2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Ever since Ford’s Raptor burst onto the truck scene; we, as well as the Chevy truck faithful, have been waiting for a bowtie response. Well, we’ve finally got one, but it’s not the full-size Silverado that we expected. so, let’s find out if the mid-size Colorado ZR2 is able to do more with a smaller footprint.
For 2017, Chevrolet does indeed have something aimed directly at insatiable off roaders, the Colorado ZR2. We’ve seen the ZR2 badge before of course; on S-10 pickups and Blazers, and even on the ahem… Chevrolet Tracker in the 1990’s. But it now seems to have much more meaning adorning this purpose-built rig.
Standard powertrain is a 308-horsepower 3.6-liter V6 with 275 lb-ft. of torque coupled to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The Colorado’s base 2.5-liter I4 is not available, but the 2.8-liter Duramax I4 turbo-diesel is; outputting 186-horsepower and a stout 369 lb-ft. of torque. It comes with a 6-speed automatic. 4-wheel-drive is, of course, is standard on all.
We spent some time burning and breathing both gasoline and diesel fumes out in the dirt near Grand Junction, Colorado. We had plenty of fun with both, but wouldn’t complain if GM snuck some more power into future versions of the ZR2; along with quicker responsive from the transmission.
The list of included off-road goodies is a long one, including electronic locking diffs front and rear, rocker protection, upgraded control arms, Autotrac transfer case, 3.42 rear axle, off-road programming for Stabilitrak, and 17-inch aluminum wheels with 31-inch Good Year Wrangler DuraTrac All-Terrains.
Suspension gets a modest 2.0-inch lift; but the biggest deal here is the Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve dampers, which are similar to those found in the Camaro Z/28. Chevrolet says this is the first such technology in an off road truck.
And we can attest it allows the ZR2 to literally glide over obstacles both big and small, as well as land softly after getting big air like a Trophy truck; all while you feel totally in control.
There’s nothing else quiet like it; sure you could throw Toyota’s full TRD catalog at a Tacoma and get close, but you’d pay a lot more and the ride quality would be a deal breaker.
Chevrolet went the sedate route as far as styling the exterior, no flashy brotastic graphics like the original Raptor; just minimal ZR2 lettering on the bed. But it’s certainly more than your typical Colorado. There’s the distinctive power dome hood, and both front and rear are redone to handle steep terrain.
The stance is noticeable wider too, with plenty of skid plate protection added underneath. Both crew and extended cabs are available, as are both short and long beds; a spray-in bedliner is standard.
A trailering package with integrated brake controller is also included, though due to all of the off-road upgrades, towing capacity is limited to 5,000-lbs.
Not much visual change inside, which is a good thing if, like us, you appreciate the Colorado’s upscale, highly functional and quiet space; a bad thing if you’re looking for something a little flashier to show off to your friends or bare-bones rugged.
Much like the latest Raptor, the on road experience is surprisingly pleasant. The ZR2 is not floaty at all; as those high-dollar dampers allow for quick turn-ins and keep cornering relatively flat. Road noise from the tires is fairly subdued too.
While not exactly a direct competitor to the Raptor; as far as the total package goes, the ZR2’s “just right” size makes it a much more satisfying option for daily use, as well as easier to navigate in tight trails, though it certainly doesn’t have the Raptor’s monster motor under the hood.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 16-City, 18-Highway, 17-Combined for gas, and 19-City, 22-Highway, 20-Combined for the Diesel which has the better Energy Impact Score at 19.1-barrels of annual oil consumption, with 8.4 tons of CO2 emissions.
Pricing starts at $40,995 for Extended Cab and $42,620 for Crew Cab; add another $3,500 for the diesel. You could spend much less on a Colorado 4X4, but why would you? This beast of a bargain is now our top Colorado choice, at least until the price goes up!
The 2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 is truly a do-anything truck; from rock crawling, to bombing across desert 2-track, to hauling your toys, taking the family on adventures, and even getting you to work on time every day in comfort; all while feeling like some crazy off-road Camaro. Well, done GM.
Specifications
- Engine: 2.8-liter Duramax I4 turbo-diesel
- Horsepower: 186
- Torque: 369 lb-ft.
