Holden Colorado 7 LTZ 2013 Review

Price Guide (recommended price before statutory and delivery charges): $46,990 LT, $50,490 LTZ
Options fitted (not included in above price): Metallic paint $550
Crash rating: Five-star (ANCAP)
Fuel: Diesel
Claimed fuel economy (L/100km): 9.4
CO2 emissions (g/km): 252
Also consider: Mitsubishi Challenger LS, Nissan Pathfinder ST, Toyota LandCruiser Prado GX

Nearly 10 years have elapsed since Holden ceased selling the Isuzu-built Jackaroo in Australia. Only now has the local GM brand offered a full-chassis all-terrain wagon that would seat seven – the Colorado 7, also built by Isuzu.

A true off-roader, rather than a soft-road SUV like the Captiva, the Colorado 7 is built on the Colorado pick-up's chassis. So the engine – a 2.8-litre diesel – drives longitudinally to the rear wheels in high-range two-wheel drive. And yes, that means it also offers a dual-range transfer case.

Developing 132kW and 470Nm, the four-cylinder diesel delivers a healthy dose of performance through its six-speed automatic transmission, but at some cost to keeping the peace in the cabin. In fact, noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) on the move is the Holden's worst vice. There was plenty of vibration through the steering wheel, accompanied by waste-gate whistle on the overrun, plus serious clatter from the engine under load. Turbo whine was more obvious in the upmarket LTZ too.

Even at freeway speeds the engine remained the chief source of noise in the cabin, although wind came a close second. There was also a plethora of rattles, thumps and clunks from the rear of both vehicles as soon as the road surface turned uneven.

The Bridgestone Duelers on the LT model's 16-inch alloys were prone to squeal from low speeds on high-friction surfaces, but were quiet on coarse-chip bitumen out in the country. They would also wail away with plenty of steering lock applied – a by-product of the Colorado 7's tight turning circle.

The engine produces enough torque in its unboosted state to make turbo lag less of an issue than in many turbo-diesel vehicles, particularly others based on commercial vehicles. There was enough performance on tap to throw a scare into other drivers and the torque available eased the effort of driving in traffic.

Off the road, the Colorado 7 employed that torque to good effect, climbing grades with consummate ease. Having a dual-range transfer case also helped considerably. On a muddy track, the Colorado 7 bogged briefly in what should have been a fairly navigable water section. The Holden ground to a halt, simply through lack of traction, but backed out with a bit of steering lock applied to bring the front wheels out of the stickier part of the rut. More aggressive tyres would have helped.

The vehicle's high ground clearance kept it clear of all but the highest crowns on deeply rutted tracks, and the approach and departure angles were very good too. For such a large vehicle its tight turning circle proved very handy in the bush. The rear wheels are suspended by a live axle and located by a Panhard rod, delivering better wheel articulation off-road, but uncompetitive with IRS-equipped soft-roaders for on-road dynamics.

On the road, the Colorado 7 was better behaved than anticipated. It held the road adequately and steered better than the norm for a traditional SUV on a full chassis, although weight through the wheel is high at gentler speeds. Handling was consistent, although in tighter bends or at speed it did get untidy and communicated its reluctance to turn early on, if the driver were riding it a bit hard. And oversteer gets equal right of reply in the Colorado 7 too. Ride comfort was conversely good, although the suspension of the LT felt underdamped and prone to float at times – perhaps a sign of a tough life at the hands of 4WD journalists.

The brake pedal was very mushy under foot in both vehicles. It was literally possible to push the pedal all the way to the floor. At least fine modulation of the brakes off-road became a straightforward task and soft-stopping properties meant no sudden lurch or grinding of pad on disc as the vehicle pulled up. We didn't experience any problems with fade in either vehicle, but nor did the brakes get a particularly heavy workout.

Driven around town for the week, the Holden was not especially economical by diesel standards. The average for the LT variant was 12.0L/100km – and that was with about 80km of open-road touring. The following week the LTZ flagship averaged 13.6 according to the trip computer, with little open-road travel. Combined-cycle consumption, according to ADR 81/02, is 9.4L/100km, and the city-cycle figure is 11.8L/100km – so the 'real world' figures came close to the official figure for urban driving.

In the Colorado 7's cabin, the air conditioning struggled during hotter days – all two weeks' worth. It was necessary to crank up the air conditioning to full fan speed, minimum temperature setting, and leave it in that mode for some time before passengers began to feel the overall cooling effect. Both variants provide middle-row seat occupants with air vents in the headlining, rather than face-level vents, and the air conditioning to the rear can be disabled to save fuel.

Plastics throughout the cabin were light, cheap and not especially attractive, but the instruments and controls were functional and easy to use. The Colorado 7 was equipped with a mini-USB input jack for iPods and MP3 players, but a standard USB connection would have been preferable.

The seat for access to the third row tipped forward easily and could also be righted with just one hand, but was located on the driver's side of the vehicle rather than the kerb side, where parents typically prefer kids enter and leave the vehicle. Third row seat accommodation was good enough for even average-sized adults. There was adequate knee room back there and head room was a little more generous.

Seats were comfortable enough for this writer and the driving position was fine also, although the lack of reach adjustment for the steering column may pose a problem for some drivers. Entering the cabin would be an Olympic sport for shorter people, such was the Colorado 7's excellent ground clearance, but the test vehicles did come with side steps – a sign of the Holden's off-road focus, which is the key element of its appeal to buyers.

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