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Zane & Josh Merva GM-Trucks.com March 12th - 16th, 2018 As attention starts to shift from the current generation of K2XX based Silverado and Sierra to the all new 2019 T1XX based trucks, it's all too easy to forget just how far we've come and how much General Motors has "perfected" these tools over their last generation. Case in point, the 2018 GMC Sierra Denali. It's the company's most luxurious pickup ever. (Well, at least for a few more months). When the opportunity to take this generation Sierra for one last spin presented itself we jumped at the chance. A week behind the wheel of a 2018 right before the 2019 models started to hit the ground sounded like a perfect refresher. Each day this week we'll share our time, photos, and thoughts about this range topping model. Being that it's a Denali, it has... well.. everything. From the high-powered 6.2L V8 to the rail-like magnetic ride control and the plush heated/ventilated seats, this Denali has all the goodies to compete with pure luxury sedans from the likes of BMW, Lexus, and Audi. Stay tuned all this week as we add our thoughts and a slew of images to this thread. The Truck We're Reviewing 2018 GMC Sierra Denali 1500 Crew Cab Starting Price: $55,755 Total Options: $8,045 Destination: $1,250 Discount: -$750 Total Vehicle Price: $64,345 The Window Sticker First Photos Master Review Photo Gallery

Words & Photos by: Zane Merva & Josh Merva Editors, GM-Trucks.com 10/31/2014 Welcome to the third and final part of our week long 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Live Review. We hope you've enjoyed the photos and impressions we've shared so far. Today we will share our impressions about how well the 2015 Colorado drives, how well it tows, what fuel economy the 3.6L engine can get, and if we could live with it on a daily basis. If you have not read our previous two parts to this Live Review, consider giving them a look! Part One: Introduction to our review and this 2015 Chevy Colorado Part Two: A look at the interior options, features, and comfort in the 2015 Colorado Crew cab Our Colorado came equipped with the larger and more powerful 3.6L V6 engine. It is rated at 305-horsepower and 269 lb-ft of torque. This is the same engine you'll find in the Equinox and Camaro, although the tuning has been altered to move to the torque curve lower in the RPM range. This 3.6L has a good punch of low end torque, which is much needed for a truck. The optional 2.5L I4 engine that we experienced during our First Drive review isn't as peppy as the V6 but offers an economical option for someone who won't tow or haul very much. The inline four-cylinder produces 200-horsepower and 191 lb-ft of torque. While it doesn't sound like a lot, this nearly matches the output of a late 90's 4.3L V6! Chevy claims the mid-size Colorado can do much of what a full-size Silverado can. So we hooked up a trailer and gave this pickup a small workout. With a light 1,000lb load, we barely knew the trailer was behind us. Because of its smaller size, tight maneuvers and backing up with a trailer are easier than with a full-size. Our Colorado came with the "Trailering Equipment Package." Chevy includes an integrated hitch receiver and a 4-pin/7-pin electrical connection. For the price of $250, it seems well worth it. These side mirrors are sleek and low on wind noise but not so great for towing. They don't extend far enough to give a great view of what's behind you while pulling a large trailer. However, for every day use, we've got no complaints and appreciate the blind spot areas. Colorado's four-wheel Duralife disc-brakes make a noticeable difference. Our 2011 Sierra's brakes don't feel nearly as responsive and solid as this. During our week of driving we saw a wide range of fuel economy, depending on what we were doing. In the city and while towing we averaged around 18 miles to the gallon. On the highway and lonely urban roads we able to achieve nearly 28 miles to the gallon! Our 4X4 Colorado was at home off the beaten path. With a minimum of 8.1-inches of ground clearance, this pickup will take you deep down the local trail but probably won't do well crawling rocks. We would imagine the Colorado would do well in the snow. This truck also does well in urban and city roads. A tight turning radius and smaller footprint give the Colorado a leg up over the less maneuverable full-size Silverado. Parking, tight corners, and narrow roads are all much less stressful. With a comfortable, almost crossover like ride, we wouldn't think twice about using the Colorado as a daily driver and a weekend warrior. The communicative steering impressed us. Chevy engineers tuned the Colorado to drive with a level of responsiveness we're not used to in a truck. The rear end never felt light and we were never bounced around. The 4X4 system in the Colorado is has three options- 2WD, 4WD High and 4WD Low. It engaged cleanly, smoothly, and didn't change the way the Colorado drove. Even in two-wheel-drive, the Colorado's traction control handled more than we expected and engaged smoothly. Final Thoughts Every day we drove the 2015 Colorado we grew to love it even more. A slightly smaller pickup that has nearly all the capacity of a full-size is an idea waiting to be executed well for a long time. Chevy has done it with the mid-size Colorado. Our time with this long wheel base crew cab excited us even more about the future prospects of a Duramax Diesel as an available engine next year. GM's 8-speed transmission will also likely end up in the Colorado sooner or later. While the Colorado offers nearly all of the size and capability of the Silverado, that means it also comes at nearly all of the price. Our well optioned example came at a stiff $38,870. For nearly $40,000 we wish some aspects of the Colorado, such as the hard plastic dash, were made to feel more premium. On the other hand, we were impressed at how well the Colorado drove and handled. If you are in the market for a truck but don't plan on loading it to capacity every time you leave the house, you might be surprised how well the Colorado will suit you.

