The 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Towing Capacity ranges from 3,500 to 7,700 lbs.
These capacities, however, do not apply to every single Chevy Colorado. With three different engine options, 10 different trim models (4 basic and 6 special editions), and six different configurations, the towing capacity will vary.
The best way to calculate your towing capacity, however, 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 2021 Chevrolet Trailering Guide, 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Catalog, and the 2021 Colorado Trailering Chart. 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 2021 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 Turbo-Diesel engine is available in all models except the WT in the 2021 Colorado.
| 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 2021 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 2021 Colorado provides the most towing power of the entire family with a torque of up to 369 lb.-ft. @ 2,000 rpm but 181 hp @ 3,400 rpm.
Trim Levels
There are four basic trim levels in the 2021 Chevy Colorado family and 6 different special editions. Due to the limited information available, we won’t go into much detail on the special editions, but you can find out a little bit more by reading the 2021 Chevrolet Colorado Catalog.
WT
The WT is the base version of the Colorado.
The basic features are:
- CornerStep (a small step embedded into the rear bumper for bed access)
- cargo area lighting
- 7 in infotainment touch screen
- manual side mirrors
base version
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:
- body color bumpers
- aluminum wheels
- power mirrors
- EZ Lift power remote locking tailgate
- Cruise control
- 8 in infotainment touch screen
- remote keyless entry
- leather wrapped steering wheel
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:
- fog lamps
- front recovery hooks
- headed, powered side mirrors
- 8 in infotainment touch screen
- remote vehicle start
- heated front seats and steering wheel
ZR2
The ZR2 is the more advanced off-roading model of the 2021 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 the features in the Z71 it also has:
- front powered seats
- black spray on bedliner
Special Editions
- ZR2 Bison
- ZR2 Dusk
- ZR2 Midnight
- Custom
- Z71 Midnight
- Redline
Towing Package
There are many packages offered for the 2021 Colorado, but there is only one towing package.
This package is known as the trailering package. This package is available on all standard models, and is automatically included with the ZR2 model. It is only compatible with the 3.6 L engine, however.
It includes a trailer hitch and a 7 pin connector.
This package doesn’t have any effect on the GCWR which means that any 2021 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 2,500 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 2021 Chevy Colorado provides the least amount of towing capabilities and only provides 3,500 lbs of towing.
| GCWR | Towing Capacity | |
| Crew Cab 2WD | 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 2021 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.
The ZR2, though includes the trailering package as the standard, 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 GCWR – 10,300 lbs | |
| Crew Cab 2WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | – |
| Crew Cab Short Bed 4WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Crew Cab Long Bed 4WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | – |
| Extended Cab Long Bed 2WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | – |
| Extended Cab Long Bed 4WD | 3,500 lbs | 7,000 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
2.8L Duramax Turbo Diesel
The Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine in the 2021 Chevy Colorado is the most powerful and has a GCWR of 12,700 lbs and can tow between 7,500 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 | |
| Crew Cab 2WD | 7,700 lbs | – |
| Crew Cab Short Bed 4WD | 7,600 lbs | 5,000 lbs |
| Crew Cab Long Bed 4WD | 7,550 lbs | – |
| Extended Cab Long Bed 4WD | – | 5,000 lbs |
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 features that are available are an 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 actually creates a back pressure in the exhaust to slow the vehicle down which is especially helpful for towing large loads.
The other two features are quite standard in newer pickup trucks on the market and are nothing to ride home about.
2021 Chevy Colorado Colors
The 2021 Chevy Colorado comes in 7 colors:
- Summit White
- Satin Steel Metallic
- Sand Dune Metallic
- Cherry Red Tintcoat
- Crush
- Bright Blue Metallic
- Black
My personal favorite is the 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).
The orange is very unique as a stock option for a pickup truck color and think it’s a bold statement for those who love orange.
Colorado Payload Capacity 2021
There is not any 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 | 1,550 lbs |
| 3.6 L V6 | 1,435 lbs |
| 2.8 L Turbo-Diesel | 1,480 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 2021 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.
Other helpful resource: 2021 Chevy Colorado Owner’s Manual