- EPA: 19 mpg city / 22 mpg highway
- Energy Impact: 19.1 barrels of oil/yr
- CO2 Emissions: 8.4 tons/yr
2024 Lexus TX
Built To Please Luxury-Minded American Families On The Move
Lexus sells SUVs in just about every shape and size, but until now has never had a true large three-row family-style crossover in their lineup. Well, the new TX is just that. So, let’s find out if the seventh SUV to enter the Lexus brand is also able to usher in a new era of big-family luxury.
Lexus has been in the SUV game longer than most luxury brands, but the all-new 2024 Lexus TX is their first purpose-built, large three-row crossover utility. Looking equal parts enormous and luxurious outside, it’s a big jump up from the no longer available RX350L, as far as space inside front to back, but especially in the third row when it comes to legroom, but also in flexibility and ease of use compared to their other current three-row offering, the truck-based LX600.
The TX’s 20.2 cubic-feet of space behind that third row is a real bonus too. That space expands to 57.4 cubic-feet when you fold the second-row seatbacks, with a 97.0 cubic-foot max with all seats stored and folded. And of course, there are charging ports just about everywhere you look inside, ensuring families are as connected as they are comfortable. And it is a very comfortable family hauler with seating arrangements for either six or seven passengers.
It’s easy to make things bigger inside, much more difficult if you’re Lexus to make them vastly better. And while the TX interior is very nice, it’s not as big of an upgrade from platform mate Toyota Grand Highlander as we expected. Though considering our Premium trim tester is just one step up from base, there’s lots of standard content, but also a lot going on when it comes to controls and touch-sensitive surfaces. It did take some getting used to, with many dash controls looking very similar, and the steering wheel controls being somewhat temperamental.
There are plenty of choices when it comes to the powertrain. Standard is this 2.4-liter I4 turbo in the TX350 rated at 275 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. It works with an eight-speed automatic transmission and comes in front- or all-wheel drive. An available 500h adds hybrid assistance to that 2.4-liter, and at the top of the lineup is Lexus’ first-ever V6-based plug-in hybrid, the 550h+, which packs 301-total horsepower and delivers 33-miles of EV range. Both hybrids are all-wheel drive, and all TXs are rated to tow 5,000-lbs.
There are charging ports just about everywhere you look inside, ensuring families are as connected as they are comfortable.
Our all-wheel drive 350 had a nice little jolt of power for getting a nice little jump off the line at our Mason Dixon test track, and then after a slight pause, power began pouring on in full force, ushering us to 60 in 7.5 seconds. The engine was plenty willing to keep dealing out the power, but the ultra-smooth automatic shifts were a tad sluggish, creating a noticeable drop-off in momentum as we worked our way down the track. Still, a 15.6-second 92 miles-per-hour quarter-mile is quite acceptable for a family hauler.
The TX is almost 17-feet long, but it sure doesn’t feel that big when you’re driving it around, and it scooted thorough our slalom course with the ease of a vehicle half that size. Its predictable nature allowed us to easily manage its luxury-minded steering feel and carry quite a bit of speed through the cones. While the TX shares the same basic suspension design as the Grand Highlander, tuning is unique.
Government Fuel Economy Ratings are 20-City, 26-Highway and 23-Combined; we averaged a great 25.3 miles-per-gallon of Premium, and it only goes up from there with either of the two available hybrids.
Pricing starts reasonably for a luxury SUV with the TX350 beginning at $55,050 and all-wheel drive a $1,600 option, but things can escalate quickly from there.
While not their first three-row utility, the 2024 Lexus TX is their first dedicated three-row platform aimed squarely at the heart of the American market. Clearly, they’ve hit a bullseye, as it makes us want to pack up the family and hit the road. But this is also the first Lexus to be built in Indiana.
While most of the car business seems to revolve around novelty, wow-factor, and gadgetry these days, Lexus continues to deliver quality, calm, and comfort, all while keeping the luxury experience remarkably attainable.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter I4 turbo
- Horsepower: 275
- 0-60 mph: 7.5 seconds
- EPA: 20 City | 26 Highway | 23 Combined
- Transmission: 8-speed automatic
- Torque: 317 lb-ft
- 1/4 Mile: 15.6 seconds at 92 mph
- MW Fuel Economy: 25.3 mpg (Premium)
2024 Subaru BRZ tS
The Light Way Is The Right Way
Back in 2013, Subaru, the long-time purveyor of all-wheel drive wagons and utilities, shocked us all when they unleashed the lightweight, rear-wheel drive BRZ sport coupe into this SUV-crazy world. It was like a fantastic breath of sports car nostalgia that we just couldn’t get enough of. And Subaru has only made it better since then, finally giving it an STI-like treatments. So, let’s hit the track in the new BRZ tS!
