The 2019 Chevrolet Colorado stands as a versatile mid-size pickup truck, well-regarded for its capability and comfort. For prospective buyers and current owners alike, understanding its safety performance is paramount. This article delves into the safety ratings of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, providing a detailed analysis based on rigorous crash tests and safety evaluations.
The Chevrolet Colorado Crew Cab, redesigned in 2015 after a hiatus, has undergone various safety assessments. It’s important to note that starting with the 2017 model year, structural improvements were introduced to enhance driver-side protection in small overlap frontal crashes. However, the passenger side received no such modifications. Let’s break down the performance across different crash test scenarios.
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Driver-Side
The driver-side small overlap front test simulates a collision where only a small portion of the vehicle’s front end on the driver’s side strikes a barrier. This is a challenging test that assesses how well the vehicle structure and safety systems protect the driver in such a severe crash.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado earned a “Good” rating in the driver-side small overlap test, the highest possible rating. The structure and safety cage were rated “Acceptable,” indicating good but not perfect performance in maintaining the occupant compartment. Crucially, all driver injury measures – head/neck, chest, hip/thigh, and lower leg/foot – received “Good” ratings, signifying a low risk of significant injuries in this type of crash. Driver restraints and dummy kinematics were also rated “Good,” indicating the airbags and seatbelts performed effectively.
Action shot from the driver-side small overlap frontal crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, demonstrating the vehicle’s structural response during impact.
Post-crash dummy positioning in the 2019 Chevy Colorado driver-side small overlap test. The image illustrates that the driver’s survival space was largely maintained, reducing potential injury.
Deployment of airbags in the 2019 Chevy Colorado driver-side small overlap crash test. The frontal and side curtain airbags effectively protected the driver’s head from impacts with hard structures.
Intrusion levels in the driver’s side of the 2019 Chevy Colorado after the small overlap crash. Controlled intrusion indicates a minimized risk of leg and foot injuries for the driver.
Technical measurements from the test provide further insight:
Technical Measurements – Driver-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 12 |
| Footrest | 14 |
| Left toepan | 9 |
| Brake pedal | 11 |
| Parking brake | 15 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 3 |
| Steering column | 5 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 13 |
| Upper dash | 11 |
| Lower instrument panel | 9 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 79 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 5 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.21 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 19 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 2.7 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 2.0 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 5 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 9 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.39 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.74 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 3.9 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 2.2 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 98 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 67 |
Small Overlap Front Crash Test: Passenger-Side
In contrast to the driver-side, the passenger-side small overlap test for the 2019 Chevy Colorado reveals a different outcome. Despite structural reinforcements on the driver’s side starting in 2017, the passenger side remained unchanged.
Rating: Marginal
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | M |
| Structure and safety cage | P |
| Passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | M |
| Passenger restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Hip/thigh | G |
| Lower leg/foot | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado received a “Marginal” overall rating for the passenger-side small overlap test. The “Poor” rating for structure and safety cage is a significant concern, indicating that the passenger survival space was not well-maintained during the crash. While passenger injury measures for head/neck, chest, and hip/thigh were “Good,” the lower leg/foot injury measure was “Marginal,” suggesting a higher risk of injury to the lower extremities for the front passenger in this scenario. Interestingly, driver injury measures remained “Good” across the board in this passenger-side test, highlighting the structural difference between the two sides.
Action capture from the passenger-side small overlap frontal crash test of the 2019 Chevrolet Colorado, illustrating the impact dynamics.
Dummy positioning post-crash in the 2019 Chevy Colorado passenger-side small overlap test. The image shows that the passenger survival space was compromised, leading to a lower safety rating.
Airbag deployment effectiveness in the 2019 Chevy Colorado passenger-side small overlap crash. Despite structural issues, the airbags still provided good head protection for the passenger.
Dashboard and toepan intrusion in the passenger side of the 2019 Chevy Colorado after the small overlap crash. Extensive intrusion contributed to increased leg injury risks.
Technical Measurements – Passenger-Side Small Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on passenger side | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Lower hinge pillar max | 26 |
| Footrest | 24 |
| Right toepan | 13 |
| Center toepan | 9 |
| Rocker panel lateral average | 0 |
| Center dash | 15 |
| Upper hinge pillar max | 21 |
| Upper dash | 19 |
| Right lower dash | 17 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 113 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 12 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 17 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 4.9 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 5.2 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 15 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 15 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 3 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 5 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.88 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 1.14 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 3.2 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 5.7 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 70 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 123 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 50 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.5 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 6 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.13 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 23 |
| Femur Left (kN) | 0.0 |
| Femur Right (kN) | 0.1 |
| Knee displacement Left (mm) | 0 |
| Knee displacement Right (mm) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Left (%) | 0 |
| Knee-thigh-hip injury risk Right (%) | 0 |
| Maximum tibia index Left | 0.14 |
| Maximum tibia index Right | 0.20 |
| Tibia axial force Left (kN) | 0.9 |
| Tibia axial force Right (kN) | 1.0 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 34 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 29 |
Moderate Overlap Front Crash Test: Original Test
The moderate overlap front test, conducted by General Motors and assessed by the Institute, involves a larger portion of the vehicle’s front end impacting a barrier.
