New Chevrolet Colorado to Have Updated Eight-Speed Transmission

General Motors will be launching the 2017 Chevrolet Colorado with a new upgraded eight-speed automatic transmission that will be paired with a revamped 3.6-liter V-6 engine. The new Chevy Colorado will be available at the retail level from the fourth quarter of 2016 in the United States.

The new eight-speed automatic transmission will replace the six-speed automatic transmission and comes with a wider 7.0 overall gear ratio spread. According to Chevrolet, the changes to the engine and transmission would result in a numerically higher first gear ratio. This will help motorists to start the vehicle more easily, even while carrying heavy loads. The fuel economy would be better and the lower rear axle ratios on the transmission will reduce engine rpm on the highway.

The new transmission would help the Colorado to emerge as a model that is one step above its competitors. All other models in this segment like the Honda Ridgeline, the Toyota Tacoma, and the Nissan Frontier have only six gears. Chevrolet however has made changes not just to the transmission but also to the engine. Though the engine is still a V-6 engine, it has major improvements and now has an output of 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, which is an increase of 3 hp and 6 lb-ft from the previous version. Other engine improvements include revised updated variable valve timing, direct injection, and new cylinder deactivation technology.

General Motors had previously debuted the fully redesigned Chevrolet Colorado in 2015. In 2016, it got a new engine, the 2.8-liter turbodiesel inline-four that helped the model to emerge as the Truck of the Year award for the second consecutive year. The other engine variant available is the standard gasoline 2.5-liter inline-four engine with 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque.

In the 2016 model, the four-cylinder engine offered a mileage of 20/27 mpg city/highway, while the 3.6-liter V-6 gas engine was rated at 18/26 mpg. The turbodiesel model offered the highest mileage at 22/31 mpg.

There are signs that General Motors will make similar updates to the GMC Canyon.