2026 Chevrolet Colorado Review

Our automotive expert shares opinions and new photos of the 2026 Colorado.

Christian Wardlaw | 

Apr 9, 2026 | 12 min read

Christian Wardlaw

• Pros: Good looks, significant towing capacity, and impressive off-road performance give the 2026 Chevy Colorado Trail Boss real appeal. 
• Cons: An overall lack of refinement makes it hard to accept a price tag of more than $50,000 when a Colorado is optioned up.
• The Takeaway: Buy a 2026 Colorado for towing and off-roading. For everything else, other midsize trucks could prove more pleasing.

Among midsize pickup trucks, the 2026 Chevy Colorado strikes me as a good value for business owners, formidable off-road, and capable of towing heavier loads. Not only that, it has a stylish design, impressive in-cab technology, and an authentic simplicity that I find appealing. However, it lacks overall refinement, which is acceptable at lower prices but not at $50,000 or more.

• What's new for the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado
  
• About the 2026 Colorado review vehicle
  
• Design, quality, and interior layout
  
• Comfort, convenience, and cargo space
  
• 2026 Chevrolet Colorado infotainment system review
  
• Safety features and ratings
  
• 2026 Chevrolet Colorado specs and fuel economy
  
• 2026 Chevrolet Colorado test drive
  
• Alternatives to the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado
  

What's New for the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado

QuickTake: This year, there are minimal changes to Chevy's popular midsize pickup truck.

Chevrolet last redesigned the Colorado for the 2023 model year and has made only a few changes to the 2026 Colorado. Harvest Bronze is out as a paint color, while White Sands debuts as its replacement. New 20-inch wheel designs are available, the Colorado ZR2 off-road model can be optioned with a new lift kit, and the ZR2 Bison offers a new high-strength Boron steel skid plate to protect the truck's underbody while off-roading.

A limited-production Stars & Steel Special Edition is also available. Based on the Colorado Trail Boss, it includes trim-specific exterior graphics and numerous optional upgrades. For each one sold, Chevrolet will donate $250 to nonprofit organizations that support veterans.

Christian Wardlaw

About the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado Review Vehicle

QuickTake: My well-equipped test truck tipped the value and refinement scale into negative territory. 

Chevy sells the 2026 Colorado only as a crew cab equipped with a short cargo bed. You can choose from WT (Work Truck), LT, Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2 trim levels, and base prices range from about $35,000 to around $53,000, including the destination charge to ship the truck to a dealership from the Wentzville, Missouri, assembly plant that builds it.

For this Colorado review, I test-drove the Trail Boss in Southern California. Optional equipment highlights included the Midnight Edition package, the Convenience Package II, a spray-on bedliner, and accessory power distribution and switch kits, bringing the manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) to $50,880, including the $2,095 destination charge. Chevrolet provided the vehicle for this Colorado review.

Christian Wardlaw

Design, Quality, and Interior Layout

QuickTake: Looks great on the outside, but the interior is underwhelming.

The Chevy Colorado is a good-looking truck with a chiseled, purposeful look. In particular, I like the tautly penned sheetmetal, boxy fender flares, and a stance that puts the wheels at the corners. It has outstanding visual balance.

Inside, my Trail Boss test truck's dark interior was awash in cheap-looking plastic. It's easy to clean up, and there are some shiny bits here and there to break up the monotony of the Jet Black cabin and its hard surfaces, but the materials make a $50,000 asking price hard to justify. Not only that, but the Trail Boss has carpeted floor mats. Any truck made for off-roading should include rubber all-weather mats as standard equipment.

That underwhelming quality is too bad, because the interior design and layout are appealing. My Trail Boss featured a sophisticated 11.0-inch digital driver display; an intuitive 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen; properly sized control knobs; and soft, durable-feeling Evotex artificial leather. I found the windshield wiper controls frustrating to use, and the truck's lack of a headlight switch (you must use the center touchscreen) is irritating.

Christian Wardlaw

Comfort, Convenience, and Cargo Space

QuickTake: The Trail Boss lacks comfort for all, but the truck's CornerStep rear bumpers sure make it easier to access the cargo bed.

My test truck's optional Convenience Package II added the Evotex upholstery, plus an eight-way power-adjustable driver's seat, heated front seats, and a heated steering wheel. Testing week brought damp, chilly, and wet weather to the Los Angeles area, so I appreciated the extra warmth. However, I suspect the Evotex would trap sweat on muggy summer days.

Thanks to the power-adjustable seat, driver comfort proved satisfactory. My wife wasn't as happy with her accommodations. Not only did she find the Trail Boss hard to enter and exit, but the right front seat doesn't adjust for height. Interior storage space is adequate, and some surfaces are lined with rubber featuring a topographic pattern that makes them appear to be water-stained.

