Each door panel has a molded map pocket contoured for a bottle or can. The center console has cup holders that look capable of handling a variety of drink containers. The center armrest opens into a small storage space, big enough for a large wallet, but it wobbles when pushed. A small tray on the console is useful.

The instrument panel is traditional white-on-black with orange needles. It's easy to read and doesn't hide its functionality with artsy markings. This practical approach continues to the center stack. No ground-breaking innovation here, just straightforward knobs and dials that don't require a postgraduate degree to operate. Turning on the dome light requires fumbling around for a small thumbwheel, however, which we found difficult while navigating in pre-dawn darkness. For this reason, we recommend the optional electrochomic (automatic-dimming) rearview mirror, which features map lights, compass and outside temperature display. Light switches on mirrors often lead to thumbprints and frequent mirror adjustments, but in this case they're a step up.

The Crew Cab's back seat is surprisingly comfortable, particularly when compared with the back seats of old-generation compact Crew Cabs. There's a reasonable amount of leg room, especially with a little cooperation from those sitting in front, and the seat height is comfortably high. The seatback angles back slightly, making it more comfortable than the bolt-upright backrest found in some other pickups. The wide cabin provides enough shoulder room for adult males, but don't expect the width of a full-size pickup. Getting in and out of the back seats is a little awkward because the door is relatively narrow and you have to swing your feet in to clear the wide B-pillar (the post between the front and rear doors).

Forget about sitting in the back of an Extended Cab. It has back seats, but they're only good for hauling kids and only then for short distances. The rear seats flip down, providing a good place for cargo and, with modifications, it would be okay for a medium-size dog. The rear doors swing open suicide-style.

Driving Impressions

As mentioned, the Chevrolet Colorado comes with a choice of engines. The standard engine is a 2.8-liter inline-4 called the Vortec 2800. It's rated at 175 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 185 pound-feet of torque at 2800 rpm. We found it delivers acceptable acceleration, particularly when paired with the five-speed manual transmission. It should prove adequate for most mid-size pickup-truck duties, but don't expect to accelerate like a rocket. The manual transmission shifts smoothly, though the gate into Reverse seemed a bit reluctant at times. The four-cylinder Vortec 2800 gets an EPA-estimated 21/27 mpg City/Highway with manual transmission and 2WD.

The optional engine is an inline-5 called the Vortec 3500. A five-cylinder engine is an unusual configuration for a U.S. vehicle, but German automakers have been using them for years. Mercedes-Benz offered five-cylinder diesels in the '70s, and Audi's premier engine was in inline-5 from 1977-91. More recently Volvo has adopted the straight-five idea. All of these engines produce a distinctive, siren-like sound at full throttle, and so does the five-cylinder Colorado. At cruise, however, GM's five-cylinder is quiet, and there's no indication that it's anything out of the ordinary. If you like inline-6 engines better than V6s, then you'll like the inline-5 just fine. It's much more responsive than the four-cylinder and delivers quicker acceleration. It's also smoother. Just don't mention the number of jugs it has in a cowboy bar.

The five-cylinder Vortec 3500 delivers 220 horsepower at 5600 rpm and 225 pound-feet of torque at 2800 rpm. That's a bit weak compared to the optional 4.0-liter V6 engines in the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier, which rate north of 280 pound-feet of torque. Dodge Dakota's optional V8 boasts 310 pound-feet of torque, but it's a bigger, heavier truck, too. In the Colorado's defense, we should point out that the inline-5 sustains its peak torque over 90 percent of its rev range, which is important when hauling heavy loads or towing trailers. The maximum towing load for the Colorado with the five-cylinder engine and automatic transmission is 4000 pounds, compared with 6500 for the V6 Tacoma and Frontier, and 7150 for the V8 Dakota. On the other hand, the Colorado's recommended fuel is 87 octane. Toyota recommends premium for its V6. Also, the five-cylinder engine with 2WD and manual transmission earns an EPA rating of 19/25 mpg (or 18/23 mpg with automatic), which is significantly better than Tacoma, Frontier, or Dakota.

Both the GM 2800 and 3500 engines were derived from the Vortec 4200 inline-6 used in the Chevy TrailBlazer. GM lopped cylinders off the six to get the five and four. These are modern engines featuring all-aluminum construction, dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder, electronic (drive-by-wire) throttle control, variable exhaust timing and a healthy 10:1 compression ratio.