The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is a beautiful midsize beast with upgrades for this year.

So, the ZR2 is near Chevy’s top trim, off-road-ready truck.  And while it comes with serious off-road capabilities.  It drives and handles surprisingly smooth on-road too.

Colorado ZR2’s already rugged and athletic good looks get even better for 2021.  With a new front end and tailgate, all Colorado trim levels get a light front (and rear) facelifts this year.

2021 Chevy Colorado Top-3:

  1. Exterior style.
  2. Interior comfort.
  3. The Drive.

2021 Chevy Colorado driver rear

18 city / 25 highway MPGI wouldn’t have guessed the 2021 Chevy Colorado continues only the second generation for the vehicle.  But, that’s the case.  Here in the United States, Colorado started with the model year 2004 through ’12 for the first-gen.  And from then until now (so far) for the second generation.

But with it’s big-brother Silverado being Chevy’s top-selling vehicle.  Midsize Colorado has kept pace with Chevrolet’s excellence in pick-up truck manufacturing.

2021 Chevrolet Colorado Trims & Pricing

Chevrolet doesn’t mess around when it comes to trim options.  Because they want to make sure there’s one for every need and everyone.

2021 Colorado Trims & Starting MSRPs:

  • WT $30,295
  • LT $32,395
  • Z71 $36,695
  • ZR2 $42,795

So, the above trims are your starting point and then you can go crazy with additional options and accessories.  Because it’s a Chevy truck and that’s what they do. :0)

2021 Chevy Colorado ZR2 badge

Multiple Special Edition Packages

Cabs & Beds

But don’t forget, when truck buying, you have two other big factors.  And those are; 1) the type of cab you go with and, 2) the length of bed you select.

Engines, Transmissions, Towing & MPG

The 2021 Colorado offers three different powerplants.  And that includes an efficient 4-cylinder, V6 (my choice), and an available turbo-diesel.

Engines & Estimated Fuel Economy:

 

2.5-Liter 4-cylinder

  • 200 Horsepower
  • 191 pound-feet of torque
  • 3,500 towing capability
  • 19 MPG city / 25 highway

 

3.6-Liter V6

  • 308 hp
  • 272 lb-ft of torque
  • 7,000 towing capacity
  • 18 mpg city / 25 highway

 

2.8-Liter Duramax turbo-diesel

  • 181 hp
  • 369 lb-ft of torque
  • 7,700 towing capacity
  • 18 mpg city / 28 mpg highway
    • Configuration depending.

Transmissions

And when it comes to transmissions, of course, you have your optional 2 or 4-wheel drive.

But additionally, for the 2021 Chevy Colorado, you have the option of an available 6-speed manual transmission or the 8-speed automatic.

2021 Chevy Colorado engine

301 hp | V6

2021 Chevy Colorado Exterior

Consider that Colorado easily morphs into whatever form and function you’re appetite desires.  Whether that’s beast, beauty, or something in between.

2021 Chevy Colorado driver profile

Crew Cab 140.5″ wheelbase / 224.9″ length

Special Edition Packages

The ZR2 package is pictured throughout this article.  And it clearly begs to be taken off the beaten path.  But you can take that off-road-readiness to the next level with the ZR2 Bison package.

Conversely if on-road is more your truck-driving style then, there are the Redline or the Z71 Midnight offerings.

And if lean toward a complete blackout the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado also offers the ZR2 Dusk and Midnight editions.

Look Inside The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado

There’s no lack of creature comforts inside Chevy Colorado.  Of course the particular options you receive depend largely on the trim you select.

2021 Chevy Colorado cockpit

Class-leading comfort.

Nevertheless, the space inside Colorado is ample and well designed.  I love the simple user-interface of the center console.  And the logical placement and simple usability of controls on the steering wheel.

2021 Chevy Colorado backseat storage area

Out-of-sight storage

Plus smart and versatile storage space under the backseat is always a telltale sign of a well-engineered truck.

Infotainment & Safety Technology

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are both available, along with a 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot.  Plus lots of USB ports and wireless charging and newly introduced Amazon Alexa.

infotainment monitor and climate controls

Simple User-Interface

Driver Assistance Safety

The rearview camera is standard.  And available driver assistance features include forward collision alert, lane departure warning, and rear park assistance.

2021 Chevy Colorado Top-3

So, my Top-3 reasons to buy the 2021 Chevy Colorado are simple.  And that’s pretty much what a truck should be.  Because it’s as much a life’s tool as it is a vehicle.

  1. Exterior style: Whether your configuration is on-road, off-road, or work truck, Colorado is a great-looking truck.
  2. Interior comfort: For a midsize, Colorado is arguably the most comfortable driving vehicle in its class.
  3. The Drive: And speaking of the drive, the 2021 Colorado is a great driver both on and off-road.