Words & Photos by: Zane & Josh Merva Editors, GM-Trucks.com 10/29/2014 Welcome to part two of our 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Live Review. In part one, we showed you the specific Colorado we’re driving this week, which features it is equipped with, and how much it costs. Today we’ll focus on showing your what the interior of the new Colorado is like and what features it offers the driver and passengers. Didn't read Part One? Read our introduction to this 2015 Chevrolet Colorado Live Review The interior design of the 2015 Colorado is awfully familiar. That’s because it’s meant to closely resemble the interior of the Silverado. The multi-toned mix of surfaces is heavily focused on function. We would have preferred a layout more interesting to our eyes but you can’t argue with a design that works well. As a driver, you’ll spend most of your time looking here - at the gauge cluster. Like the rest of the interior, it’s about reading numbers clearly over flashy design. Chevrolet MyLink Chevy MyLink is Chevrolet's smartphone connectivity and infotainment system. It uses hard buttons on the dash alongside a touch screen interface. This is the home screen of MyLink. There are a lot of options to staying connected on the road. Our Colorado has the optional Navigation system. The audio screen shows a lot of information and is easy to control with large on-screen buttons. With a SiriusXM Subscription, you can even use MyLink to stay informed on the weather. Yes, that's a live radar map! Our Mylink system was paired with the optional, and well worth it, Bose Audio system. At $500, we think it's a great option for anyone who enjoys their music. The MyLink Screen also doubles as the display for the rear view backup camera. This is one of the Colorado's most useful features on a daily basis, especially if you are hooking up a trailer. Guide lines shift as you steer, giving you an idea of where you are headed. An Informed & Comfortable Driver The center gauge cluster has a mono-tone driver information center. We've been using it as a digital speedometer most of the time. The DIC also shows trip information. You can monitor tire pressures and transmission temperature, too. Staying on top of fuel economy is easy too. Automatic climate control keeps the cabin comfortable and large dials make small adjustments easy. Our LT trimmed Colorado featured leather appointed power driver and passenger front seats. This piano-key switch panel is similar to the control panel in the Silverado. Heated seat controls are found directly below. While the Silverado has stayed with a wheel mounted gear selector, the Colorado's shifter is on the center console The driver's window and door switches have a premium feel and are identical to those in the full-size trucks. Interior backlight brightness, headlight and 4x4 control switches are located to the bottom and left of the steering wheel. Storage & Passenger Space Each door is loaded with storage cubbies. The Colorado has plenty of places to set things and we like it! Like any truck should, the Colorado has a large glove box and a useful arm-rest storage area. Charging options for mobile devices are numerous. Our Colorado had 4 USB slots but only two 12-volt outlets. Our Crew cab Colorado has plenty of room to bring along passengers. It feels more roomy than a Silverado Double Cab. Chevy even includes under seat storage. Our Colorado also featured Chevy's $395 Safety Package. It consists of Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Alert systems. You can turn both on or off, independently. Neither system is active, only alerting the driver to emergencies through warning tones played through the speaker system. The Colorado's key fob controls locking and unlocking as well as remote-start. It's the same design used in the Silverado. Our biggest complaint is the hard plastic dash. It looks great in color and texture but is as hard as a rock. The GMC Canyon has a soft touch dash and we wish the Colorado did too. AT&T 4G LTE WiFi HotSpot We tried to use OnStar's 4G WiFi hotspot but it didn't go well. Connecting to the hotspot is easy, however there's no indicator to show signal strength. As a result, when we tried to load any website on our tablet, nothing happened. This is probably because the system uses AT&T service, which has poor coverage in our area of New Hampshire. We'll travel to a more populated area and try again for our Friday update. We wish GM would have stuck with Verizon Wireless. Interior Conclusion We're really digging the driver and passenger experience inside the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Comfortable seating and a connected experience deliver a daily commuter capable vehicle. In fact, the pickup is so comfortable, it doesn't even feel like you're driving a truck. With heated leather seats, Bose audio, and a quiet ride, we could spend all day inside. Long trips should be easy. For all we like inside, we're still not sold on Chevy's lane departure and collision warning systems. They are entirely passive and only create distracting beeps when you're in danger. We would love to see GM's vibrating alert seat in the Colorado. We're also very disappointed in OnStar 4G coverage with AT&T. In vehicle WiFi is only useful if it works. On Friday we will explore the Colorado's 305-horsepower 3.6L V6 and how see well it serves as the optional engine in a pickup. We'll share fuel economy, daily driving observations, and towing performance. We will also explore the chassis, braking, transmission, and 4x4 system. Your turn Time for you to take part. Ask us anything! We'd love to share what driving this truck is like and will try our best to answer any questions you have about the 2015 Colorado.

