The Colorado was reintroduced into Chevy’s truck lineup as a crossover station wagon and remains popular today. Chevy vehicles are known for their reliability and for having the features consumers expect from today’s vehicles, including towing. But what is the towing capacity of a Chevy Colorado?
The Chevy Colorado has a max towing capacity of 3,500 pounds to 7,700 pounds depending on the configuration and model year.
There’s a bit more to know about Chevy Colorado towing capabilities which we’ll cover in today’s guide.
Chevy Colorado Towing Capacity By Year
As we covered earlier, the current Chevy Colorado can tow a maximum of 7,700 lbs when properly equipped.
The Colorado has been in production from 2004 through the present, except for the 2013 and 2014 model years. We’ve listed out the maximum tow capacity by year below for reference.
Note that for each model year, there are many variables that affect the total towing capability of each vehicle year, so we recommend checking your specific Colorado model year below for an in-depth guide and to get the most accurate information.
Here’s the maximum Chevrolet Colorado towing capacity by year:
2023 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2022 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2021 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2020 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2019 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2018 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2017 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2016 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,700 pounds
2015 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 7,000 pounds
2012 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 6,000 pounds
2011 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 6,000 pounds
2010 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 6,000 pounds
2009 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 6,000 pounds
2008 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 6,000 pounds
2007 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 4,000 pounds
2006 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 4,000 pounds
2005 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 4,000 pounds
2004 Chevy Colorado Tow Capacity: 4,000 pounds
You can also read our guide on what makes a vehicle towing capacity to learn all the aspects that go into it.
Here’s a video showing the Chevy Colorado being put to a real-world off-road and towing test:
Chevy Colorado Braked Vs. Unbraked Towing Capacity
All vehicles have different towing capacities based on whether or not you’re towing a trailer that has trailer brakes installed.
Trailer brakes allow the trailer to stop faster than if only the vehicle is using its brakes, allowing the vehicle to tow more weight, so braked towing capacity will always be higher than unbraked towing capacity.
Chevy Colorado Braked Towing Capacity: 3,500 lbs – 7,700 lbs.
Chevy Colorado Unbraked Towing Capacity: 1,500 lbs.
Chevy Colorado Z71 Towing Capacity
A Chevy Colorado Z71 can tow up to 7,000 pounds when properly equipped with the Towing Package from Chevy.
Chevy Colorado ZR2 Towing Capacity
The Chevy Colorado ZR2 can tow up to 5,000 pounds.
Chevy Colorado Duramax Towing Capacity
The Chevy Colorado ZR2 can tow between 5,000 pounds and 7,700 pounds depending on the cab size, bed size, drivetrain, and axle ratio.
Chevy Colorado Towing Capacity Factors
There are a few factors that affect the Chevy Colorado tow capacity.
Engine Options
The engine size in your Chevy Colorado will play a role in how much weight the Colorado can pull.
For example, the engine size in the most recent Colorado years accounted for a difference of an extra 4,200 pounds in tow capacity!
Trim Level
Chevy’s trim levels vary, with many trim levels having access to different engine sizes, bed lengths, and 2-wheel drive or 4×4. All of these can affect how much your Colorado can tow.
Chevy Colorado Engine Specs
The current generation of the Chevy Colorado has three engine options.
2.5 Liter 4 Cylinder Engine (LCV)
The most common Chevy Colorado engine is the 2.5 Liter four-cylinder engine.
This engine produces 200 horsepower and 191 lb.-ft of torque.
3.6 Liter V6 Engine (LGZ)
The upgraded Chevy Colorado engine is the 2.4 Liter turbo four-cylinder engine.
This engine produces 308 horsepower and 275 lb.-ft of torque.
Duramax 2.8 Liter Turbo-Diesel Engine (LWN)
The diesel Chevy Colorado engine is the 2.8 Liter turbodiesel Duramax engine.
This engine produces 181 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft of torque.
Chevy Colorado Tow Package Info
Does The Chevy Colorado Have A Tow Package?
Chevy offers a factory-installed Colorado tow package called the Trailering Package.
It is available on most trim levels and includes the following enhancements:
- Chevy Colorado factory Class III trailer hitch
- 4-pin and 7-pin harness and connector
- Automatic locking rear differential
You’ll increase your Colorado tow capacity from 3,500 pounds to 7,000 pounds on select configurations by adding the Chevy Colorado Tow Package.
Can You Install A Trailer Hitch On a Chevy Colorado?