Rating: Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Chest | G |
| Leg/foot, left | G |
| Leg/foot, right | G |
| Driver restraints and dummy kinematics | G |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado achieved a “Good” rating in the moderate overlap front test. All aspects, including structure/safety cage and driver injury measures for head/neck, chest, and legs/feet, were rated “Good,” indicating robust protection in this common type of frontal collision.
Technical Measurements – Moderate Overlap Front Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement (cm) |
|---|---|
| Footwell intrusion Footrest | 4 |
| Footwell intrusion Left | 5 |
| Footwell intrusion Center | 6 |
| Footwell intrusion Right | 6 |
| Footwell intrusion Brake pedal | 2 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement Left | 0 |
| Instrument panel rearward movement Right | 0 |
| Steering column movement Upward | -1 |
| Steering column movement Rearward | -4 |
| A-pillar rearward movement | 0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 210 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.0 |
| Neck Extension bending moment (Nm) | 16 |
| Maximum Nij | 0.22 |
| Chest maximum compression (mm) | 26 |
| Legs Femur force – left (kN) | 2.2 |
| Legs Femur force – right (kN) | 0.7 |
| Knee displacement – left (mm) | 9 |
| Knee displacement – right (mm) | 2 |
| Maximum tibia index – left | 0.60 |
| Maximum tibia index – right | 0.25 |
| Tibia axial force – left (kN) | 2.4 |
| Tibia axial force – right (kN) | 1.8 |
| Foot acceleration Left (g) | 90 |
| Foot acceleration Right (g) | 63 |
Side Crash Test: Original and Updated Tests
The side crash test evaluates occupant protection in side-impact collisions. The 2019 Chevy Colorado was subjected to both original and updated side crash tests.
Side Crash Test (Original): Rating – Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | G |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis/leg | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
In the original side crash test, the 2019 Chevy Colorado earned a “Good” rating across all categories for both driver and rear passenger injury measures, and for structural performance.
Vehicle and barrier interaction during the original side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, showing the point of impact.
Post-crash view of the 2019 Chevy Colorado from the original side crash test, revealing side airbag deployment and structural deformation.
Greasepaint marking on the driver dummy’s head in the original side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, indicating head protection by the side curtain airbag.
Greasepaint on the rear passenger dummy’s head from the original side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, showing effective head protection from the side airbag.
Technical Measurements – Original Side Crash Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -21.0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 183 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 1.3 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.7 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 36 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 34 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.25 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.57 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 2.3 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.8 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.9 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 43 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | 18 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 85 |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.3 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 42 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 2.1 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 35 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 30 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.33 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.62 |
| Pelvis Iliac force (kN) | 0.8 |
| Pelvis Acetabulum force (kN) | 1.2 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 1.5 |
| Left femur L-M force (kN) | 0.3 |
| Left femur L-M moment (Nm) | 106 |
| Left femur A-P moment (Nm) | -40 |
Side Crash Test (Updated): Rating – Good
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | G |
| Structure and safety cage | A |
| Driver injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | A |
| Driver head protection | G |
| Rear passenger injury measures | |
| Head/neck | G |
| Torso | G |
| Pelvis | G |
| Rear passenger head protection | G |
In the more stringent updated side crash test, the 2019 Chevy Colorado still maintained an overall “Good” rating. While the structure and safety cage were rated “Acceptable,” and driver pelvis injury measure was also “Acceptable,” all other driver and rear passenger injury measures remained “Good,” demonstrating solid side-impact protection.
Image from the updated side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, showing vehicle deformation after impact.
Post-test view of the 2019 Chevy Colorado following the updated side crash test, highlighting side airbag deployment and structural integrity.
Greasepaint markings on the driver dummy’s head from the updated side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, indicating head protection from side airbags.
Greasepaint on the rear passenger dummy’s head in the updated side crash test of the 2019 Chevy Colorado, showing head protection by the side airbag.
