2018 Chevrolet Colorado

Pros: Refined road manners for a pickup truck; good selection of modern comfort, safety, and technology features

Cons: Rear seat space is tight, especially in extended-cab models; prices rise quickly as options are added; Colorado (except for ZR2) doesn’t offer the more-sophisticated full-time 4-wheel drive system that is available on the GMC Canyon

CG Says: The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado gains an available Active Tow feature that uses the rearview camera to help align trailer hook up. Also, the base touchscreen grows from 4.2 inches to seven. Both the Chevrolet Colorado and its upscale cousin, the GMC Canyon, are really more midsize than compact. However, they are notably smaller than the typical full-size pickup, which makes them a bit easier to manage in tight quarters. Gasoline 4-cylinder and V6 engines, and a diesel engine are available, as are extended-cab and crew-cab body styles. A standard cab is not offered. The ZR2 model offers greater off-road capabilities and is the only 4×4 Colorado with full-time four-wheel drive. Available features include forward collision alert, lane-departure warning, locking rear differential, and hill-descent control. The Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon are a shot in the arm to the dwindling compact-pickup segment. They offer up-to-date technology features and all-around refinement. Though pricing on top-line Colorados reaches into the realm of some lesser-equipped full-size pickups, the smaller, more-tractable dimensions should make Colorado a practical alternative for many big-truck intenders.