If you plan on towing anything with your Chevy Colorado, you’ll need a tow hitch and wiring harness.
Depending on what you’re towing, you’re going to need a ball mount (aka a trailer ball hitch) so you can attach items for towing.
Make sure to get the right trailer ball size that matches your hitch and trailer.
Chevy Colorado Tow Hitch
Trailer hitches come in different hitch classes, which are rated for different vehicle sizes and weight limits.
The Chevy Colorado uses a Class 2 hitch.
Here’s a great option for a Class II Chevy Colorado trailer hitch:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. This trailer hitch is rated for 6,000 lbs. gross trailer weight, 900 lbs. tongue weight, 8,000 lbs. weight distribution capacity and 900 lbs. weight distribution tongue weight (limited to lowest-rated towing component)
- VERSATILE DESIGN. This class 3 hitch equips your vehicle with a standard 2-inch x 2-inch hitch receiver, allowing for a wide variety of towing options. It can accept a ball mount, cargo carrier, bike rack, tow hook and much more
- FULLY TESTED. Every CURT class 3 trailer hitch design is tested in real-world, on-vehicle conditions at our Detroit engineering facility. Aftermarket hitches are tested according to SAE J684 standards for the utmost safety while hauling
- RUST, CHIP, UV-RESISTANT. This tow hitch is protected with a unique dual-coat finish of rust-resistant liquid A-coat and highly durable black powder coat. The two finishes are co-cured together for exceptional resistance to rust, chipping and UV rays
- EASY TO INSTALL. This hitch offers a custom, factory fit on select model years of the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon
Here’s a great ball mount option so you can hook up different types of trailers for towing with your Colorado:
- DEPENDABLE STRENGTH. Rated to tow 3,500 pounds gross trailer weight and 350 pounds tongue weight, this ball hitch offers dependability for your towing setup (weight capacity may change if trailer ball is removed)
- VERSATILE USE. This trailer hitch ball mount comes with a 1-1/4-inch shank to fit virtually any industry-standard 1-1/4-inch receiver. The ball mount has a 3-1/4-inch drop, 2-inch diameter ball, 1/2-inch hitch pin hole and 7-1/4-inch overall length
- READY TO TOW. Hitching up your trailer is easy with this ready-to-use trailer hitch ball mount. It comes with a pre-attached tow ball for ready coupling and a trailer hitch pin to securely mount onto your hitch receiver
- CORROSION-RESISTANT. For long-lasting use, this ball hitch is protected with a durable black powder coat finish, and the trailer ball has a polished chrome plating. These finishes resist damage from rain, dirt, road salt and other corrosive threats
- EASY TO INSTALL. To install the trailer hitch ball mount on your vehicle, simply insert the shank into your vehicle's 1-1/4-inch hitch receiver. The rounded shank makes installation easy
Chevy Colorado Tow Hitch Installation
If you’re considering having a tow hitch added to your Colorado, expect to pay between $100 and $200 to have a tow package professionally installed (excluding the cost of the tow hitch and wiring harness).
If you’re handy and looking to save money, you can install the trailer hitch and wiring harness yourself.
Always follow the manufacturer’s directions and use proper safety precautions.
Here’s a great video walkthrough on a Chevy Colorado trailer hitch installation:
Hitch Receiver Vs Rear Step Bumper Towing
Some vehicles allow for bumper towing, which means you can mount a tow hitch ball directly on the bumper instead of installing a tow hitch to the vehicle’s frame.
Can I Bumper Tow With A Chevy Colorado?
The Chevy Colorado allows for bumper towing with a 3,500 pound rating.
This would apply in both the 2.5L and 3.6L models without the tow package installed.
How Do I Know If My Chevy Colorado Has A Tow Package?
You can start by looking under the rear bumper of your Colorado to see if you notice a trailer hitch or trailer ball.
That will give you a good indication of if you have a tow hitch already installed on your Colorado.
Another way to research this is by checking the paperwork that came with your vehicle or taking it to a local dealer to see what’s installed.
Make sure to have your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) handy if you call the dealer so they can look up the exact specs and whether or not your vehicle has any towing packages or features installed on it.
Data Accuracy
We’ve gathered all data represented here from the official Chevy Colorado Owner’s Manuals on Chevy’s site and have checked all data thoroughly for accuracy.
Having said that, we still recommend you refer to your vehicle’s owner’s manual yourself before towing with your Chevrolet Colorado.
