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28 Wednesday <strong>June</strong> <strong>12</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi<br />
SELWYN TIMES<br />
Colorado makes easy work of cross trainer<br />
Motoring<br />
Ross Kiddie<br />
YOU’D THINK after writing<br />
about cars for<br />
30 years there would be<br />
few things in a motor vehicle<br />
that would get the better of me in<br />
terms of technology.<br />
There’s nothing more<br />
embarrassing than having to go<br />
back to a dealership admitting<br />
defeat and asking how something<br />
works.<br />
Well, that happened to me with<br />
Holden’s latest Z71 Colorado,<br />
quite simply I couldn’t get the<br />
deck cover off. The friendly sales<br />
staff at Blackwells quickly showed<br />
me how it was done, and I was on<br />
my way.<br />
I was quite anxious to<br />
have access to the deck area<br />
as my wife’s cross trainer<br />
needed workshop repair, and<br />
transporting it on the back of a<br />
ute was the most sensible option.<br />
I also used it to take a load of<br />
green waste to the recycling<br />
centre.<br />
Quite obviously, these tasks<br />
were no match for the Colorado’s<br />
1000kg load capacity, but they<br />
did serve to prove how adaptable<br />
the modern ute has become,<br />
and if you add in a 3500kg tow<br />
rating the Colorado is right up<br />
there in terms of load carrying<br />
performance.<br />
However, as much as it is a<br />
standout in terms of practicality,<br />
the Z71 four-wheel-drive double<br />
cab is aimed more towards the<br />
recreational buyer, it has decals,<br />
stripes, body kit and a high level<br />
of specification, full leather trim<br />
is some indication as to how it sits<br />
in the market.<br />
There are also many unseen<br />
specification elements, the<br />
Colorado is state of the art in<br />
terms of electronic inclusions<br />
for safety, while comfort and<br />
convenience items are generous.<br />
It is very modern in the cockpit,<br />
while seating comfort for five is<br />
guaranteed.<br />
Under the bonnet sits a<br />
2.8-litre, four-cylinder twincamshaft<br />
turbocharged diesel<br />
engine. It is rated by Holden<br />
at 147kW, and with 500Nm of<br />
torque available at just 2000rpm<br />
it is a powerhouse, easily on a par<br />
with all of its competitors.<br />
Drive is harnessed through a<br />
six-speed automatic transmission.<br />
A manual is available, but it won’t<br />
compete with the auto in terms of<br />
sales figures. Bear in mind, too,<br />
the manual has a lower engine<br />
torque figure of 440Nm.<br />
Shifts in the auto are smooth,<br />
HOLDEN COLORADO Z71: Versatile, go-anywhere double cab<br />
ute.<br />
and the gearing is such that it<br />
provides relaxed motoring at<br />
highway speed, along with the<br />
ratios needed for slow speed, offthe-seal<br />
travel.<br />
Backing up that theory is<br />
the fitment of a true low ratio<br />
transfer box, it is manipulated<br />
electronically by a consolemounted<br />
dial switch at the<br />
driver’s command.<br />
Because I was travelling alone I<br />
didn’t take the<br />
Z71 off-road, instead, I spent<br />
most of my time<br />
with the Z71 at highway speed<br />
and my regular commute. In<br />
those conditions it seems more<br />
car-like than ute-like.<br />
Sure, at well over 5m there is a<br />
lot of bulk to manoeuvre in close<br />
confine situations, but it’s no<br />
worse than any other vehicle of<br />
its type. If you take into account<br />
the numbers that are being sold,<br />
buyers quite obviously don’t rate<br />
that as a challenge.<br />
On the open road, the engine<br />
turns over slowly at 1550rpm<br />
at 100km/h in top gear. At that<br />
speed it returns a 6.2-litre per<br />
100km (46mpg) instantaneous<br />
fuel usage figure and that<br />
accounted for a 9.4l/100km<br />
(30mpg) average figure during<br />
my time with the ute.<br />
That correlates well<br />
with the 8.7l/100km (32mpg)<br />
figure Holden claims for a<br />
combined cycle average.<br />
Road and wind noise are both<br />
kept to a minimum, and the<br />
Colorado as a series imparts<br />
a smooth ride. Of course, it is<br />
better with a bit of weight in the<br />
back, but the reality is the load<br />
bearing suspension is relatively<br />
absorbent and the cab doesn’t<br />
• Price – Holden Colorado<br />
Z71, $66,900<br />
• Dimensions – Length,<br />
5361mm; width, 1872mm;<br />
height, 1800mm<br />
• Configuration – Fourcylinder,<br />
four-wheel-drive,<br />
2776cc, 147kW, 500Nm,<br />
six-speed automatic.<br />
• Performance –<br />
0-100km/h, 11sec<br />
• Fuel usage – 8.7l/100km<br />
jiggle unnecessarily on uneven<br />
surfaces.<br />
That’s an area where<br />
local research and development<br />
pays dividends. Holden Australia<br />
places a huge emphasis on<br />
developing vehicles for down<br />
under conditions, and<br />
it certainly shows in Colorado.<br />
The ride is acceptable, while and<br />
the entire in-cabin experience is<br />
comfortable.<br />
I guess it would need to be<br />
welcoming. The Z71 listing at<br />
$66,990 is a bit of an outlay, but<br />
if you get to the dealership before<br />
the end of <strong>June</strong> you will be in line<br />
for a tempting Feildays bargain,<br />
and with the amount of on-board<br />
kit it would be a very worthy<br />
purchase.<br />
Even though the<br />
Z71’s flashy bits disguise<br />
its traditional ute look, make<br />
no mistake, the Z71 is still the<br />
quintessential Colorado which<br />
has carved out a huge reputation<br />
as a tough, go-anywhere worker.
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