This STORM IS PERFECT

Last year, American automaker Chevrolet announced that it would stop selling passenger cars in this region and direct all its strengths towards its truck business.

Gone are the Sonic, Cruze and Spin, leaving only the Captiva SUV and Colorado pickup truck, which is also available in PPV (Pickup Passenger Vehicle) form that’s called the Trailblazer.

Now left with just a few models to work with, Chevrolet is able to make improvements and offer more upgraded versions to suit various customer tastes.

The Colorado High Country Storm is one such product.

Priced at Bt1.098 million for the 4x4 and Bt1.028 million for the 4x2, the Storm comes with all the features you could ask for in a 1-ton pickup, and a bit more.

Let’s start with the exterior, which is highly attractive with all the stylish add-ons. Apart from LED daytime running lights and nudge bar offered for the Colorado High Country, the Storm package adds in black sport bar, black 18-inch wheels as well as black mirror housing, door handles, tailgate handle, outer belt moulding and rear bumper. There are also stylish “High Country” stickers on the hood and body, giving the Storm a pretty convincing appearance.

Inside, there’s a well-design cabin with lots of space and interesting features. Attention to detail is good, while the controls and materials used inside the Colorado Storm offer a nice touch. Cabin noise is also on the low side, thanks to various effective measures ranging from lowering engine noise to improving sound insulation. All this gives you a passenger car feel right at once.

The driver’s seat is powered, and the when you open the door, the front windows drop an inch to level the cabin air pressure. The Colorado is the first pickup in the market to come with Apple CarPlay and Remote Start, the latter allowing you to cool down the cabin with the air-conditioner before entering.

The halogen headlights are fully automatic, there is rain sensor and the side view mirrors are electrically foldable.

 The 2.5-litre common-rail diesel motor, boosted by a variable-geometry turbocharger, is capable of pumping out 180 horsepower and 440Nm of torque. The Euro-4 engine revs smoothly and delivers smooth torque through the 6-speed automatic transmission. The gearbox is refined and provides smooth shifting whether by itself or in manual mode, offering a relaxed top gear.

The engine is rev-happy and provides a good response in city driving and overtaking power on the highway.

The raised suspension has been nicely tuned to provide a firm but highly comfortable ride, while the steering gets electric assistance and has a turning circle of 12.7 metres. Brakes provide firm stopping performance and comes with ABS and Brake Assist.

Apart from the usual Electronic Stability Control system and traction control, the Colorado Storm comes with a long list of additional safety features such as Lane Departure Warning, Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, Forward Collision Alert, Anti-Rolling Protection, Hill Descent Control and Hill Start Assist. There are dual front airbags, driver knee airbag and 3-point seatbelts for all five occupants.

The Colorado High Country Storm 4x4 is an example of what Chevrolet can achieve when it puts in everything it can, and I like it. While pickups aren’t my favourite type of vehicle, I actually enjoyed the several days I spent with the Storm, which means that it must be pretty good.

Chevrolet Colorado High Country 2.5L Storm 4x4 AT specs

Engine: 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve common-rail diesel with turbocharger

Displacement: 2,499cc

Bore and stroke: 92x94mm

Compression ratio: 16.5:1

Max power: 180hp/3,600rpm

Max torque: 440Nm/2,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Ratios: 4.06/2.37/1.55/1.16/0.85/0.67

Final drive ratio: 3.42

Transfer gear ratio: 2.62

Suspension (f/r): double wishbone/leaf spring

Steering: powered rack-and-pinion

Turning circle: 12.7 metres

Brakes (f/r): vented disc/drum

Dimensions (mm)

Length: 5,408

Width: 2,132 (incl mirror)

Height: 1,858 (incl roof rack)

Wheelbase: 3,096

Track (f/r): 1,570/1,570

Ground clearance: 219

Approach angle: 27.5

Breakover angle: 22.4

Departure angle: 23.3

Weight: 2,062kgs

Wheels: 18-in alloy

Tyres: 265/60 R18

Fuel tank capacity: 76 litres

Price: Bt1.098 million

Distributor: Chevrolet Sales (Thailand) Ltd