- Doors and Seats
4 doors, 5 seats
- Engine
3.6i, 6 cyl.
- Engine Power
157kW, 313Nm
- Fuel
Petrol (91) 12.8L/100KM
- Manufacturer
RWD
- Transmission
Auto
- Warranty
3 Yr, 100000 KMs
- Ancap Safety
NA
Holden Colorado 4×2 LX Crew Cab Review
2011 HOLDEN COLORADO REVIEW
Vehicle Style: Dual-cab utility
Price: $33,990
OVERVIEW
Holden's Colorado may be near the end of its life-cycle, but with the factory-fitted LPG option and a commodious cabin, it's still got plenty to offer as a rugged work ute.
INTERIOR | RATING: 2/5
- Quality: Typical of most work utes, the cabin is dominated by hard plastics and not a lot of design flair. The cupholders could be better positioned and more oddment storage would be welcome, but at least we didn't hear any creaking cabin trim.
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Comfort: The cloth-trimmed seats offer reasonable support, but not enough for long stints behind the wheel. The steering wheel only adjusts for tilt, not reach.
The back seat is reasonably spacious but typically upright.
- Equipment: There's a single-disc CD player, power windows, power mirrors and central locking as standard. Cruise control is not available on the LX.
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Storage: The Colorado LX Crew Cab can carry a total payload of 1113kg, however the spare wheel's presence in the tub cuts into the available storage space.
Maximum towing capacity is 2500kg braked, and 750kg unbraked.
ON THE ROAD | RATING: 3/5
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Driveability: The 3.6 litre V6 has good performance whether fuelled by petrol or LPG. The four-speed automatic may be antiquated, but the engine produces ample torque to make the most of each ratio.
It performs well under load, though bettered lower down by the diesel. The benefit of LPG however is that you get the on-road top-end power and smoother operation of the V6, for the running costs of the diesel.
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Refinement: There's not much of it, to be honest. It's a work ute, so the usual shimmy from the body-on-frame construction and a lack of acoustic deadening means the Colorado is anything but refined.
On the plus side, the V6 is at least relatively quiet and smooth.
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Suspension: The Colorado has good suspension travel, and its soft damping works well over broken ground. The leaf-sprung rear end is a bit fidgety when there's no load in the back.
It feels ‘boaty’ on the highway, but so do most utes of this type.
- Braking: The 280mm front disk brakes and the 295mm rear drums feel strong, however we weren’t able to properly test them out with a heavy load aboard.
SAFETY | RATING: 3/5
- ANCAP rating: 3 stars.
- Safety features: Dual front airbags, three-point seatbelts and ABS are standard, but side airbags, curtain airbags and stability control are unavailable.
WARRANTY AND SERVICING
- Warranty: 3 years/100,000km.
- Service costs: Holden does not provide dealer servicing cost guidelines; speak to your dealer about scheduled servicing costs.
HOW IT COMPARES | VALUE FOR MONEY RATING: 3.5/5
- Ford Ranger XL Crew Cab diesel automatic ($32,990) – The Ranger's 1800kg braked tow rating compares poorly with the Colorado's 2500kg rating, however its 2.5 litre diesel has strong torque and reasonably refined operation. (see Ranger reviews)
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Mitsubishi Triton GLX dual cab petrol ($28,390) – The 94kW/194Nm petrol four-cylinder of the Triton delivers poor performance, and its maximum tow rating of 1800kg is well under that of the Colorado.
An automatic variant is not available for the petrol four. (see Triton reviews)
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Toyota HiLux SR dual cab petrol automatic ($34,190) – Toyota's Hilux dual cab has less room in its back seat but more power and torque.
On petrol, it consumes less fuel than the Colorado but the Holden has the LPG advantage. (see HiLux reviews)
Note: all prices are Manufacturer’s List Price and do not include dealer delivery or on-road costs.
TMR VERDICT | OVERALL RATING: 3/5
A diesel powerplant makes more sense for a work ute than a petrol V6, but the flexibility of the Colorado's dual-fuel V6 certainly appeals.
You will need to accept the compromise of having the spare tyre riding in the tub however.