Driven: Upgraded Holden Colorado range checks in

HOLDEN is hoping to continue its Colorado sales success in the light-commercial vehicle market with a 2015 model-year update bringing improvements to ride and comfort, while keeping prices fixed at 2014 levels.

The refreshed line-up includes also includes a more luxurious cabin for range-topping variants as well as revised suspension for a less truck-like ride.

Exterior styling remains unchanged and powertrains also carry over from the 2014 model, however all variants of the ute and its Colorado 7 SUV twin benefit from extensive engineering work to minimise noise and vibration with an acoustic package.

Top-spec LTZ grades of the Crew-Cab Pick Up, Crew Cab Chassis and Space Cab Pick Up have been fitted with a revised suspension set-up for a more comfortable, car-like ride.

The LTZ also picks up a plusher interior with leather appointed and heated front seats (optional on the Crew Cab), plus there’s now a soft-touch dash with Jet Black Paint and Piano Black finish on the console, centre stack and door trims.

The Colorado 7 LTZ seven-seater also receives the soft touch dash and new trim, but Holden said its suspension was already tuned for a softer ride.

Holden executive director of marketing Bill Mott said the premium touches were added and suspension revised in response to feedback from Colorado drivers who were not using the vehicles as workhorses but wanted a better ride and a more luxurious cabin, while retaining off-road capability.

“The Colorado range has a great reputation for off-road driving and we wanted to translate this to urban and highway driving too,” he said.

“Whilst customers enjoy the reassurance they get from driving a very capable 4x4, they should also enjoy driving it on everyday errands.” Mr Mott added that the engineering work done to improve noise and vibration ensures that the entire Colorado range is more refined on the road.

“The reduction in noise and vibration across the range and the introduction of a tailored comfort suspension on the Colorado LTZ truck ensures that driving a Colorado is both a comfortable and enjoyable experience in any environment.

“Finally, as we remain committed to provided outstanding customer value, I am pleased to announce that we have managed to do all this whilst maintaining our 2014 prices in addition to continuing to run our very competitive capped price servicing offer.” The four-grade line-up for the Colorado ute consists of DX, LS, LT and LTZ variants with a choice of three body-styles – Single Cab, Space Cab and Crew Cab. The ute is available in 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrains, depending on the body-style.

A 2.8-litre four-cylinder turbo-diesel powers the line-up with a six-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic transmission. The oil-burner offers up 147kW of power and 440Nm of torque when matched with the manual or 500Nm with the auto.

The revised suspension means the payload capacity in the LTZ has been reduced and now ranges from 824kg in the 4x4 Crew Cab to 927kg in the 4x2 Pick Up. Payload capacities for other variants remain unchanged and range from 1490kg in the 4x2 Single Cab Chassis LS to 1064kg in the Crew Cab Pick Up LS.

Kicking off the range is the Single Cab Chassis 4X2 LS at $28,390, plus on-road costs and tops out with the Crew Cab Pick Up LTZ at $50,490 and Colorado 7 LTZ for $50,490.

All variants have a braked towing capacity of 3500kg.

Some standard features in the ute include air-conditioning with climate control on LTZ, descent control system (excluding DX model), seven-inch colour touchscreen with MyLink media system, Bluetooth connectivity and power windows, while the LTZ Pick Up gains a reversing camera.

The Colorado 7 continues to be offered in two trim levels – LT and LTZ – and is powered by the same diesel engine as the ute, but is only available with the six-speed auto.

Standard features in the big off-roader include a seven-inch touchscreen with app-enabled MyLink media system, reversing camera and rear parking sensors and Bluetooth connectivity.

Holden Colorado pricing*

Single Cab Chassis LS 4X2	$28,390
Single Cab Chassis DX 4X4	$35,490
Single Cab Chassis LS 4X4	$36,490
Space Cab Chassis LS 4X4	$40,990
Space Cab Pick Up LTZ	$47,990
Crew Cab Chassis LS 4X2	$34,390
Crew Cab Chassis LS 4X4	$43,490
Crew Cab Pick Up LS 4X2	$35,890
Crew Cab Pick Up LT 4X2	$36,890
Crew Cab Pick Up LTZ 4X2	$41,390
Crew Cab Pick Up LS 4X4	$44,990
Crew Cab Pick Up LT 4X4	$45,990
Crew Cab Pick Up LTZ 4X4	$50,490
Colorado 7 LT 4X4 (a)	$47,490
Colorado 7 LTZ 4X4 (a)	$50,990

*Excludes on-road costs.