Duramax is synonymous with diesel when speaking Chevrolet trucks. The Colorado has been a pillar in the midsize truck market for 12 years, a domestic response to the prolific Toyota Tacoma, and a competitor to the late Ford Ranger.

Until now you had your choice of typical gasoline-powered engines; a 2.5-liter inline four, a 3.6-liter V6, and even a five-cylinder version, just to name a few. But finally, a new engine option will be offered on the 2016 Colorado. A 2.8-liter turbocharged Duramax will propel this attractive competitor into the arena of light tow vehicles. The new Duramax is fueled by common rail injection and features double overhead cams to actuate the 16 valves seated in aluminum cylinder heads. For diesel owners into home-brew fuels, the 2.8 comes pre-tuned to run on B20 bio-diesel if desired.

A compact four-cylinder 16-valve diesel may sound questionable but 369 lb-ft of torque is tough to question!

The new Duramax will produce 181 hp and a walloping 369 lb-ft of torque. With this added assurance that your load will be pulled up the steepest grades without issue the tow capacity has been upped to 7700 lbs.

Don’t fear that the suits at Chevrolet found a gap in the market and then coerced the engineers to stuff a diesel engine into it, according to assistant chief engineer Scott Yackley “A diesel engine was part of the Colorado’s portfolio plan from the very beginning, meaning the chassis, suspension, and other elements of its architecture were engineered to support its capability.”

A diesel engine was part of Colorado’s portfolio plan from the very beginning, meaning the chassis, suspension, and other elements of its architecture were engineered to support its capability. – Scott Yackley

Colorado Drivetrain

The new Colorado will be available in LT and Z71 crew cab models in your choice of two or four-wheel drive. 2016 Duramax Colorados will feature a number of new toys to impress your friends. Among the new equipment are an integrated exhaust brake, an automatic locking rear differential, a two-speed transfer case in 4WD trucks, and a trailer brake controller.

Transmitting power to the wheels of these new Chevys will be a Hydra-Matic 6L50 six-speed gearbox. Contributing to the comfort of the passengers in this midsize diesel is an innovative new application of Chevrolet’s Centrifugal Pendulum Vibration Absorber. The CPVA is a device built into the torque converter that absorbs and cancels out unpleasant vibrations experienced by passengers.

The drivetrain, and power plant in the 2016 Colorado will feature new changes for passenger comforts and improved emission.

Efficiency With Diesel Colorado

The 2016 Colorado is projected to achieve fuel economy numbers better than the currently offered gasoline alternative at 27 mpg. The 2.8-liter features a cooled EGR system making it the cleanest diesel truck engine the American auto giant has ever offered according to Otie McKinley of Chevrolet.

What do we think?

We eagerly await a road test and towing challenge to see if the 2016 Colorado measures up to the demands of the American truck driver. I personally am excited to see a diesel option in the midsize truck market and hope to see one up close soon!

With its four-wheel drive and off-road toys the Z71 edition is the one we would have.