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Bruce Newton1 Dec 2012
REVIEW

Holden Colorado 7 2013: Launch Review

Holden's first off-roader in almost a decade is cheap but far from cheerful

Holden Colorado 7

What we liked
>> Interior packaging
>> Pricing and equipment
>> Towing capacity

Not so much
>> Low rent interior
>> Noisy engine
>>Poor on-road ride and handling

OVERVIEW
>>It’s better than no SUV at all
Holden is so bereft of off-road wagons at a time when SUV sales are going gangbusters, it’s no surprise it leapt at this seven-seat, diesel-only, auto-only wagon adaptation of its Colorado one-tonne utility. But with its body-on-frame design and significant off-road ability, the Colorado 7 is answering a question not many people are asking these days.

The reality is most of us want the butch off-roader look without the hard-core capability. That’s why the Toyota Kluger, Ford Territory and a raft of smaller SUVs are selling so well. And it’s why the next generation Nissan Pathfinder swaps back from the current version’s body-on-frame chassis to a car-like monocoque.

Rather than the Colorado 7, what Holden really needs is an all-new and significantly improved Captiva. That won’t show up for some time yet, although the new Trax mini-SUV will be with us mid-2013.

Yes, yes, I know you’re saying the Toyota Prado is the biggest selling large SUV and it is a body-on-frame serious off-roader. But Prado is such a desirable name plenty of people buy it because it’s cool, not all-terrain conquering.

Anyway, the folks at Holden barely acknowledge Prado as a competitor, although the Brazilian-designed and Thai-built Colorado 7’s much cheaper pricing might tempt some people away.

PRICE AND EQUIPMENT

>>Competitive pricing for two-model lineup
On-sale in December (2012), the Colorado 7 will be offered in LT and LTZ specifications, priced at $46,990 and $50,490 respectively.

Both 7s come with the same seven-seat interior packaging, 2.8-litre turbo-diesel Duramax CDTI four-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic transmission and heavy-duty low-range drivetrain.

Externally, they are most easily picked apart by wheel size, the LT rolls on 16-inch alloys and the LTZ 18s. Both get a full-size 16-inch spare as befits a serious off-roader. Note, however, the spare is marked with an 80km/h warning sticker.

Standard LT comfort and style features include air-conditioning, cloth trim, Bluetooth connectivity, USB and AUX inputs, cruise control, a trip computer, side steps, foglights and aluminium roof rails.

The LTZ adds leather seat trim, a powered driver’s seat, eight speaker CD audio (up from six in the LT), single-zone climate control, power-fold mirrors. LED tail-lights and halogen projector-style  headlight.

The Colorado 7 comes with an extensive range of more than 30 accessories, 13 of which have been developed in Australia. Among them is a bull bar which will not impact on the vehicle’s five star ANCAP rating.

MECHANICAL
>>It’s based on Colorado and it’s basic
As its name suggests, the 7 is based on the Colorado one-tonner already sold in Australia. It is built in the same Rayong (Thailand) plant, but swaps its utility body for an integrated wagon design. At the rear multi-links and coil springs replace leaf springs in its live axle suspension. The front continues with double wishbones.

But most other mechanical aspects are familiar, starting with the 132kW/470Nm 2.8-litre four-cylinder Duramax engine. Featuring double overhead cams, common-rail direct injection, a variable geometry turbocharger and intercooling, its official fuel consumption average is 9.4L/100km, and its CO2 emissions rate is 252 grams per km.

The engine hooks up to a six-speed automatic transmission and a part-time shift-on-the-fly four-wheel-drive system with two and four-wheel drive high and low range operated via a rotary switch on the centre console. A limited slip rear differential, hill start assist and hill descent control are standard.

The Colorado 7’s braked towing capacity is a substantial 3000kg.

The Holden’s ground clearance is 219mm (231mm LTZ); it has an approach angle of 30 degrees, departure angle of 22 degrees and ramp breakover angle of 22 degrees. By comparison, the Toyota Prado’s ground clearance is 220mm, the approach angle 32 degrees, departure angle 25 degrees and breakover 22 degrees.


PACKAGING

>>Spacious and well thought out
Measuring up at 4878mm long, 1902mm wide and 1834mm high (1847mm LTZ), the Colorado 7 is 52mm shorter than a Toyota Prado GX, 17mm wider and 11mm lower/2mm higher.

The three-seat middle row splits 60/40, the two-seat third row 50:50. Minimum luggage space is 235 litres, expanding to as much as 1830 litres with rows two and three folded.

