Buyers here at Jim Butler Chevy of St Louis have many reasons to add a large truck to their lineup, as attacking any terrain, hauling goods, and looking wickedly cool while doing so are all on the list. But as we situate ourselves in conversation with our fellow coworkers and take a close look at towing, there are many different variables to evaluate. The 2023 Chevy Colorado has a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds when properly equipped, proudly residing at the top of the range for trucks in the mid-size segment.
Numerous experts have long known that showing numbers sometimes doesn’t offer a standing guarantee for a completely stress-free towing experience. Writer Matt Barnes wrote an article last week about the Chevy Colorado’s trail boss trim level, and how it performed while towing a camper trailer over challenging inclines. The Colorado trail boss starts as the basic WT trim level, and adds two inches of lift, 3.6 inches to the track with, and very capable 32-inch Goodyear Wrangler territory A/T tires to this heaping helping of rig.
Matt appreciated that the WT tri-level served as an entry point because many off-roaders require a more expensive trim level to get things situated. The Colorado Trail Boss is for drivers who want a truck that adequately gets the job done without the need for items such as cosmetic upgrades and very high-end audio. The standard powertrain is a 2.7-liter 4-cylinder, which comes in three varieties. The Trail Boss gets the mid-level 2.7-liter Turbo Plus, which cranks out 310 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque.
The truck for this article’s test was equipped with the Advanced Trailering Package, which beefs up the hauling game with trailer brake controller, a trailering app for setting up various trailers and testing connections, and an extra trailering package with a 2-inch receiver hitch. This particular writer was a mechanical engineer and former product tester for Progress Mgt, which manufactures Fastway Flash ball mounts. The trailer for this test sported a total weight of 4,650 pounds, with the tongue weight of the trailer situated at 450 pounds.
No true test could be complete without a notable elevation, and here the team set the tone with a 4,500 incline which peaked at 6,200 feet. There was a short freeway section, with the remainder consisting of four-lane roads, and grades of about 10%. The 4 and 7-pin outlets along with the built-in trailer brake controller made this all quite simple, with the trailer light check easily claiming its spot as the star of the show. Situating the rearview camera a bit offset from the center, this camera does a fantastic job of keeping with the program while offering a safety net and an awesome productivity tool.
As the crew merged onto the freeway to take on an uphill on-ramp, the 390 lb-ft of torque from the 2.7-liter four-cylinder made for ideal bravado and muster, and getting things done at cruising speed was never an issue. The high torque output is the ideal and souped-up recipe for towing, and there was just a very slight amount of natural trailer sway while driving at 70 mph. This was also on a road that had a hairpin curve and some extended weather damage, all the while maintaining excellent performance.
As the crew prepared to climb a very steep grade, the 2023 Colorado Trail Boss was able to hold the engine RPM at or below 3000 RPM for just about the entire climb. Turbocharged engines are known for their excellent fuel mileage potential, and the truck’s on-board trip computer averaged about 11.9 mpg. The Motor Trend crew greatly appreciated the increased ground clearance courtesy of the two-inch lift, along with the improved breakover, departure, and approach angles. For the extra boost and boss-like handling of anything from Mojave-grade hazards to a quick run out of town, the terrain drive mode allows for one-pedal driving, offering excellent throttle and transmission response as well.