BY SEAN P. HOLMAN [email protected] PHOTOS: SEAN P. HOLMANfourwheeler.com FOUR WHEELER SEPTEMBER 2019 75
R EPOR T: 3 OF 4
Previous reports: Nov ’18,
Feb ’19
Base price: $42,000
Price as tested: $50,400
Four-wheel-drive system:
Part-time/automatic, elec-
tronically controlled, two-
speed
LONG-TERM
NUMBERS
Miles to date: 14,111
Miles since
last report: 4,576
Average mpg
(this report): 21.36
Test best tank (mpg): 23.15
Test worst tank (mpg): 18.52MAINTENANCE
This period: Oil service
($123.03), windshield
($765.39)
Problem areas: NoneWHAT’S HOT,
WHAT’S NOT
HOT: Reliability, efficiency,
and capability
NOT: Missing some basic
features, expensive wind-
shield
LOGBOOK QUOTES
->“The Goodyear DuraTracs
have worn pretty evenly and
haven’t really gotten any
louder, but the direction
stability leaves something
to be desired.”
->“$50K and no HomeLink—
it’s an inconvenience that
shouldn’t exist at this price
point.”
->“For those who are running
a rear-facing child seat, the
Crew Cab is just big enough
that the front passenger
can find a comfortable front
seating position.”
->“During a stormy night,
I could hardly tell that the
headlights were on.”
->“The exterior of the ZR2
screams cool, but the
interior is so bland. Save
for the ‘ZR2’ logos on the
seats, there is no special
stitching, sportiness to the
vanilla instrument cluster, or
anything to make this feel
special to the driver.”Crew Cab still has enough room
for four normal-sized humans.
The Colorado is spacious
enough for a family; however, stor-
age is at a premium. In an attempt
to solve this, Chevy has made the
rear of the cab flexible with a rear
seat that can fold up stadium-style,
or fold forward to give you a flat
area to place cargo. We just wish
they had installed tie-downs on the
seatbacks to keep gear from mov-
ing around during spirited driving.
Thankfully the shortbed is
relatively deep, and with the
GearOn system we have plenty
of tie-downs to secure all types
of cargo. However, there are
some limitations, such as the
fixed position of the GearOn
mounting tabs, which means that
accessories such as the crossbar
or bed divider aren’t moveable
fore and aft. We tried to mount a
Yakima FrontLoader bike rack to
the crossbars, but because of the
fixed position we couldn’t move
it back far enough for the tire of
our medium-framed Giant Trance
to clear the rear window, so we
went with a Yakima GateKeeper,
which ended up working out just
fine. We also wish there was a
power outlet in the bed for acces-
sories, such as fridges, and for
charging an e-bike on the way to
the trail (we are just noting this
for a friend).
Among the things we enjoy
about the ZR2 is the standard
“Auto” setting on the transfer case.
Thanks to this, the ZR2 is just as
capable on a wet or snowy day on
the pavement as it is in the dirt,
giving the ZR2 class-leading capa-
bility—no matter where it happens
to be driven. That being said, we
continue to be unimpressed with
the weak headlights. On dark,
stormy nights, the headlights leave
us wondering if they are even on at
all. The ZR2 would benefit greatlyWhile the Colorado is exceptional in
many ways, the competition has it beat
on headlights.Options as tested
2.8L Duramax Turbo Diesel and Six-speed Automatic ($3,500), Premium
Interior Package ($750), Premium Bose Audio ($500), Cajun Red Tintcoat
($495), Chevrolet Infotainment w/Navigation and 8-inch Touchscreen
($495), GearOn Bar Package ($415), Cargo Divider ($305), Perimeter Bed
Lighting Kit ($265), Keyless Entry Keypad ($155), Engine Block Heater
($100), and Illuminated Black Bowtie ($495)|>The “ZR2” logos on the front seats
are the only way to tell you are inside
something more special than your
average Colorado.
from auxiliary lightning.
So far, the only unscheduled
service visit for our truck was
to replace a windshield, thanks
to an errant rock on our SoCal
commute. We were admittedly
shocked that a replacement OE
windshield set us back $765, so
keep that in mind when you are
checking boxes on your insurance
coverage. Otherwise, our second
scheduled service clocked in at a
reasonable $123 (including a DEF
top-off).
With only one quarter of testing
to go, the ZR2 continues to turn
heads and win over the staff. From
an ownership perspective, it has
been as reliable as hoped, with
no unscheduled visits or issues
cropping up in the first 15,000
miles. In fact, the 2.8L Duramax
eeked out its best tank during this
quarter and upped its average fuel
economy above last quarter’s best
tank. With efficiency, capability,
and reliability all rolled into one
amazingly engaging package, the
ZR2 is a tough truck to beat. FW