Access is provided by a flip-up tailgate and cargo secured from private eyes via a retractable cover.

Smaller items are catered for by as many as 30 storage compartments. These include a lidded tray atop the dashboard, a dual glovebox; small door pockets front and rear and seatback pockets.

With all seven seats in-place there is precious little cargo space, but the good news is you can fit adult-sized passengers in all three rows. Both width and length are good enough, and decent-seized windows provide a good view. Indeed, with air-conditioning vents, cupholders and 12v outlets in all three rows, it is obvious some thought has been put into the people-carrying ability of the 7.

Access to row three is good because the rear-door opens wide and the middle row split-folds 60:40 and then tumbles forward. There’s even an inbuilt step to aid progress. There are overhead grabhandles too, but no door grabs.

Get rid of a couple of passengers and you really do have the best compromise, as there is now room for four adults and their luggage. The second row is raised ‘theatre style', which aids visibility.

The seats, unfortunately, are a bit uninspired and hard. The bench is flat and the front buckets lack support.

The driver gets a steering wheel that adjusts only for height. The gear lever can be operated manually, shifting forward to go up and back to go down. Instrumentation is clear and simple. A logical set of dashboard controls is dominated in the LTZ by a circular a-c control. Readout graphics are somewhat 1980s old-school.


SAFETY

>> Covers the basics
The Colorado 7 retains the five star ANCAP crash protection rating scored by the Colorado crew-cab ute. Other safety features include curtain airbags that extend along the entire three-rows of seats and front airbags. There are no side thorax airbags in the front or rear.

Rear park assist, a reversing camera, stability control and anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist, are standard.

Three child restraint top tether strap anchorages are fitted to the second row. There are three ISOFIX ‘plug in’ child restraint anchorages in row two, but only two can be installed simultaneously.

COMPETITORS

>>Compares well on price
The Colorado 7 compares well against the likes of the Mitsubishi Challenger and Nissan Pathfinder, which are also based on truck-like body-on-frame chassis, come only as diesels and can seat up to seven passengers.

There are cheaper five-seat and two-wheel drive Challengers, but Holden has no plans to introduce rivals ‘price-leader’ models.

The 7 undercuts the Prado by about $10,000. The entry-level turbo-diesel GX Prado is $55,990, and that’s as a five-seater with a six-speed manual gearbox.

ON THE ROAD
>>Nothing to get excited about here
The Colorado 7 is the first serious Holden off-roader to be offered since the Isuzu-developed Jackaroo wagon disappeared from sale in late 2004. But if memory serves, there seems little difference in the drive experience. Indeed, if anything, the Colorado 7 LTZ doesn’t feel as nice inside as upmarket iterations of the old Jackaroo.

Plastics are hard and cheap, the interior colouring is a monotonous grey interspersed with a few splashes of chrome-look plastic and the leather trim seems more like vinyl. Soft cloth door inserts are a rare nicety.

All this reflects the fact the 7 is primarily an emerging market vehicle which has been designed to a price and therefore has a low ceiling on its perceived quality level. It’s an issue reinforced when you press the accelerator, feel vibrations and get drowned in the gravely note of the diesel engine. Noise intrusion is also not well damped, and that simply reflects a limited investment in sound deadening materials.

The problem for Holden is that to significantly lift such things as materials quality and NVH counter-measures requires a substantial spend on dollars. And as Australia is accounting for only a few thousand sales out of a significant production run then there’s little chance of the added complexity being introduced to the Rayong assembly line.

The downmarket feel extends to the on-road drive experience. But it’s about what you would expect from a body-on-frame vehicle rather than being a letdown. The Challenger and Pathfinder would offer no more satisfaction.

The engine matches its noises and vibes with a slow-spinning nature. Happily, the auto manages to quell lag.

The steering is heavy, the ride is clumsy and wallowing, and the tendency for the rear end to either crash through or jump off bumps is familiar. It would be a chore to manoeuvre this vehicle around town on a daily basis.

None of this is helped by a tare mass around 2100kg, depending on the model you choose. That has obvious impacts on performance, fuel economy and handling behaviour.

At least, the vision level is quite good from on-high, and the reversing camera mounted in the rear-view mirror is still rare enough to be a novelty.

Off-road, of course, the 7 is a pretty good thing thanks to its substantial capabilities. It instantly felt more at home in 4WD High on a gravel road than it did the lumpy, winding bitumen that preceded it.

Add in its substantial towing capacity, decent pricing and good interior space (if you don’t have to carry seven) then it’s a chance to tempt some grey nomads.

Although we suspect most will still opt for Prados…

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