The Subaru BRZ indeed seemed to come out of nowhere when it arrived 11 years ago, and we’ve been loving every chance we’ve had behind the wheel of this throwback rear-drive sport coupe ever since. Now, there’s a new BRZ for us to enjoy, this 2024 Subaru BRZ tS.
The phrase “sport-tuned” is vague and often over-used, so what does that really mean for the BRZ? And how does that translate to performance at Savannah, GA’s Roebling Road Raceway?
Well, what Subaru has done with the tS, is indeed made the BRZ more capable on track and thus even more fun to drive overall. The big additions here are suspension and brakes, replacing the standard shocks and struts with Hitachi Sensitive Frequency Response Dampers, and upgrading the brakes to Brembos with gold calipers that clamp down on larger 12.8-inch discs up front and 12.4-inch discs in the rear. Unique 18-inch alloy wheels with Michelin Pilot Sport 4 performance tires complete the package.
Subaru falls short of calling it a full-on STi model, but does claim it has been tuned by STi, and there are prominently displayed STi logos on the start button and in the gauge display, along with unique trim and leather covered sport seats with Ultrasuede inserts, and lots of blue stitching on the seats and elsewhere in the cabin.
Outside, it’s mostly just the same tidy, low, wide, and lightweight aluminized BRZ we’ve come to love, with new logos, and black painted mirror caps. What there isn’t is any additional power, as the tS soldiers on with the standard BRZ’s naturally aspirated 2.4-liter flat-four rated at 228 horsepower and 184 lb-ft of torque. Now, those numbers don’t exactly scream track performance, but the fact that the tS is only available with a six-speed manual transmission does reveal what this particular BRZ is all about.
What Subaru has done with the tS, is indeed made the BRZ more capable on track and thus even more fun to drive overall.
And it was pure joy working that shifter in and out of the turns here at Roebling; the BRZ was already so well-balanced to begin with that it took a few laps of really pushing to feel the increased firmness and more settled nature on turn-ins of the new suspension setup. The better brakes addition was more easily noticed, and much appreciated, as we were able to dive into corners just a bit deeper than before.
Surprisingly, even on this big, fast track, the BRZ still doesn’t feel underpowered, just fun, as it and its platform-mate Toyota GR86 have from the very beginning. And 6.1 seconds to 60 is still plenty quick for anyone, and that’s actually a bit slower than we’ve gotten typically in the BRZ. Under more ideal conditions than this unusually cold winter’s day in coastal Georgia, mid fives shouldn’t be a problem.
Good clutch feel and decent grip from the 215 rear tires allowed for surprisingly high rpm launches. Short throws and positive action to the shifter meant we had no problem maintaining momentum through the 14.5-second quarter-mile which we finished at 99 mph.
Would we love to see and feel more horsepower coming from under the hood, a high-output turbo from the Toyota stable perhaps? Absolutely, but truth be told, it doesn’t really need it, as it puts the power that it has to use better than most cars on the road.
So, it may not be the full STi model that people have been clamoring for, but it’s not priced like one either, essentially tacking just $2,650 onto the price of a top Limited BRZ. It’s also worth noting, that while previous tS models were limited production, there are no such limits this time around, and this tS is the first manual transmission Subaru to come equipped with their EyeSight Driver Assist Technology.
So, if you want a BRZ that’s noticeably better for your track days, or just cars and coffee bragging rights, here it is. And everything that went into making the 2024 Subaru BRZ tS a more potent performer on the track, also makes it a better street car. That’s the kind of no compromise performance enhancement we can all get behind, and what continues to make the BRZ a winner no matter where the pavement takes you.
Specifications
As Tested
- Engine: 2.4-liter flat-4
- Horsepower: 228
- 0-60 mph: 6.1 seconds
- Starting Price: $36,465
- Transmission: 6-speed manual
- Torque: 184 lb-ft.
- 1/4 Mile: 14.5 seconds at 99 mph