model year. As a fan of the class in which GM’s smaller truck duo lives, I approached it with skepticism. The ZR2 that arrived for a week of testing sure was a looker, but does its performance, notably that of the turbocharged four-cylinder engine, match its burly stance? And can its towing performance match its 7,700 pound towing capacity?

New truck, new life breathed into it

Let’s get this out of the way: The new Colorado is a huge improvement overall as a truck. It’s more comfortable, more compliant, better to live with, better looking, has vastly improved tech, and both rides and handles better than its predecessor. Though tight in the back seat (as all midsize trucks are), the interior is comfortable and more than sufficiently spacious for most usage cases. Even my kiddo’s massive rotating car seat fit in the back, albeit with the front passenger seat pushed quite a bit forward, but NVH is much improved over the last generation and the Colorado is very easy to live with.

Part of that is attributed to the Colorado’s size, which is a much more manageable ~213” length than the Silverado ZR2’s ~233” length. The latter also has a 47.1 foot turning radius, and while I don’t have an exact number for the Colorado’s, it feels like half to two-thirds as much real estate is needed to turn the thing around. For most users, this is the “right size” truck, and Chevy’s quoted 7,700 pound towing capacity means it should theoretically be a solid hauler as well.

About that tow rating…

I wish that was the case. It’s not that the Colorado provided a poor towing experience, it’s just that it was very underwhelming to tow with compared to what its tow rating would lead you to believe. I’ve done a fairly significant amount of towing and hauling ATVs, having done so with at least a dozen this year alone, and the Colorado wasn’t particularly happy to do so.

With a ~2,300 pound U-Haul trailer and about 1,000 pounds worth of Polaris behind it, the Colorado’s 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine expressed unhappiness at even the slightest sign of an incline. Even when toggling the truck’s controller over to the dedicated tow/haul mode, 310 horsepower, 430 lb-ft of torque, and the 8-speed transmission didn’t particularly enjoy pulling less than half of the truck’s max pulling capacity. The engine’s gravely, econo-car sounding note wasn’t particularly inspiring either, and while the truck did get the job done, I was happy to be done using it as a tow rig.

A solid truck with good specs, but not quite capable of replicating the full-size towing experience

Yes, I admit I am spoiled with what I’m fortunate to test and use as an ATV hauler, but the Colorado’s as-tested $52,235 MSRP (base price being $46,800) has it pushing into pricing territory in which the $55,590 5.3-liter V8-powered Silverado 1500 Trail Boss occupies. Different sizes and class of truck, but if you’re going to be towing with any regularity, spring for the full-size (or better yet, spring for the 3.0L Duramax-powered version at $56,385).

To make a long story short, the new Colorado, especially in ZR2 guise with its Multimatic DSSV dampers, chunky 285/70/17 Goodyear Territory MT tires, and newfound modern technology does make for an attractive, solid truck overall. I’d absolutely recommend one to someone looking for a supremely capable off-roader or who wants a truck that still fits into city-sized parking spaces, but I have a hard time backing it for buyers who want to tow two tons or more at least a few times a year.