My teenagers also voiced discontent with the soft, low, and cramped back seat and its lack of a center armrest. At least the bottom cushion is dished to provide some thigh support, the front seatbacks are softly padded to protect knees and shins, and air-conditioning vents help on warmer days. Flip the bottom cushions up, and there is storage space underneath them.

At the back of the truck, a lightweight, dampened tailgate with StowFlex embedded storage drops to reveal a useful 41.9 cubic-foot cargo bed. Steps embedded into the rear bumper corners make it easier to climb aboard, and eight tie-downs help to secure cargo. The tailgate offers a mid-position setting that supports up to 500 pounds, and depending on the configuration, the Colorado can handle up to 1,710 pounds of payload.

Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Colorado Infotainment System Review

QuickTake: The standard array of in-cab technology is impressive, except for the stereo speakers.

Every new Chevy Colorado features an 11.0-inch digital driver display and an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system.

Standard features include:

• Google built-in
  • Google Maps
  • Google Assistant
  • Access to the Google Play Store
• Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity
• SiriusXM 360L satellite radio
• OnStar Basics connected services
  • Access to a Wi-Fi hot spot
  • Automatic Crash Response system
• Six-speaker stereo

As you move up the trim-level ladder, you get wireless smartphone charging and rear USB ports. A Bose premium sound system is also available.

Thanks to its Google built-in technology, responsive and graphically appealing touchscreen, simple and intuitive menu structures, and separate volume knob and climate controls, the infotainment system was easy to use. However, the Google Assistant unexpectedly could not find "the nearest Starbucks" or "the closest Chipotle," two of the simpler conversational voice commands I use for testing. Altering the commands produced the expected results, but typically, that isn't necessary when I evaluate infotainment systems. For all other test commands, it worked well.

I had no problems with the wireless Apple CarPlay, and the digital driver display offers three visual themes and the ability to customize the displayed data. Unfortunately, considering how this truck boasts such obvious youth appeal, the standard six-speaker stereo falls short of expectations. Heavy bass distorts the sound quality at moderate volume levels, so I recommend the Technology package for its Bose audio system upgrade.

Embedded into its standard high-definition reversing camera, the Colorado features Hitch Guidance and Hitch View to assist when connecting a trailer to the truck. When off-roading in a Z71 or ZR2, available underbody cameras provide the driver a ground-level view to the front and back to help with maneuvering on terrain.

Christian Wardlaw

Safety Features and Ratings

QuickTake: Most of the available safety tech is standard on all Colorado trim levels.

Chevrolet equips the Colorado with standard Chevy Safety Assist, a collection of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) that includes:

• Forward-collision warning
• Automatic emergency braking
• Pedestrian detection
• Lane-departure warning
• Lane-keeping assist
• Automatic high-beam headlights
• Safe-following-distance indicator

In addition to those features, a Safety Package is standard on all 2026 Colorados. It equips the truck with:

• Blind-spot monitoring with steering assist
• Rear cross-traffic alert with automatic braking
• Rear parking sensors

From there, safety-related upgrades include:

• A trailering enhancement to the blind-spot monitoring system
• Adaptive cruise control
• Surround-view camera
• Rear pedestrian detection

My test truck did not have the Technology option package that adds adaptive cruise control and the surround-view camera system, and Chevrolet does not offer a lane-centering-assist system on this truck. So, I didn't have much ADAS tech to test.

Still, compared with a previous test drive in a 2023 Colorado following the truck's redesign, I am happy to report that the 2026 Colorado's forward-collision-warning system behaved normally instead of hyperactively. It still seems a little too sensitive, but my experience this time around was significantly improved. Also, the lane-keeping-assist system operates in a relatively unobtrusive manner.

There are a couple of concerns regarding safety ratings. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gives the 2026 Colorado a four-star overall rating, out of a maximum of five stars. Dig deeper, and you'll find a three-star rating for front-seat occupant protection in a side-impact collision. The truck also earns a three-star rollover-resistance rating, but that's not uncommon in this segment.

Testing by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is incomplete. However, the 2026 Colorado earns the highest rating of "Good" in the small overlap frontal-impact and the updated side-impact crash tests. The ADAS ratings include an "Acceptable" for the Colorado's ability to avoid a collision with a pedestrian, and a "Poor" for its ability to avoid a collision with another vehicle.

Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Colorado Specs and Fuel Economy

QuickTake: A powerful turbocharged engine provides strong towing capacity but unimpressive fuel economy.

All Colorados have a standard TurboMax engine. It's a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder generating 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque, transferred to the rear wheels or all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. The maximum towing capacity is 7,700 pounds (6,000 pounds for the Colorado ZR2).