Words & Photos by: Zane & Josh Merva Editors, GM-Trucks.com 10/27/2014 This week, Josh and I are re-starting our live post series. Get ready for for a three part, hands-on review experience of the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. Not too many weeks ago we brought you our First Drive review of the 2015 Colorado and Canyon. This week, we've got a lot more time with Chevy's new mid-size pickup and we want to share the experience. Today, we'll dive into how our review Colorado is equipped. We'll also cover notable features and our first thoughts after driving it on our home roads. Wednesday, we will bring you a deeper look into the interior of the 2015 Colorado. We'll examine Chevy MyLink, the OnStar 4G WiFi hotspot, and the overall proportions of the crew cab configuration. Friday, we'll wrap it all up when we focus on the performance and handling of the new Colorado. We will examine the 3.6L V6, daily fuel economy, chassis responsiveness and towing capabilities. We hope this three part series will give you a better understanding of what the 2015 Colorado is all about. Let's start things off! Our review Colorado Here is the Colorado we're driving this week. It's a four-door crew cab equipped in LT trim. Here is the window sticker. Our tester has a recommended price of $38,870. How it's equipped This long box, 4x4, crew cab Colorado has a starting price of $32,385. Here's what kind of options it is equipped with. -Luxury Package [$1,080] -18" Dark Argent Wheels [$1,000] -Leather Seats [$950] -LT Convenience Package [$615] -Bose Audio System [$500] -Chevy MyLink with Navigation [$495] -Safety Package [$395] -Locking Rear Differential [$325] -Trailering Equipment Package [$250] After $5,610 of options and a $875 delivery charge, this 2015 Colorado has an MSRP of $38,870 We'll dive into these features, how well they work, and if they are worth the price later this week. Notable Features & Improvements The 2015 Colorado is completely new. In fact, it shares more with the 2015 Silverado than the last generation Colorado. The interior has many similarities with big brother Silverado. Rear corner steps into the bed have also trickled down from the full-size line. The rear end even looks like the Silverado with the tail lamps being near matches. You can even get a spray in liner from the factory. Yup, just like the Silverado. The Colorado features inlaid doors for a quieter ride with less wind noise inside the cab. First Impressions This is the first time we've had a chance to try the Colorado on our home roads. It's been great to compare the Colorado to our 2011 Sierra and other full and mid-size pickups we've driven in the past. The Colorado has grown in size. It doesn't feel much smaller than the Silverado, but is it more maneuverable? Like us, you were probably disappointed that the 4.3L V6 didn't make its way into the Colorado. Is the 3.6L V6 up to task? How does the interior compare to the last generation? Is it a huge step up as claimed? Will it appeal to crossover buyers? Is this mid-size actually more refined than the Silverado? That's a question we're seriously considering as we drive the Colorado this week What's next Check back this week as we continue this Live Review on Wednesday and Friday. Each day we'll start a new thread. Here's what you can expect. Wednesday: We take a deep dive inside. We'll explore the Colorado's interior, MyLink System, Lane Departure and Collision avoidance systems, WiFi hotspot, and the driver/passenger experience. Friday: We will explore the Colorado's 305-horsepower 3.6L V6 and how see well it serves as the optional engine in a pickup. We'll share fuel economy, daily driving observations, and towing performance. We will also explore the chassis, braking, transmission, and 4x4 system. Your turn Time for you to take part. Ask us anything! We'd love to share what driving this truck is like and will try our best to answer any questions you have about the 2015 Colorado.

Look what just showed up at the office! A new 2014 GMC Sierra Crew Cab. It's a highly-optioned SLT trim with 4X4 and the Z71 package. It also has a lot of the premium goodies like lane departure warning and the Bose sound system. We get to keep it until next Friday. So, that means it's time to do a Live Review, similar to when we drove the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado in August. Here's the window sticker. This particular Sierra has an MSRP of $50,185. and a quick shot of the interior Many more photos and pictures to come.

Since the new 2014 K2-based trucks were announced last December, we've been anxiously waiting to drive one on our home turf. Over the next few days, we're excited to announce that we will have the chance to do just that. We're currently sporting a 2014 Silverado LT Crew Cab in our driveway, on loan from Chevrolet. Instead of driving it for a week and then sharing our thoughts with you afterwards, we're going to use this thread to let you take part in the process. We're going to call it a "Live Review"... and as our first try at this, we'll be sorta making it up as we go along. Side by side next to Project Sierra. We'll be doing a lot of comparisons between the two. and we've already completed the "does a 1/2 keg of beer fit in the back of a crew cab?" test.As you can see, it passed. We're interested in all of your thoughts and requests. What do you want to know? We've got our thoughts, comparisons, photos, and maybe a video or two planned over the next week. Stay tuned! We'll still have a more formal review after this is all done but sharing the process with you guys will be much more fun.