Holden Colorado – What you need to know

Once a tradie's tool of transport, full-chassis pick-ups are now seen as lifestyle vehicles for both work and play. And the Thai-built Holden Colorado is one of the new breed that has made that breakthrough.

Updated in August this year, with styling tweaks, and Lifetime Capped Price Servicing, the Holden Colorado range is available in three body styles with two or four-doors, four trim levels, one engine, two or four-wheel drive and two transmissions. So on paper, there's a Colorado to suit every budget.

Navigating your way through the complex selection on offer will take ages, especially if you can't immediately decide which one is for you. But don't worry, we have gone through specs with a fine-tooth comb to simplify it, starting with models and pricing.

At the bottom of the Colorado range sits the LS grade, with the entry-level variant priced from $29,490. In 4x2 configuration it features a single or crew cab and either a cab chassis or pick-up load area.

In 4x4 guise it comes in single cab, space cab or crew cab with a cab/chassis or pick-up rear body.

Next up is the LT with just the one body style, a crew cab pick-up, available in both 4x2 and 4x4 layout.

Then comes the LTZ, which has a two-door space cab and pick-up body available or in 4x4 or a crew cab and pick-up body in 4x2.

Finally, the range topping Z71 is only available in 4x4 with a crew cab and pick-up body.

Phew, still with us?

The single cab LS Colorado single cab/chassis is the basic workhorse of the range, but even it comes with:
>> Air conditioning
>> Power windows
>> Seven-inch infotainment touch screen
>> Apple CarPlay and Android Auto
>> Multi-function steering wheel
>> Cruise control

Metallic paint will set you back $550 on all variants and a tray body to mount to the cab/chassis will add anywhere from $2230 to just under $3000.

As mentioned earlier, the humble pick-up (or 'ute'... even 'truck', if you buy into the marketing-speak) is now touted as a 'lifestyle' vehicle. So how much do you need to spend, to get the comforts to suit your particular lifestyle?

Safety
While a rear camera, Hill Start Assist, Trailer Sway and Descent Control, plus auto on/off headlights are all found in the bog standard LS (from $29,440), high-tech driver-assist features like Front Park Assist, Forward Collision Alert with Head Up Warning, Lane Departure warning, and Tyre Pressure Monitoring are the exclusive domain of the LTZ.

Key comfort and convenience features
Let's begin with the interior trim: black fabric trim comes standard in all variants of the Colorado, but if leather-trimmed seats are more to your liking, tick the $1500 option in the (4x2) $42,490 LTZ, which still saves you $12,000 over the Z71 with leather as standard.

The lowest grade to offer a six-way electrically-adjustable driver's seat is also the LTZ.

But if you want those front seats heated, you have no choice but to put down your hard earned on a Z71.

Did I hear you ask about dual-zone climate control? Again, you bypass the LS and LT, to step up to the LTZ for that.

If you carry young ones about you'll need side steps for easy access. Therefore, select the LT models, which, with a 4x2 drivetrain, start at $38,990.

Prying eyes can be kept at bay with a tonneau cover over the load area, but to get one as standard you will need to stump up $42,490 for the LTZ model. That money will also buy you an alloy sports bar, rain-sensing wipers and an auto dimming rear view mirror.

Infotainment technology comes to the Colorado in the form of Holden's My-Link seven-inch touch screen in the LS and LT with only the LTZ and Z71 getting the eight-inch screen with sat nav.

Alloy wheels aren't fitted until you buy the LT from $38,990, which rides on 17-inch rims. If you want to stand out further, the next step up is the (4x2) $42,490 LTZ, which gets 18-inch rims. For an extra $12,500 you can buy the Z71, which has its own unique design 18-inch alloys.

The Z71 gets all the bling, with bonnet and door decals, sail plane sports bar and side rails, a unique soft tonneau, roof rails, a black grille as part of its unique fascia, an integrated nudge bar, black door handles and side mirrors, and black body mouldings.

As you've gathered by now, the more 'Lifestyle' and less 'Workhorse' you want your Colorado to be, the more you have to climb the model tree.

Drivetrain choices
All Colorado variants are available with a 4x2 or 4x4 configuration, with the second layout adding a minimum of $8000 to the price.

There is only one engine in the range, a punchy 2.8-litre turbo diesel with a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic. The automatic costs an additional $2200 across the range.

All Colorado variants can tow up to 3.5 tonnes, braked.

Prices for the full Holden Colorado range are as follows**:

Single Cab Chassis LS 4x2 – $29,490
Single Cab Chassis LS 4x4 – $37,490
Space Cab Chassis LS 4x4 – $40,990
Space Cab Pick-up LTZ 4x4 – $48,990
Crew Cab Chassis LS 4x2 – $34,490
Crew Cab Chassis LS 4x4 – $43,490
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x2 LS – $35,990
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x2 LT – $38,990
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x2 LTZ – $42,490
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x4 LS – $44,990
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x4 LT – $46,990
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x4 LTZ – $50,490
Crew Cab Pick Up 4x4 Z71 – $54,990

**Plus all on-road costs.