Technical Measurements – Updated Side Crash Test
| Measures of occupant compartment intrusion on driver side | Measurement |
|---|---|
| B-pillar to longitudinal centerline of driver’s seat (cm) | -16.0 |
| Driver injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 69 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.6 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.4 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 19 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 0.9 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 27 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 24 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 4.09 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.35 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 4.1 |
| Passenger injury measures | Measurement |
|---|---|
| Head HIC-15 | 171 |
| Peak gs at hard contact | no contact |
| Neck Tension (kN) | 0.2 |
| Neck Compression (kN) | 0.9 |
| Shoulder Lateral deflection (mm) | 39 |
| Shoulder Lateral force (kN) | 1.6 |
| Torso Maximum deflection (mm) | 32 |
| Torso Average deflection (mm) | 20 |
| Torso Maximum deflection rate (m/s) | 3.84 |
| Torso Maximum viscous criterion (m/s) | 0.34 |
| Pelvis Combined force (kN) | 3.1 |
Roof Strength
Roof strength is another critical safety aspect, particularly in rollover accidents.
Rating: Good
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Curb weight | 4,162 lbs |
| Peak force | 21,460 lbs |
| Strength-to-weight ratio | 5.16 |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado earned a “Good” rating for roof strength, with a strength-to-weight ratio of 5.16. This indicates that the roof can withstand over five times the vehicle’s weight before significant crushing, offering good protection in rollover scenarios.
Head Restraints & Seats
Head restraints and seats play a crucial role in preventing whiplash and other neck injuries in rear-end collisions.
Rating: Good
| Overall evaluation | G |
|---|---|
| Dynamic rating | G |
| Seat/head restraint geometry | G |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado received a “Good” overall rating for head restraints & seats, with both dynamic rating and seat/head restraint geometry also rated “Good.” This signifies effective protection against whiplash injuries in rear impacts.
Technical Measurements – Head Restraints & Seats
| Power cloth seat | |
|---|---|
| Geometry Backset (mm) | 26 |
| Geometry Distance below top of head (mm) | 34 |
| Seat design parameters Pass/fail | Pass |
| Seat design parameters Max T1 acceleration (g) | 11.5 |
| Seat design parameters Head contact time (ms) | 60 |
| Seat design parameters Force rating | 1 |
| Neck forces Max neck shear force (N) | 15 |
| Neck forces Max neck tension (N) | 414 |
Headlights
Headlight performance is vital for nighttime driving safety. The 2019 Chevy Colorado has different headlight variations depending on the trim level.
Rating: Poor (for both headlight variations tested)
Trim Level(s): Z71 trim, LT trim with Luxury package
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P |
Trim Level(s): Base trim, WT trim, LT trim
| Evaluation criteria | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall rating | P |
Unfortunately, both headlight variations available on the 2019 Chevy Colorado received a “Poor” overall rating. Visibility was generally inadequate on curves, and in some cases, low beams created excessive glare (for Z71 and LT with Luxury package trims). This is an area where the 2019 Chevy Colorado’s safety performance is lacking.
Front Crash Prevention: Vehicle-to-Vehicle
Front crash prevention systems can significantly reduce the risk of frontal collisions.
Rating: Basic (with optional Forward Collision Alert)
| Overall evaluation | Rating |
|---|---|
| Overall evaluation | Basic |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado offers an optional Forward Collision Alert system as part of the Safety Package, which meets the requirements for forward collision warning and earns a “Basic” rating. However, automatic emergency braking (autobrake) is not available.
Child Seat Anchors (LATCH)
Child seat anchors, or LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren), are essential for safe and easy installation of child car seats.
Rating: Marginal
| Overall evaluation | M |
The 2019 Chevy Colorado received a “Marginal” rating for child seat anchors. While it has LATCH hardware in multiple rear seating positions, the lower anchors are noted as being too deep in the seat and tether anchors are hard to find and could be confused with other hardware.
Details by Seating Position
| Position | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tether anchor: hard-to-find, confusing hardware; Lower anchors: too deep, easy to maneuver around | |
| 2 | Tether anchor: hard-to-find, confusing hardware; Lower anchors: None available | |
| 3 | Tether anchor: hard-to-find, confusing hardware; Lower anchors: too deep, easy to maneuver around |
Conclusion
The 2019 Chevy Colorado demonstrates a mixed bag of safety performance. It excels in driver-side small overlap, moderate overlap, side, roof strength, and head restraint crash tests, earning “Good” ratings in these critical areas. However, the passenger-side small overlap test resulted in a “Marginal” rating, and headlight performance and child seat anchor ease of use are rated “Poor” and “Marginal” respectively. While the availability of a forward collision warning system is a plus, the lack of automatic emergency braking is a notable omission.
For prospective buyers of a 2019 Chevy Colorado, it’s important to weigh these safety ratings, particularly considering the weaker passenger-side small overlap performance and poor headlight ratings. While driver protection is generally strong, passenger-side safety and visibility at night should be carefully considered.
