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Rod Chapman21 Nov 2014
REVIEW

Holden Colorado and Colorado 7 2014 Review

Holden's MY15 updates see a raft of changes for Colorado and Colorado 7 models

Holden Colorado LTZ / Colorado 7 LTZ

The Colorado family is crucial to Holden's success – it's on a fairly level pegging with its Cruze nameplate. Only the Commodore sells in higher volumes, which is why Holden is hoping its latest Colorado revision will enhance its momentum in the face of intensifying competition.

The 4x4 ute market has slowed in 2014, with year-to-date sales down 4.7 per cent to the end of October (FCAI data). Holden's Colorado, however, has bucked the trend – its sales have grown in that period by 12.4 per cent. That's still lagging behind the gains made by Ford's Ranger (up 23 per cent) and the vehicle with which the Colorado shares its chassis, Isuzu's D-MAX (up 18 per cent), but it's a strong result in a segment currently awash with red ink. Not even the dominant market leader – Toyota's aging 4x4 Hilux – has been spared; its sales have dropped by 6.5 per cent.

Next year will see this fiercely contested category become even more competitive, with updated offerings from Nissan (Navara), Mitsubishi (Triton), and Toyota (HiLux). Then there's a looming facelift for Ford's Ranger and the new wave of Indian and Chinese players…

To keep pace with its rivals, Holden has given its Thai-built Colorado an update – its second since the current generation arrived in 2012. The revisions address three key areas – noise and vibration, suspension, and interior cabin feel – and are the result of significant local engineering input.

The sound suppression measures have been rolled out across the entire range. An engine acoustics package sees a new cowl insulator complemented by thicker dash mats and a new sound-deadening liner, with Holden claiming an improvement in cabin sound quality of five to seven per cent. Extensive work in the wind tunnel at Melbourne's Monash University has reduced wind noise through revised door seals and tighter build tolerances in critical areas.

The suspension changes are limited only to the LTZ crew cab, better reflecting – says Bill Mott, Holden's Director of Marketing – the needs of the variant's target market.

"Research has shown us that LTZ buyers are more likely to buy the Colorado for lifestyle reasons as opposed to using it as a pure workhorse," he says.

With a hefty top-of-the class (braked) towing capacity of 3500kg, apparently LTZ crew cab buyers are now thinking more about towing toys and weekend fun than shifting bricks around the building site.

To that end the LTZ crew cab gets 'Comfort Suspension'. The front spring rate has been softened by 12-15 per cent and the shock damping has been wound back, while the rear spring rate has been softened by around 30 per cent. Also enhancing the ride is a stiffer stabiliser bar.

The changes bring the LTZ crew cab's payload back from around one tonne to 825kg – a compromise typical LTZ buyers are happy to make, says Mott.

No suspension changes have been made to the Colorado 7 SUV, which already has softer settings and a coil-spring rear, as opposed to the utility's leaf-spring arrangement.

In the cab Jet Black carpet replaces the older grey carpet across the range, while the LTZ crew cab and the SUV also get darker plastics across the dash and centre console, a gloss 'Piano Black' centre stack facia and updated door trim. The leather-appointed seats (optional in the LTZ crew cab, standard in the SUV) now come with heating.

No changes have been made to the Colorado's driveline or styling, while Satin Steel Grey replaces the old Royal Grey paint option.

Importantly, pricing for the entire line-up remains at 2014 levels.

The Colorado ute continues to be offered in four trim levels (DX, LS, LT and LTZ) and three body types (single cab, space cab and crew cab), with cab/chassis and pick-up variants available in 4x2 and 4x4. The SUV is available in LT and LTZ trim.

To showcase the changes Holden took journalists to Noosa, on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, to sample the top-spec Colorado LTZ crew cab and Colorado 7 LTZ SUV. The 200km test route took in urban roads, motorway, dirt roads – even a 20km strop along the beach.

Setting off from Noosa in the LTZ crew cab, it was immediately clear that the suspension changes have effectively smoothed out much of the harshness usually associated with the class over smaller bumps and potholes.

The robust nature of what is in essence a workhorse typically translates to a firm ride – especially without a load. The softer set-up now delivers a plusher ride, which only enhances the LTZ's recreational appeal.

On busy urban roads the Colorado can't fully hide its workhorse heritage, however – there's still a truck-like feel to its handling and those used to passenger cars will find its sheer size takes some acclimatising.

The softer spring and damper rates may well translate to a touch more body roll through the bends, too, but the Colorado still acquits itself well for its dimensions and all-rounder brief. In high-range 4x4 it happily devours sandy trails and dirt tracks, soaking up both corrugations and bigger hits nicely while powering through deep, soft sections.

The off-road leg wasn't anything technical – we never engaged low-range in the switch-actuated dual-range transfer case or used the (recalibrated) hill descent control – but the terrain was a good example of the conditions an LTZ would typically encounter.

Holden's 2.8-litre Duramax 2 four-cylinder turbo-diesel continues to power the entire Colorado range and it's a capable unit, churning out 147kW and 500Nm when paired with the six-speed auto (which adds $2200). The six-speed manual drops torque to 440Nm.

There's little hint of turbo lag and acceleration is brisk – more brisk than you might expect of a rig of this size.

We only sampled auto versions of the LTZ in Queensland but we have no complaints about its operation. Incidentally, the Colorado 7 is only available in conjunction with the six-speed automatic.

We'd need to drive the new LTZ back to back with its predecessor to truly gauge the improvement in noise suppression. The SUV seemed a touch quieter than the ute but cabin noise is really very subdued for both on a constant throttle. Under power that diesel growl is there, but for us it just adds some truck-like character. Horses for courses.

The cab update has given the LTZ interior a lift, albeit minor. We like the 'Piano Black' centre stack fascia and the use of darker plastics, but Holden's use of 'soft-touch paint' on the upper dash still feels pretty darn firm. The mix of hard plastics should offer durability and easy cleaning but the Colorado cab lacks the refinement of, say, Volkswagen's Amarok.

Comfort is good; the front of the cab is spacious and the seating is supportive. Space is more limited (but acceptable) in the back while there isn't an abundance of cabin storage.

Standard LTZ features include the MyLink 7.0-inch infotainment system (with Bluetooth and embedded apps for navigation and audio streaming – there's no dedicated factory sat-nav), a reversing camera, cruise control and climate control, while both have a five-star ANCAP safety rating and an ISOFIX system for child seats.

This latest update is all about evolution, not revolution, for Holden's Colorado. A quieter cab and a plusher ride add up to extra driving comfort for the top-spec LTZ crew cab, which will have its work cut out for it as it faces several imminent new threats. Still, with MY15 Colorado prices remaining at MY14 levels, it's an appreciable swag of benefits at no extra cost – and no-one can complain about that.

2015 Holden Colorado LTZ crew cab/Colorado 7 LTZ pricing and specifications (as tested):
Price: $52,690/$53,190 (plus on-road costs)
Engine: 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel
Output: 147kW/500Nm
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Fuel: 9.1L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 245g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety Rating: Five-star ANCAP

What we liked: Not so much:
>> Softer, plusher ride >> Limited cabin storage
>> 3500kg towing capacity >> Cabin plastics could be improved
>> Broad scope of ability >> No dedicated factory sat-nav
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