-General Motors made us wait a year for its Duramax four-cylinder diesel, but this fall it will join the Ram 1500 EcoDiesel as only the second compression-ignition engine offered to U.S. pickup buyers outside the heavy-duty segment.
For 2016, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon gain this third engine choice beyond their 200-hp 2.5-liter inline-four and 305-hp 3.6-liter V-6. As we’ve previously detailed, the Thai-built 2.8-liter turbo-diesel inline-four makes 181 horsepower at 3400 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 2000 rpm. It will be available only on crew-cab trucks (and limited to LT and Z71 trims on the Colorado, SLE and SLT on the Canyon) but can be spec’d with either two- or four-wheel drive. The Z82 trailering package (hitch receiver, seven-pin connector, and a diesel-only trailer-brake controller) comes standard along with a locking 3.42:1 rear differential (versus the gasoline four’s 4.10:1) and driver-switchable exhaust brake.
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-All this, plus a required safety package (forward-collision and lane-departure alerts; $395) and convenience package (rear-window defroster with sliding glass, fog lamps, remote start, damped tailgate; $690) brings the diesel’s base price to $33,520 for the Chevy and $34,875 for the GMC. For reference, those prices are for the LT and SLE 4×2 short-bed models.
Packed into the premium are powertrain features like cooled exhaust-gas recirculation, a balance shaft for smoother operation, and ceramic glow plugs. The Duramax also can run up to 20-percent biodiesel. New for all Colorados and Canyons is a centrifugal pendulum vibration damper, a set of springs and dampers attached to the six-speed automatic’s torque converter that cancels out shaking from the engine.
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EPA fuel-economy figures, which are expected to include 30-plus-mpg highway, haven’t been announced. But compared with the gasoline V-6, the diesel 4×2 can tow 700 pounds more (7700) and an extra 600 pounds in 4×4 trim (7600). Payload capacity is up, too, but since GM has not released curb weight figures we can only guess they’re up by close to 200 pounds.
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Everything else about the 2016 Colorado and Canyon, diesel or gasoline, is the same for 2016 save for a few new tech features. Apple CarPlay, the interface that mirrors the iPhone’s functionality on the MyLink infotainment system, is now available (Android Auto is on its way next year). Apple Siri Eyes Free, which integrates the iPhone’s voice controls with the vehicle, is now available along with text-message support. Plus, LT and Z71 models get a new multicolor LCD on the instrument panel.
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