Chevy Colorado Wins Truck of the Year, Two Years Running
That 2015 or 2016 Chevy Colorado in Miami you see driving around is a real winner. That wasn’t sarcasm; it’s actually a winner. Twice, to be exact, and two years in a row. For the years 2015 and 2016, the Chevy Colorado has been the winner of Motor Trend’s Truck of the Year Award. Which is definitely a slap in the face for Ford and Ram; and a bit of a conundrum. How was the same truck model able to win in 2015, and then again in 2016? Simple, because Chevy gave it an upgrade.
In the 2016 model year, the Colorado got a diesel engine, which gave it an edge over the competition in terms of performance. For the 2015 model year, Chevy just simply built a great truck.
2015
For 2015, Motor Trend loved the overall design of the Chevy Colorado. But mainly, the size is what sealed the deal for the Colorado. Motor Trend thoroughly enjoyed how the Colorado feels and drives smaller than the Silverado, and is much more powerful and well-built than its competitor; the Toyota Tacoma. On top of being the perfect-sized truck, the Colorado also had a very competitive price, and gave you more bang for your buck; especially in power and towing capability. The 2015 Colorado was also the segment-leader in terms of fuel-efficiency, with EPA estimates of 20/27/22 mpg city, highway, and combined respectively.
Why was its size such a big deal? Because in the mid-size truck market, everyone was skeptical that it would drive too much like a Silverado. But, when Motor Trend took it out, they realized it was a much nimbler and better-handling version of the Silverado, and a perfectly built truck.
2016
Ford and Ram probably thought they had a shot for 2016, thinking the Colorado couldn’t get any better. Which is where they were wrong. In 2016, the Colorado was able to nab the Motor Trend Truck of the Year Award again. Despite its already perfect design and reputation, Chevy was able to take it one step further to win the hearts of Motor Trend yet again. That step was with the engine. Chevy gave the 2016 Colorado a Duramax Diesel engine, and it’s able to outperform all the others when it comes to towing.
Chevy took the ingenious design of the Colorado that made it feel so lightweight and nimble to drive, and combined it with the power of a Duramax that puts out 369 pound-feet of torque. The result? A truck that Motor Trend said made pulling 500 pounds feel like pulling 50. On top of this, the Colorado’s fuel economy also went up, and the price barely fluctuated.
It was thanks to this addition of a superior engine that the 2016 Chevy Colorado was able to land the Truck of the Year Award again in 2016. This back to back victory is sure to be held high for years to come by Chevy, and something Ford and Ram will have a hard time living-down. **
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