Depending on the trim level and drivetrain, a 2026 Colorado is rated by the EPA to get an estimated 16 mpg to 21 mpg in combined city and highway driving. The most efficient versions have rear-wheel drive, while the least efficient version is the ZR2 equipped with the Bison option package. My Trail Boss test truck earned a combined fuel-economy rating of 19 mpg, but on my mountainous Southern California test loop, with the transfer case in automatic four-wheel-drive (Auto 4WD) mode, it averaged 17.5 mpg.

The Trail Boss has standard 4WD. It is factory-equipped for off-roading, and includes standard all-terrain tires, an automatic locking rear differential, an off-road-tuned suspension with a 2-inch lift and a wider stance, and hill-descent control.

Christian Wardlaw

2026 Chevrolet Colorado Test Drive

QuickTake: The Colorado Trail Boss is great off-road and in the city, but its headlights aren't great.

The Colorado's turbocharged engine delivers impressive power, but it doesn't always feel as strong or responsive as you'd expect, and its note at idle and when accelerating leaves something to be desired. In particular, the transmission regularly demonstrates reluctance to downshift. I'm sure people living at elevation appreciate the turbocharger, though, when comparing the Colorado's TurboMax engine with the non-turbocharged powerplants in some rivals.

One of my favorite things about driving a truck like this in the city is that I'm less concerned about damage to the tires, wheels, and lower body elements. The Trail Boss is also a "City Boss" in that pavement heaves, gaping potholes, towering curbs, and steep driveway aprons pose fewer threats. 

In urban settings, the Colorado Trail Boss also has a stiff, truck-like ride, which I like because it feels authentic when you're driving it, communicating every nuance of the surface while also feeling remarkably structurally robust. On highways, tire noise is surprisingly absent. Mostly, it is wind noise and the occasional rattly engine note encroaching on the cabin's peace. 

One testing day, a storm moved in off the Pacific. Before the rain fell, while driving on local mountain roads, the Trail Boss struggled to maintain its composure as it traversed dips and patched pavement, and at one point, the excess body motions caused the stability control to engage to better control the Colorado. As the rain began to fall, the automatic 4WD setting operated flawlessly while rounding and accelerating out of curves, proving particularly helpful given the Bridgestone Dueler AT tires' utter lack of grip in the wet. 

Where the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss shines brightest is off-road. On a sunny day, I tackled a nearby trail, and this truck seemed utterly unstoppable, particularly when switched into the Terrain driving mode. Not only that, but its relatively tidy dimensions made it easy to maneuver. The one thing I wished for was the available underbody cameras, which you cannot add to a Trail Boss. 

There is one other thing I must point out: the Trail Boss model's poor headlight illumination at night. The standard halogen headlights produce a sickly, warm, yellowish glow that literally pales in comparison to modern LEDs (which are optional for the LT and standard with the Z71 and ZR2 trim levels). If you live someplace where maximum illumination is a necessity after dark, or you have failing eyesight, skip the Trail Boss.

Christian Wardlaw

Alternatives to the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado

QuickTake: Other midsize pickup trucks can offer more refinement, appeal, and overall fun.

The Chevrolet Colorado is a good-looking midsize pickup truck with impressive stats. The engine generates a lot of power, the towing capacity is among the best in the segment, and the off-road models excel where the pavement ends and the dirt begins. Additionally, the base WT trim level strikes me as a good value.

However, it doesn't take much effort to turn a Colorado into a $50,000 truck. At that price point, the dim headlights, the inexpensively outfitted interior, the disappointing stereo speakers, and the general lack of refinement are glaring instead of irritating flaws. 

If you have no plans to go deep into the backcountry or tow significant weight, consider the far more refined Honda Ridgeline as an alternative. Otherwise, I recommend checking out the bestselling truck in the segment, the Toyota Tacoma, even though it can't tow as much weight as the Chevy. And if you're going to accept the Chevy's lack of refinement, the equally archaic yet exceptionally charming Jeep Gladiator is appealing for its removable top and doors. 

Christian Wardlaw

Chris says his first word was "car." For as long as he can remember, he's been obsessed with them. The design. The engineering. The performance. And the purpose. He is a car enthusiast who loves to drive, but is most passionate about the cars, trucks, and SUVs that people actually buy. He began his career as the editor-in-chief of Edmunds.com in the 1990s, and for more than 30 years has created automotive content for CarGurus, J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, the New York Daily News, and others. Chris owns Speedy Daddy Media, has been contributing to Capital One Auto Navigator since 2019, and lives in California with his wife, kids, dog, and 2004 Mazdaspeed Miata.