An Ex-Military GM Truck Tests Our Chevy Colorado ZR2's Towing Capabilities
The 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 successfully towed an ex-military GM truck chassis close to its 6,000-pound limit, performing well over 640 miles despite challenging terrain and temperatures. The towing experience highlighted its capabilities and further justified its Truck of the Year award.
This summary was generated by AI using content from this MotorTrend article Read Next Towing Limitations
Thinking about picking up a Chevrolet Colorado? Remember, there is only one engine option: the 2.7-liter TurboMax turbocharged I-4, good for 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, and that peppy four-banger sends that power into an eight-speed automatic transmission. Because of its off-road hardware and different cooling dynamics, the Colorado ZR2 has a lower towing rating than other trim levels. The Colorado WT (work truck), LT, Trail Boss, and Z71 can tow 7,700 pounds, whereas the ZR2 can only pull 6,000. Fully aware of the Colorado ZR2's limitations, I nevertheless arranged to pick up a crusty ex-military GM CUCV square-body rolling chassis.
This was the perfect opportunity to test out a new offering from U-Haul. The company recently announced its flatbed toy hauler trailer decked out with three 8-foot ramps, drive-over fenders, a 16x8-foot deck, and abundant tie-down points. The double-axle trailer is rated to carry 6,800 pounds.
After hitching the trailer to my 2-inch ball, I entered the trailer information into the Colorado's towing dashboard. This system allows you to name the trailer and record its dimensions, and it can even help keep track of maintenance tasks. I then allowed the truck to guide me through its pre-trip inspection. It's never been easier to verify that the brake lights, turn indicators, hazard lights, and all your lamps are working properly. The truck even helps remind you to stow your jack, plug in the connections, and connect your safety chains. While that might be frivolous for some, I'm always thankful for reminders like this.
The Colorado ZR2 was only getting warmed up as it effortlessly pulled the 3,155-pound bare trailer down the interstate. For the first 300 miles of the journey, the truck self-reported 15.0 mpg, and I could scarcely tell there was anything in tow.
With some help from a skid loader and a hand winch, I finagled my prize, the gutted square-body chassis, onto the toy hauler's deck, positioning it far enough forward to squat the ZR2's rear suspension by about an inch. Napkin math suggested the old truck's body, frame, and axles would bring the total weight of the trailer and its cargo darn close to 6,000 pounds. (Note: The old Chevy came without most of its powertrain, axle internals, fuel tank, and much more.) Rollling across the CAT scales confirmed those scribbles. Tongue weight was at exactly 11 percent, and the axle weights were all within their limits.
Instead of retracing my steps across the mostly level interstate, I planned a return route with a handful of twists and extended climbs to further test the Colorado ZR2. With ambient temperatures over 100 degrees and repeated 7 percent grades, I expected some drama. I was disappointed. Transmission temps only crept up to 220 degrees once as traffic backed up to a crawl behind a struggling 18-wheeler. Otherwise, even while working hard on the hills, the shift juice hovered around 212 degrees. Despite nearly being at its towing limit, the Colorado ZR2 still had passing power. Tow/Haul mode holds onto gears for longer during acceleration and encouraged engine braking on the descents, too, which I appreciated because in our initial testing of our Chevy, we overheated the brakes with only a few back-to-back 60–0-mph panic stops. If more help is needed slowing town, toggling the shifter into L and blipping the transmission into third gear can help further regulate downhill speed.
By the time I delivered the square-body shell to its final destination, I had racked up about 640 miles with a trailer in tow. I enjoy how the onboard towing screen always keeps a record of the fuel economy, even if you don't reset the trip computers. This journey showed 11.97 mpg, down from my usual 15–17. Here comes the big surprise: The Colorado ZR2 handled all parts of this task exceptionally well. Not that I expected the truck to fail, but even with its plush off-road suspension, gusty crosswinds, and my choice to forgo load-distribution hardware, the multihour towing adventure was largely uneventful. Even my predictions of 10-mpg fuel economy numbers were proven false. This performance served as a good reminder as to why the Colorado lineup won our Truck of the Year award in 2024. More On Our Long-Term Chevrolet Colorado ZR2: A New 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Dirties Our Yearlong Review Fleet
Our New Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Makes Us Do a Bunch of Math
Here's The Worst Part of a 5,000-mile Road Trip in the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Won't Leave You (or Anyone Else) Stuck in the Cold
Our California Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Shows Midwest Jeeps How It's Done
Can Our Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Keep Up With Jeeps in Moab?
2024 Ford Ranger Raptor vs. Chevy Colorado ZR2: Baja or Bust!
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