2021 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss - Is it really the boss?

The pick-up truck segment is one of the most popular vehicle segments in the Philippine market. This is evidenced by increased sales the past few years, attributed to more affordable pricing as this segment was not affected by the infamous TRAIN Law of the current Philippine government administration.

We have with us the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss, an accessorized version of the Golden Bowtie brand’s entry into the crowded and popular pick-up truck segment, and with an affordable price tag as well.

With all that in mind, how does the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss stand-out with so many different options in the market ranging from purely utilitarian to high-performance variants?

Exterior

In terms of looks, the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss definitely stands-out, especially our test drive unit which comes with a very bright Orange Crush exterior color. The overall design is still basically the same with the rest of the Colorado lineup. While this truck only comes as a 4×2, it does look very rugged compared to the LT variant it’s based on. The blacked-out front grille, Chevy Bowtie emblem, fender flares, and sports bar all give it a more off-road ready appearance. The huge Colorado decal on the rear tailgate also adds to the bolder and rugged look and is one of my favorite design upgrades on this variant. The wheels have also been blacked-out by the way. All these black pieces and trims contrast very well with the bright and unique exterior color.

Standard equipment are multi-reflector halogen headlights, halogen fog lights, and bulb-type taillights. Would’ve been nice to see more LED lights or accents, maybe in the form of daytime running lights but that’s reserved for the higher trim levels.

Interior

Inside, the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss is like an old movie, black and white, or maybe black and gray. It’s best described as simple but this is how a pick-up truck should look like. A bit more could have been done to differentiate the interior from other variants especially with how well differentiated the exterior is. It’s still nice though especially with what Chevy did when they gave the Colorado and Trailblazer an update back in 2017.

The seats are fairly comfortable. They’re wrapped in a nice light gray fabric with an interesting Chinese-looking pattern on it. They could be better though as I found the seats to be a bit too firm at times. In terms of material quality on other parts of the vehicle, everything is made of hard touch plastics unlike on upper trims but that’s not a problem. Pick-up trucks are meant to be abused and one way to keep the interior nice is by using durable materials rather than fancy-feeling ones. Build quality is definitely good and the materials themselves do not feel cheap in any way.

As expected, the rear seats aren’t that comfortable as with most other pick-up trucks. Legroom and headroom are good enough for 5’7” me but I did find myself sitting sideways instead of the usual position to be more comfortable. Toys aren’t plenty as well but this variant is on the lower end of the lineup so I’m not complaining.

Overall, Chevy could have definitely done more to differentiate this Trail Boss variant with the rest of the lineup given how much they’ve done on the outside, as I mentioned earlier but nevertheless it’s still a nice place to be in.

Storage

As a pick-up truck, storage is of course a very strong feature of the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss but let’s start inside. While there are adequate storage spaces around the vehicle, you can fold up the rear seats to put larger stuff that you do not want exposed. There are also smaller hidden storage spots under the seat bottoms revealed also when you fold them up. This can be useful for hiding stuff from people who shouldn’t see them.

The bed on the Colorado features 1,329 liters of cargo space. Payload is at around 1,000 kg which is pretty much the standard in the segment. A bedliner is also standard ensuring that you protect your precious bed when hauling items here.

Technology and Safety

Despite being on the lower end of the local Colorado lineup, the Trail Boss is actually well-equipped in terms of technology, at least for the infotainment. Standard is Chevrolet’s MyLink Infotainment System which is controlled through a 7-inch touchscreen head unit. It comes equipped with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard which is great for listening to music and using navigation apps, as well as taking phone calls. The screen itself is very responsive and offers excellent feedback as it should be. The size despite not being 8-inches and above which is the norm these days still seems to be adequate and does not feel small at all. Sound is sent through 4 speakers in the cabin which is okay for a pick-up truck.

In terms of places to charge your phone, the Colorado Trail Boss only features one USB port which can be found hidden underneath the center armrest. Two 12-volt power outlets can be found in the center stack and another for the rear passengers can be found behind the front center console. It is lacking a reverse camera and parking sensors which if you ask me should be standard for a vehicle of this size.

Standard safety features on the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss are Dual Front Airbags, Side Door Impact Beams, Anti-lock Braking System with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, and a Limited Slip Differential.

Engine

Powering the Colorado Trail Boss is Chevy’s 2.8-liter Duramax Inline-4 Cylinder Diesel engine. This is one of the more powerful options in the segment with 200 horsepower and 500 Nm of torque. These numbers are the same as on Toyota’s 2.8L GD engine on the updated Hilux and just a little below Ford’s 2.0L Bi-turbo on the Ranger Raptor. These figures are paired to a 6-speed automatic transmission and power is sent to the rear wheels. Really though, shouldn’t the engine power all four wheels considering the name ‘Trail Boss’?

Driving and Comfort

Once you get moving in the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss, something you’ll immediately notice is the engine. It provides all the power and torque you need when accelerating and does not feel slow at all. Pressing the accelerator gives back immediate response which is not surprising as you have numbers similar to those on the Ford Ranger Raptor. The downside is that the engine does get quite loud. Don’t get me wrong, the 2.8 Duramax sounds really good which I appreciate, it’s just that the engine may be too loud for some especially at low city speeds. Nevertheless, the powertrain makes this truck one excellent driving machine.

Since I already mentioned that I’m driving an excellent machine, the steering feel should also be a consideration where it is also really good. At lower speeds it feels just the right amount of light while it gets heavier at higher speeds which is a good thing. It also remains very stable even on bumpy roads. Cabin insulation is also pretty good with no road noise entering at all though it might be because of the loud engine. In terms of ride comfort, it could be better but hey, this is a pick-up truck. You don’t expect it to have a smooth luxurious ride right? Also, I noticed that the suspension seemed to be squeaking and this sounded quite annoying. It’s also a bit ironic that this is called Trail Boss without a 4WD system which should be useful for going on a trail which means this is really more of just an accessorized standard Colorado than one that is meant for the trails.

Fuel economy is what you’d expect from a diesel-powered vehicle. In the city, we managed to get an average of 10 kilometers per liter in both light and heavy traffic. Highway runs on the other hand returned a good 15 kilometers per liter.

Conclusion

Considering the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss’ suggested retail price of Php 1,368,888, it’s actually a good buy. Again pick-up trucks were not affected by the infamous TRAIN Law which allowed them to maintain pricing that is more affordable than vehicles in other segments. With that price you get a good looking pick-up truck, the choice of the eye-catching Orange Crush exterior color, decent equipment, and very commendable performance. That’s what the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss offers.