Powers Swain Chevrolet · Fayetteville, NC
Chevy Colorado Horsepower: All Engine Options
Every Chevy Colorado makes 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. There is one engine, the 2.7L TurboMax, and every trim from Work Truck to ZR2 gets the same one.
One Engine, Six Trims, No Upgrade to Buy
Chevy Colorado horsepower is the rare truck spec with a single answer. The 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged four-cylinder produces 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, and it is the only engine offered. There is no V6 option, no diesel option, and no high-output tune sitting behind a package on the top trim.
That surprises people who last shopped a midsize truck five or six years ago, when picking an engine was most of the decision. On the current Colorado, the engine question is settled before you start. What changes as you move up the lineup is suspension travel, tire size, differentials and interior content. A Work Truck sitting on the front row at 4709 Bragg Blvd and a ZR2 parked next to it leave the factory with identical output.
For a buyer coming off Fort Bragg who wants to know whether the cheaper trim is the slower truck, the answer is no. Buy the trim for what it does off the pavement or inside the cab, not for what is under the hood.
Colorado Engine and Output by Trim
Starting MSRP below excludes the $2,095 destination and handling charge. Fuel economy is the EPA estimate for that configuration.
| Trim | Drive | Starting MSRP | Engine | Horsepower | Torque | EPA city/hwy/comb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WT | RWD or 4WD | $32,400 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 19/24/21 RWD, 17/22/19 4WD |
| Custom | RWD or 4WD | $33,545 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 19/24/21 RWD, 17/22/19 4WD |
| LT | RWD or 4WD | $36,000 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 19/24/21 RWD, 17/22/19 4WD |
| Trail Boss | 4WD only | $40,500 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 17/22/19 |
| Z71 | 4WD only | $44,600 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 17/22/19 |
| ZR2 | 4WD only | $50,700 | 2.7L TurboMax | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft | 17/17/17 |
The ZR2 Bison is a factory package built on the ZR2 with American Expedition Vehicles. It uses the same 310 hp engine and is EPA rated at 16/16/16. Trucks fitted with 33-inch mud-terrain tires rate 17/20/18. Fuel economy figures are EPA estimates and your actual mileage will vary.
Notice what the fuel economy column is doing. Output never changes, but the tires and the lift do change what the engine has to push through. A rear-drive LT running the Cliffdale Road commute gets 24 highway. The same engine under a ZR2 on 33-inch mud-terrains gets 17, because the truck around it is a different shape.
Why Torque Is the Number That Matters
Horsepower sells trucks. Torque moves them. The Colorado's 430 lb-ft is what Chevrolet calls best-in-class standard torque for a midsize pickup, and it arrives at 3,000 rpm, which is roughly where you are when a loaded trailer starts rolling from a stop.
Practically, that is the difference between a truck that has to be wound up to move a load and one that just goes. Pull out of a boat ramp on the Cape Fear with a bass boat behind you, or merge onto I-95 north of town with a utility trailer, and torque is the spec you are actually feeling.
The eight-speed automatic is tuned around that. Add the available Tow/Haul mode and it stops hunting for gears when there is weight behind the hitch, which is the single most annoying thing a light truck can do on a grade.
Horsepower still matters for sustained speed and for passing. 310 is a healthy figure in this class. It is just not the figure that changes how the truck feels on a Tuesday.
What Happened to the V6 and the Diesel?
Both were real, and both are gone from the current truck. The Colorado was fully redesigned for 2023, and that redesign consolidated the old three-engine lineup into the single 2.7L TurboMax. The 3.6L V6 and the 2.8L Duramax diesel ended with the previous generation.
It is worth saying plainly that the four-cylinder replacing the V6 was not a downgrade on paper. The old V6 made 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft. The TurboMax makes 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft. You lose two cylinders and gain 155 lb-ft.
Want a V6?
You are shopping used. Colorado model years 2022 and earlier offered the 3.6L V6. Check what is on the lot on our used Colorado inventory page, and read our guide to the best year for a used Chevrolet Colorado before you commit to a year.
Want a diesel?
Step up to the Silverado 1500, which offers the Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel inline-six with 305 horsepower and 495 lb-ft. See what we have in new Silverado 1500 inventory.
Want the most capable Colorado?
