The 2018 Chevrolet Colorado Towing Capacity ranges from 3,500 to 7,700 lbs.
These capacities, however, do not apply to every single Chevy Colorado. The towing capacity will vary with three different engine options, four trims, and four different configurations.
However, the best way to calculate your towing capacity is to do it yourself.
If you need help calculating your own towing capacity read: How is Towing Capacity Calculated? (With Calculator)
The most important information here that will actually assist you in determining your towing capacity is the GCWR. Read on to find these units and compare the towing capacities for the various configurations.
All information in this article was pulled from the 2018 Chevrolet Trailering Guide and the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado Catalog. Please take a look at these at your own leisure for more information.
Though I tried to make this information as accurate as possible, you should always check your manual or contact your local dealer to determine the appropriate towing capacity of your vehicle and necessary equipment.
Engine Options
There are three engines that are available in the 2018 Colorado. Not all trim levels are available with every type of engine.
The 2.5 L and 3.6 L engines are available in all four of the basic models and the 2.8 L Turbo-Diesel engine is available in all models except the WT in the 2018 Colorado.
| Base | WT | LT | Z71 | ZR2 | |
| 2.5 L 4-Cylinder | X | X | X | X | |
| 3.6 L V6 | X | X | X | X | |
| 2.8 L Duramax Turbo-Diesel | X | X | X |
2.5 L 4-Cylinder
The 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine in the 2018 Colorado is the least powerful engine in the family.
It has up to 200 hp @ 6,300 rpm and 191 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,400 rpm.
3.6 L V6
The 3.6 L V6 engine is the middle engine of the family in terms of towing power which generates up to 308 hp @ 6,800 rpm and 275 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4,000 rpm.
2.8 L Duramax Turbo-Diesel
The Turbo-Diesel engine in the 2018 Colorado provides the most towing power of the entire family with a torque of up to 369 lb.-ft. @ 2,000 rpm and 181 hp @ 3,400 rpm.
Trim Levels
There are five basic trim levels in the 2018 Chevy Colorado family.
base
This is the base version of the Colorado.
- Teen Driver technology
- Theft-deterrent system
- Steering column: manual tilt
- Rear vision camera
- 6-speaker audio system
- Driver seat: 4-way power
- Chevrolet Infotainment 3 System
- Front passenger seat: 2-way manual
WT
The WT adds a few features from the Base model.
The features are:
- Rear Part Assist
- Tow/Haul Mode
- On Star Safety and Security Plan
- Content-theft alarm
- Built-in 4G LTE Wi-Fi
LT
The LT is the upgraded version of the WT. It includes many of the same features as the WT, but some with additional luxuries.
Some of these additional features are:
- OnStar Safety and Security Plan
- Theft-deterrent system with content-theft alarm and engine immobilizer
- Remote keyless entry
- 2 USB ports
- Cruise Control
- Outside power-adjustable manual-folding body-color mirrors
Z71
The Z71 is the basic off-roading Colorado. It is a higher-end truck than the WT and the LT as it has fog lamps, heated and power side mirrors, and remote vehicle start.
Since it is designed for off-roading it also has front recovery hooks.
Notable features of the Z71:
- Automatic locking rear differential
- Transfer case shield (4×4)
- Hill Descent Control
- Projector-beam headlamps
- Outside heated power-adjustable manual-folding body-color mirrors
- EZ lift and Lower tailgate
- Remote vehicle starter system
- Sliding rear window
ZR2
The ZR2 is the more advanced off-roading model of the 2018 Chevy Colorado. It has a 2 in. lift compared to other stock Colorados and a 3.5 in. wide stance to navigate offroad terrain.
In addition to or replacing the features in the Z71 it includes:
- Off-road appearance package
- Off-road suspension
- Multimatic DSSV Damping System
- Increased clearance and track width
- Transfer case shield
- Trailer hitch and integrated trailer brake controller
- Front and rear wheel flares
- Unique hood, fascia, and grille
- Wireless charging for compatible phones
Towing Package
There are many packages offered for the 2018 Colorado, but there is only one towing package.
This package is known as the trailering package. This package is available on all standard models except the base model and is automatically included with the ZR2 model. It is only compatible with the 2.8 L and 3.6 L engine, however.
It includes a trailer hitch and a 4-pin and 7-pin connector.
