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What is it: The 2018 Chevy Colorado Crew Cab is a midsize pickup with the ability to carry four passengers and tow 7,600 pounds, yet still achieve 28 mpg if just sauntering down the interstate. The LT trim is middle of the road for Colorado trim, above base and WT, but below the off-road-ready Z71 and ZR2 trims.

Key Competitors: Honda Ridgeline, Nissan Frontier, Toyota Tacoma

Base Price: $34,995 As-Tested Price: $45,435

Highlights: The variety of truck variants is vast, even with small ones. And price adjusts accordingly. Going Crew instead of Extended Cab adds $6,100 dollars to the price, and the diesel tacks on another $3,730. A base model, rear-wheel-drive, gasoline four-cylinder-powered Colorado costs $21,195 and tows 3,500 pounds. Whereas a ZR2 package, four-wheel-drive, diesel-powered model starts at $46,495.

Our Opinion: Forty-five thousand dollars for a small truck seems quite high at first glance, but all the equipment I need is offered here: heated seats for cold mornings, Bluetooth connection for my smartphone and a pleasant ride. The fact that I can also haul stuff and tow pretty much anything I need -- up to 7,600 pounds worth -- makes it pretty darn useful in most any situation, which, in turn, makes it pretty darn reasonably priced.

The car-based Ridgeline is ahead of the Colorado in refinement and ride quality, but not by a huge margin, and the Colorado has a better than 2,500 pound towing advantage. No small part of that advantage comes from the 2.8-liter, turbocharged, diesel four-cylinder making 369 lb-ft of torque, which is fun. Chevrolet’s small truck also looks better, if you’re into the truck fashion scene -- and, honestly, who isn’t?

Practically speaking, the small truck generally is hard to beat. Fuel economy is reasonable, yet the pickup bed is there to aid in any number of tasks. I was amazed how much I could check off the to-do list in one weekend. When the work is done, fat sidewalls and plenty of suspension travel provide a cushy ride when simply getting from point A to B. And like icing on top of the cake, it’s not impossible to parallel park in town. All hail practicality!

--Robin Warner, managing editor
 

Options: 2.8-liter Duramax turbo diesel engine including tow/haul mode, trailer brake controller, exhaust brake and 6-speed automatic transmission ($3,730), luxury package including 4-way power passenger seat, power lumbar passenger and driver seat, automatic air conditioning, auto dimming rearview mirror, chrome power heated outside mirrors, chrome door handles, driver and passenger front heated seats, projector headlamps and chrome rear bumper ($1,080), jet black leather front seats ($950), off-road assist steps ($745), LT convenience package including sliding rear window, remote vehicle start, rear window defroster, EZ lift and lower tailgate, front fog lamps ($690), premium Bose audio system ($500), Cajun red tintcoat ($495), Chevrolet infotainment system w/navigation and 8” color touch screen ($495), spray on bed liner ($475), safety package including forward collision alert and lane departure warning ($395), fully automatic locking rear differential ($325), trailering equipment package ($250), all-weather floor liner ($190), cargo tie-down rings ($120)