Holden's Colorado 7, in terms of its all-round abilities, has not proven to be a favourite at motoring.com.au.
However, judged recently in a much more heavily focussed exercise that took us deep into Victoria's Alpine National Park, the big SUV gained significantly in respect and admiration.
Most of this was due of course to the Colorado 7's unarguable focus on combining the disciplines of a spacious, seven-seat workhorse wagon with those of a genuine off-roader; but that wasn't all.
Although the Thai-built Holden has come across as more than a little primitive on previous acquaintance, this fact became less up-front as we travelled deeper into the rutted, steep mountain tracks that carve their way into the historic Wonnangatta Station.
In fact even on the long highway run prior to leaving the bitumen and rumbling onto the gravel roads at the foot of Mount Buller, our LTZ-spec Colorado somehow didn't offend to the same point as previously.
This was partly due to the fact that the car was now being experienced in the company of a group of other true off-roaders: Its Isuzu MU-X kissing cousin, in top-spec LS-T form, Mitsubishi's Triton-based Challenger LS, the Land Rover Defender 110 station wagon and Toyota's pricey but sumptuous LandCruiser Prado Kakadu diesel.
In this company – with the possible exception of the Prado, in highway conditions – the Colorado 7 suddenly seemed acceptably refined and dynamically capable, while showing off known strengths such as its impressive capaciousness. Even the cabin finish failed to offend the way it had in previously, although there still seems to be an overwhelming presence of monotone, hard-touch yet easy to scratch plastic, particularly on the dash.
And the Colorado 7 is big. Sharing its 2840mm wheelbase with the Isuzu MU-X the Colorado 7 is as monumentally large as it looks.
With an easy-to-use folding system, the seven-seat Colorado 7 (hence the name) converts quickly from full-passenger to full-cargo mode. The centre-row split-fold seats can be simply dropped flat to provide a lengthy load deck, or quickly tumble-folded to provide a supplementary, low-level load area from the third-row seats forward.
Off-road, the Colorado LTZ's decent 231mm ground clearance (the lower-grade LT provides only 205mm), as well as reasonably generous approach, departure and ramp-over angles (30 degrees, 25 degrees and 22 degrees respectively) take some of the anxiety about traversing rocky off-road tracks. Wheel articulation provided by the all-coil suspension is adequate to keep the tyres in contact in all but the most severe circumstances.
Wearing 18-inch alloy wheels with 265/60-series all-terrain tyres, our Colorado 7 managed perfectly well in the dry test conditions, although a set of more aggressive tyres would be recommended once the tracks became wet and sloppy.
On test, only the standard side running boards (which actually provide protection for the lower door sill area) lightly kissed the surface a couple of times. The rest of the underpinnings were elevated high enough, when driven with appropriate care, to avoid contact.
The 4WD system was satisfyingly simple to use. A rotating dial on the centre console allows on-the-fly shifting from the Colorado 7's default rear-drive configuration to high-range 4WD with almost ridiculous ease. Shifting the transfer case down further, into 2.62:1 low-range, requires a brief stop and the engaging of neutral to prepare for more serious low-speed off-road assaults. But again it's still very easy.
While the Colorado 7 might not be your ultimate all-diffs-locked, high-riding beast, the basic, part-time 4WD arrangement – where there's no centre differential to be locked anyway – always sends power to both front and rear axles. It's helped along by a limited-slip rear differential to apply motive forces to the ground with an electronics package that includes hill-descent and hill-start assist systems.
Off-road the long-stroke 147kW/500Nm 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel combined with the six-speed automatic transmission to deliver a steady, grunty shove that was never found wanting in our test. It was also reasonably economical recording an off-road average of 15.7L/100km.
About the only thing that disturbed us about the Colorado 7 was the spongy four-wheel disc brakes. Although reasonably capable off-road, they felt a little un-nerving once back on the bitumen, the pedal feel suggesting slower than expected retardation of the Colorado 7's 2210kg (kerb) bulk. A little attention to braking calibrations would be welcome here.
And, considering it's the better-specified of the two Colorado 7 models on offer, the LTZ's lack of standard equipment– such as sat-nav or more comprehensive power seat adjustment – was a little disappointing; especially considering the near $50k price tag.
But, taken in the context that it actually covers all the bases with a high degree of effectiveness, the Colorado 7 proves to be a quite impressive contender in the off-roader segment.
It's abilities as a useable on-road SUV combine with a high degree of ability in the bush (as well as the ability to tow up to three tonnes) to make it an eminently practical choice for those whose needs run to more than a daily visit to the supermarket carpark.
What we liked: |
Not so much: |
>> Off-road ability | >> Spongy brakes |
>> On-road behaviour | >> Easily scratched plasticky interior |
>> Luggage and passenger space | >> Disappointing spec level for price |
Related reading: motoring.com.au's Offroad SUV reviews