Since output is fixed, capability comes from the hardware. Compare what each trim actually adds in our Colorado trim comparison.
How Colorado Horsepower Compares in the Segment
Standard output is where the Colorado separates itself, because rivals sell you the bigger engine as an option and the Colorado does not have one to sell.
| Midsize truck | Standard engine | Standard horsepower | Standard torque |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Colorado | 2.7L TurboMax I4 | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft |
| Ford Ranger | 2.3L EcoBoost I4 | 270 hp | 310 lb-ft |
| GMC Canyon | 2.7L TurboMax I4 | 310 hp | 430 lb-ft |
Ranger figures from Ford's published specifications for the 2.3L EcoBoost. The GMC Canyon uses the same GM 2.7L TurboMax engine as the Colorado and is tuned identically.
Against the Ranger, the Colorado's standard engine brings 40 more horsepower and 120 more lb-ft, and it brings them on the base Work Truck. Against the Canyon, output is a wash, because they are the same engine in two different bodies. Read the full head-to-heads: Colorado vs Ranger and Colorado vs Canyon.
Sources: Chevrolet Colorado specifications and EPA fuel economy ratings at fueleconomy.gov.
Colorado Horsepower Questions from Fayetteville Buyers
How much horsepower does the Chevy Colorado have?
Every 2026 Chevy Colorado makes 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. There is one engine, the 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged four-cylinder, and it is tuned the same way on all six trims. A Work Truck and a ZR2 leave the factory with identical output.
Does the Chevy Colorado come with a V6?
No. The Colorado dropped its V6 when the current generation arrived for 2023. The 2.7L TurboMax four-cylinder replaced it and produces more torque than the old V6 did. If you are shopping a used Colorado from 2022 or earlier, the V6 and the 2.8L Duramax diesel were both offered on that older truck.
Is there a diesel Chevy Colorado?
Not on the current truck. The 2.8L Duramax diesel ended with the previous generation in 2022. If you need a diesel from Powers Swain, the Silverado 1500 offers the Duramax 3.0L Turbo-Diesel inline-six, and we stock those on Bragg Blvd.
Which Colorado trim is the most powerful?
None of them, and that is the point. WT, Custom, LT, Trail Boss, Z71 and ZR2 all make 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft. Moving up the lineup buys you suspension, tires, lockers and interior content, not engine output. A Trail Boss is not quicker than a Work Truck in a straight line.
How does Colorado horsepower compare to the Ford Ranger?
The Colorado starts at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft. The Ranger's standard 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder makes 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft. That is 40 more horsepower and 120 more lb-ft standard in the Colorado, on every trim, with no engine upgrade to buy.
What kind of gas does the Colorado take?
Regular unleaded. The 2.7L TurboMax is rated on regular gasoline, which is worth knowing if you are filling up twice a week on the Bragg Blvd and All American Freeway commute rather than once a month.
Is 310 horsepower enough to tow around Fayetteville?
For most trailers people pull out of Cumberland County, yes. The Colorado is rated to tow up to 7,700 lbs when properly equipped with the available Trailering Package and limited-slip differential, which covers a bass boat headed to Jordan Lake, a two-horse trailer, or a loaded utility trailer running down I-95. The 430 lb-ft matters more than the horsepower number here, because torque is what gets a loaded trailer moving from a stop at the Bragg Blvd lights.
Can I drive a Colorado at Powers Swain before I buy?
Yes. We are at 4709 Bragg Blvd, a few minutes from the Fort Bragg gates, and the route out toward Spring Lake gives you enough highway to feel how the eight-speed handles the turbo's torque under load. Call (910) 864-9500 and we will have one ready when you arrive.
What Our Fayetteville Customers Say
Find Us on Bragg Blvd
We have been family owned and operated on Bragg Blvd since 1961, which means most of our team has been answering truck questions from Fort Bragg soldiers for a very long time. Come drive one.
- Powers Swain Chevrolet
- 4709 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303
- Sales: (910) 864-9500
- Get directions
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- Serving Fayetteville, Fort Bragg, Spring Lake, Hope Mills, Raeford and Sanford
310 Horsepower on Every Trim. Pick the One That Fits.
Inventory changes weekly, so call to confirm which trims are on the lot before you drive over.
Powers Swain Chevrolet · 4709 Bragg Blvd, Fayetteville, NC 28303