This package doesn’t have any effect on the GCWR, which means that any 2018 Colorado without a trailer hitch should not exceed a towing capacity of 3500 lbs.
You will see in the next section that there is an additional 3,500 lbs of towing capacity added with the trailering package.
Towing Capacity by Engine
2.5 L 4-Cylinder
As stated before, the 2.5 L 4-cylinder engine in the 2018 Chevy Colorado provides the least amount of towing capabilities and only provides 3,500 lbs of towing.
| GCWR | Towing Capacity | |
| Crew Cab 2WD 4WD | 8,500 lbs | 3,500 lbs |
| Extended Cab 2WD 4WD | 8,500 lbs | 3,500 lbs |
3.6 L V6
Without the trailering package, the 3.6 L engine in the 2018 Chevy Colorado can tow up to 3,500 lbs. However, with the trailering package, the towing capacity increases to 7,000 lbs. In both cases, the GCWR is 12,000 lbs.
Although the ZR2 includes the trailering package as the standard, it has less towing capacity of 5,000 lbs with the 3.6 L engine.
| Standard GCWR – 12,000 lbs | with Trailering Package GCWR – 12,000 lbs | ZR2 with Trailering Package GCWR – 10,300 lbs | |
| Crew Cab 2WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | – |
| Crew Cab 4WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Extended Cab 2WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | – |
| Extended Cab 4WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
2.8L Duramax Turbo Diesel
The Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine in the 2018 Chevy Colorado is the most powerful and has a GCWR of 12,700 lbs and can tow between 7,600 lbs and 7,700 lbs.
The Turbo-Diesel engine, however, doesn’t have any towing benefit to the ZR2 and maintains a 5,000 lbs towing capacity.
| Standard GCWR – 12,700 lbs | ZR2 GCWR – 10,700 lbs | |
| Extended Cab 2WD | – | – |
| Crew Cab 2WD | 7,700 lbs | – |
| Crew Cab 4WD | 7,600 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Extended Cab 4WD | – | 5,000 lbs |
2018 Chevy Colorado Towing Capacity Chart
Towing Features
With the limited capabilities of the Colorado, there are also limited towing features. Since it is not designed and marketed as a towing truck, it doesn’t have some of the other bells and whistles that other truck companies have.
The three main available features are the integrated trailer brake controller, a diesel exhaust brake, and an automatic locking rear differential.
Again, these are all available features rather than standard features in the family.
The diesel exhaust brake creates back pressure in the exhaust to slow the vehicle down, which is especially helpful for towing large loads.
The other two features are standard in newer pickup trucks on the market and are nothing to ride home about.
2018 Chevy Colorado Colors
The 2018 Chevy Colorado comes in 9 colors:
- Summit White
- Silver Ice Metallic
- Satin Steel Metallic
- Graphite Metallic
- Red Hot
- Cajun Red Tintcoat
- Deepwood Green Metallic
- Kinetic Blue Metallic
- Black
My personal favorite is black. I think it looks very sleek for the truck design (See below). My second pick is the red. (I’ve always wanted a red car).
Colorado Payload Capacity 2018
There is no information on the ebrochure that discusses the payload capacity of the Colorado except the maximum payload capacity for each engine.
The document doesn’t specify in what configuration this may payload is, so you should absolutely make sure you check the payload capacity on your own.
Read: What Does GVWR Mean? GVWR Explained for Trucks and Trailers to learn all about payload capacity and how it is calculated.
| Max Payload Capacity | |
| 2.5 L 4-Cylinder | 1,440 lbs |
| 3.6 L V6 | 1,574 lbs |
| 2.8 L Turbo-Diesel | 1,496 lbs |
To find your GVWR, you can look inside the forward side of the rear door. Here will be a certification and tire label that will list the GVWR in the position shown below.
Conclusion
The 2018 Chevy Colorado can tow up to 7,700 lbs, but this is only with the Diesel engine. The 2.5 L and 3.6 L engines can only tow up to 3,500 lbs without the trailering package.
The trailering package allows up to 7,000 lbs to be towed on the 3.6 L engine. The ZR2 can only tow up to 5,000 pounds, though, with the trailering package.
The information here is to be used for comparison purposes, and you should always do your due diligence to calculate your own towing capacity.
Check your owner’s manual to get the GCWR, then calculate the towing capacity.
