Wanna ride shotgun with the GRM crew?
Welcome to this week’s test vehicle, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss.
Coming in above the WT and LT but beneath the Z71 and ZR2, the Trail Boss sits neatly in the middle of the Colorado lineup.
A 2.7-liter turbo-four–rated at 310 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque–is the only engine choice for the Trail …
It certainly looks the part, and I'm sure the name never gets old.
What do you drive?
It's a TRAIL BOSS
So, some first impressions:
We used it for some “truck” things this weekend, meaning visiting a few garden centers with it. It’s a good size for a truck. Not the smallest turning circle, but I’d rather wheel this around than a full-size truck.
The ride is rough.
I get that trucks need to do truck things, but wow is there a lot of hard plastic inside–specifically the steering wheel. It reminds of the original Neon. 
And could the armrest be a little softer, too?
Oh yeah, a photo from one of the garden centers. 
Can you please hook it up to a big trailer and let us know how the "midsize" truck does? How does it feel? Does it drive like a big truck pulling a trailer or something a little small for the task?
The Colorado (not in "trail boss" trim). Offers the lowest price point to 7000+lb towing and adaptive cruise so it kinda leads my list right now.
How high can you jump it before GM gets upset?
In reply to nocones :
We might be able to accomodate that.
I'm driving a '16 Chevrolet Silverado, V8, 4X4, double door that has the 6.5' bed and small back seat. I use it for sales and it's at 171,000 miles so I've been looking.
This is ideal because with my trade and cash I'm borrowing $19,000-$21,000 and it falls under my $500 car allowance for the payment. I've also looked at Taco's and all the full size trucks. I do sometimes have to deliver a coil of large hose so the big truck is ideal.
I do a lot of banzai runs from 5/6 hours out to get home from my travels so a 300 mile Monday morning or Friday afternoon is normal.
Am I going to be comfortable?
nocones said:Can you please hook it up to a big trailer and let us know how the "midsize" truck does? How does it feel? Does it drive like a big truck pulling a trailer or something a little small for the task?
The Colorado (not in "trail boss" trim). Offers the lowest price point to 7000+lb towing and adaptive cruise so it kinda leads my list right now.
I owned a z71 Colorado and towed with it quite a bit. It every bit as capable as 90s full sized trucks but it isn't as capable as modern full sized trucks. If you tow often as in more than once a month, I'd strongly consider a full sized truck. That's just my experience and opinion.
Basically it's all the low end (and more) of the 2.8 diesel and all the top end of the 3.6 V6, plus a couple of additional gears. Stability and dynamically though, it's basically just another modern midsize.
What is the as-built (door jamb sticker) payload?
thatsnowinnebago said:How high can you jump it before GM gets upset?
Not sure I want to find out. :)
In reply to Datsun310Guy :
I find these seats to be rather comfortable: plenty of butt and back cushion along with moderately aggressive bolsters on both. I’ll take some photos once the sun is out.
But a caveat: The truck is tall and I am not, so getting between those lower bolsters requires a bit of up and over. YMMV, of course.
In reply to Driven5 :
Here’s the doorjamb sticker:
In reply to David S. Wallens :
There should typically be at least one other sticker with a payload or 'occupants and cargo should never exceed' number. I've generally seen it on the tire pressure sticker, but I thought some newer GM even came with a dedicated towing and payload sticker.
IMHO everybody who hauls or tows with any vehicle (not just trucks) should be intimately familiar with this sticker, since the published numbers are inherently inflated... Perhaps it's even something worthwhile for a publication about hobbies that often include trailering to discuss in an article about towing safety. 
Ah, that sticker: 1507 pounds is your limit.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
That's pretty reasonable, and optioned closer to published than I expected. Thanks!
David S. Wallens said:In reply to Datsun310Guy :
I find these seats to be rather comfortable: plenty of butt and back cushion along with moderately aggressive bolsters on both. I’ll take some photos once the sun is out.
But a caveat: The truck is tall and I am not, so getting between those lower bolsters requires a bit of up and over. YMMV, of course.
I think of the Trail Boss as a poor man's ZR2. Basically a WT interior + 2" lifted off-road oriented suspension and tires.
Z71 is going to be the more creature comfort oriented (soft touch surfaces, optional heated and cooled leather seats, etc.) truck that's easier to get in/out... Nicer yet would be a Canyon.
Another question: Does the 'mid-position' tailgate align with lumber cutouts in the bed to better enable carrying sheet material?
In reply to Driven5 :
Andre of TFL bought a '23 Trail Boss. They've done videos of off roading, 0-60, towing and fuel economy runs.
Andre's is probably the most comprehensive review you will find anywhere.
In reply to Driven5 :
We love towing safety: What Can Go Wrong When Towing Improperly (Also, we really expected more of a CHiP accident.)
In reply to Driven5 :
Just by eyeball, I’m going to say that the mid-position sits a little higher than the wheel wells.
I do like the simple setup for setting the tailgate to that position, too.
How are the backseats? Is the back portion bolt-upright or is there some angle?
In reply to David S. Wallens :
So might it be level with the top of some 2x4's or 2x6's either laid in the 3 side pockets or stacked in the 2 divider slots?
Have you found a good use for the tailgate storage yet? I feel like the mid-position is the more important thing for overcoming the perception of how 'useless' short bed trucks are, but the reports I've seen all seem to be spending more of their time fawning over the storage bin.
So last night I was doing some looking. It appears that unless the Colorado is ordered with the "Trailering" package it's GCWR is 8700lbs. Meaning non "Trailering" equiped trucks only have a 2800 lb towing capacity at max GVWR. I could be wrong though, but that's the Chevrolet listed GCWR for non Trailering colorados.
Excerpt from the 2023 Trailering Guide.
So if you are looking at a Colorado.. MAKE certain it has the Factory Installed "Trailering package" plus LSD, or with the special high output programing on the 2.7, otherwise you aren't getting 7,700lbs towing.
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