2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss: $50,000 and No Heated Seats?

Unlike their full-size counterparts, midsize pickups are selling for huge bucks and it’s hard to predict when manufacturers will start offering substantial discounts.

For that to happen, demand will need to weaken, but there’s a whole lot of people going crazy for these versatile machines right about now.

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Heated or Not, Who’s the Boss?

Auto journalists are usually given fully loaded press vehicles to put to the test and review, and you could almost say this brand new 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss fits the bill. However, a not-so-funny thing happened when I picked up the keys on an unseasonably frigid late November morning: I couldn’t find buttons for the heated seats.

That’s because there were none. The cold reality check hit me upon closer inspection. I double-checked through the menus on the touchscreen, and guess what I found instead? Controls for the headlights. What’s up with that? GM says it took a page from Tesla, but when it comes to heated seats, the company took a pass. I even triple-checked using the accompanying spec sheet with my tester and still couldn’t find them.

You see, despite being a mid-range model in the new Colorado lineup, the Trail Boss is based on the entry-level WT (Work Truck). For this reason, some of the exterior accents are made of matte black plastic, the cargo bed doesn’t even have a bedliner, and the seats lack the desirable butt warmers that so many Canadians appreciate.

Heated seats are optional with the more expensive LT and Z71 models and standard on the off-road-ready Colorado ZR2. Even if you go with the latter, you’ll still need to check a box to get a heated steering wheel. Seriously.

45K is the Magic Number

The 2023 Colorado Trail Boss, which makes do with fabric seats and cheap plastics, carries a base MSRP of $43,603, not including the various charges and tax. Mine also had $4,740 worth of options, some of which can be considered must-haves by today’s standards. The Technology Package ($1,095) adds adaptive cruise control, rear pedestrian alert and HD surround vision. 

The Safety Package ($820) features heated power-adjustable mirrors, rear park assist, rear cross traffic braking and blind zone steering assist. Honestly, it’s a small price to pay considering the obvious safety benefits. You shouldn’t hesitate a second to order it.

The Advanced Trailering Package ($750) is for drivers who plan to do some towing from time to time, while the Trail Boss Convenience Package ($675) includes a manual sliding rear window—very handy for fitting long items of cargo or just cooling the cabin—a rear window defogger and cruise control.

Alternatively, there’s the Trail Boss Convenience Package II ($630), which greets the driver with a power-adjustable seat, power lumbar control, an EZ-Lift tailgate requiring less effort to open or close, and a trivial Stowflex storage compartment built into said tailgate—more on it later. My tester also came with a 220A alternator ($175) and Radiant Red Tincoat body ($595).

From my personal point of view, a properly equipped midsize pickup from Chevrolet will cost you at least $45,000. But even at that price, you still have to sacrifice heated seats and a heated steering wheel.

Compromises must be made with other midsize pickups, too, although some of them do offer heated buckets with their lower grades. Bottom line: prepare to shell out upwards of 45 grand to land a compact or midsize truck with heated front seats.

Strong and Capable

The new generation of the Chevrolet Colorado is improved in many regards, and performance is one of them. While the turbocharged 2.7-litre four-cylinder engine under the hood is not as smooth and progressive as the naturally aspirated 3.6-litre V6 of its predecessor, it delivers a healthy 310 horsepower in Trail Boss trim (237 horsepower in WT or LT). By the way, you’ll find the same mill in the larger Silverado 1500, except that the latter sounds sportier.

Is it efficient? Well, you be the judge. Natural Resources Canada rates this particular Colorado at 13.1 L/100 km, in part due to the all-terrain tires and elevated suspension. The computer in my tester returned an average of nearly 14 L/100 km at the end of the week, and even my mother would say I was gentle with the throttle.

The Trail Boss is still an awesome truck, though, what with a rigid chassis, the absence of noise coming from the body and the generally pleasant driving experience. Off the pavement, it may not be as capable as the seriously expensive Colorado ZR2 for tackling challenging terrain, but it’s more than up to the task 95 percent of the time.

Build Quality Issues

Alas, fit and finish proved disappointing. Hard plastics are everywhere, making the dark cabin look dull and kind of cheap. Granted, they’re easier to clean than caramel-coloured leather. The only “premium” touches are arguably the dual displays on the dashboard. As for the steering wheel, urethane is definitely not as refined as genuine leather, that’s for sure.

The biggest letdown came from the aforementioned Stowflex compartment. A trip to the carwash revealed that it’s not weatherproof. I also had trouble with the two latches supposed to keep it locked and secure. The lack of a bedliner didn’t really bug me, but those who plan to use their Trail Boss for work will need to add one through the options menu.

Buy One or Not?

The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss is far from a bad truck, but it’s not as refined as the more upscale Z71 and ZR2 or competitors such as the GMC Canyon Denali/AT4X, Toyota Tacoma TRD, Nissan Frontier PRO-4X, Honda Ridgeline, Ford Ranger XLT and Jeep Gladiator. Thanks to the base WT 4x2 model, it ranks among the most affordable offerings in the segment.

A barebones Colorado will appeal to people who miss the days when pickups were merely designed for work. Now, midsize models are just as large as their full-size siblings were back in the 1980s, and a heck of a lot more capable, too. The evolution in technology has been staggering, but it all comes at a price. And sadly, sometimes you don’t even get heated seats.  

Watch: Off-Roading With the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison