The Holden Colorado 7 arrives to (finally) fill mud-encrusted boots in the full-sized, seven-seat SUV segment.
It is a proper bush basher, with a separate chassis, limited slip differential, and dual-range gearbox with switchable four-wheel-drive system (2WD, 4-High, 4-Low), all unsurprisingly borrowed from its Colorado ute sibling.
The double wishbone front suspension is also shared.
Available in two specification levels – the $46,990 LT, and $50,490 LTZ – utilising a single 132kW/470Nm 2.8-litre turbo-diesel four-cylinder and six-speed automatic drivetrain, the Holden Colorado 7 will compete with the Mitsubishi Challenger and Nissan Pathfinder – old Jackaroo foes – rather than the Ford Territory and Toyota Kluger.
The entry LT gets 16-inch alloys, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, cruise control, reversing camera and Bluetooth connectivity, while the flagship LTZ adds 18s, leather trim, single-zone climate control and eight-speaker audio.
What that translates to is generous third-row legroom (above), at least by typical third-row standards.
Families who need all seven seats will be forced to accept only 205 litres of luggage room. Fold the third row and that expands to 878L. When there’s only two aboard, with all seats folded, a 1780L cavity is available.
The 9.4L/100km claimed economy figure is achievable.
The mechanical power steering is slow and numb, and weirdly weights up into the turn. The tall body and thick-sidewalled tyres exacerbates the feeling of roll, and the solid rear beam hops and skips over large irregulations.
Again, sacrifice is expected. But what isn’t acceptable – in any class, especially at $47-51K – is poor cabin quality and engine refinement.
Diesel engine refinement is also sorely lacking. At idle, engine vibes shimmy through the dashboard and tiller.
There’s a crudity that no doubt lingers from sharing its parts with a commercial vehicle.