How Big Is The Bed Of Chevy Colorado?

Trucks are some of the most customizable vehicles on the market, and the Chevrolet Colorado is no exception. The size of a truck bed should be one of the first details you look for in a truck as it can make all the difference. A truck bed size can make a wonderful driving experience or a hectic battle to move heavy objects from point A to point B. We looked at the different bed sizes for the Colorado, and here’s what we found.

The Chevrolet Colorado has two truck bed sizes:

The Chevy Colorado short bed measures 61.7” long, 57.8” wide, and 44.4” wide at the wheel housings. Its cargo volume comes out to 41.3 cubic feet.

The Chevy Colorado long bed measures 74” long, 57.8” wide, 44.4” at the wheel housings, and features a 49.9 cubic ft. maximum cargo capacity.

There is no difference between the 2020 and 2021 Colorado model years in terms of the bed size. While the bed size might not seem like a lot, it’s a decent amount of room for other trucks in the Colorado’s class (the smallest size of trucks). Keep reading as we go over the best way to use the Colorado’s size and what situations might require some larger truck options.

Two Chevrolet Colorado's displayed on a car show, How Big Is The Bed Of Chevy Colorado?

Strengths and Weaknesses of the Colorado

The Chevy Colorado is a great truck for everyday driving. You’ll often find extra security and comfort from driving a Colorado compared to sedans and hatchbacks, and the truck bed allows you to transport the occasional appliance or tools around without having to find another vehicle with more space. You won't have to pay extra for the long box either, depending on what design you opt for. The long and short boxes are available on the cheapest trim, the Colorado WT, but choosing the extended cab with a long box design will give you the cheapest starting MSRP of the Colorado lineup. The long and short boxes are also available on all of the other trims except for the 2WD version of the Z71 trim, which only has the short box available.

The Colorado can be cost-efficient if you drive it daily compared to the Silverado due to the better gas mileage and maneuvering than its larger counterparts. It starts to fall short if you plan on regularly carrying or towing large items and trailers, especially for work purposes. If you want a dedicated work truck, you should look for trucks with beds that measure 8’ or longer (96”) for all your towing and hauling needs. Any truck beds that fall under 8’ aren’t necessarily bad, but you might need extra accessories to tow or haul what you need.  

Chevrolet Colorado pickup display.

How much weight can a Chevy Colorado carry in the bed?

The Colorado is great for everyday driving and comfort, but its payload can leave a lot to be desired. The max payload, or the weight that can be carried in the truck’s bed, depends on the model, engine, and bed length. The typical range of the payload on a 2021 Colorado ranges from around 1,200 lbs to 1,500 lbs. It maxes out 1,550 lbs with the special ZR2 trim. Several other trims, bed, and engine combinations can get pretty close to that 1,550 lbs mark, and the ZR2 MSRP is costly at a starting MSRP of $42,795. Compared to the Silverado HD 3500’s max payload of over 7,000lbs for a starting MSRP of $38,695, the Colorado isn’t a great deal for the payload.  

load of lumber demolition debris in the bed of a pickup truck

Is a long truck bed better for towing?

A long truck bed has better traction and reduced sway in general for towing, and it creates a better set up for 5th-wheel towing. A 5th-wheel towing system hitches to your truck in the bed between your rear wheels and the cab. A longer bed places extra distance between the trailer and the cab, preventing the trailer from hitting the truck’s cab on sharper turns. An 8ft bed is recommended if you plan on doing a lot of 5th-wheel towing, but the Chevy Colorado’s bed length maxes out at a little over 6 feet. If you’re looking for good towing trucks and want to compare different makes and models, then check out our list of what popular model trucks can tow.

Fifth-wheel towing options for the Colorado

You can always buy extra accessories to give your trailer the clearance it needs for turns, so you can still 5th-wheel tow even with shorter beds. Your Colorado truck’s bed length will determine which kind of accessory you should get for 5th-wheel hitching. Remember to double-check that any accessories you buy are compatible with the Colorado first.

tow hitch for towing a trailer by a passenger car, trailer drawbar with a spare wheel

Long box options

For Chevy Colorado trucks with the long box, you’ll probably want to look at some sliding hitches. There are two kinds. The first is a manual hitch, which requires you to get out of your truck and switch it from the “locked” to the “turn” position every time you make a sharp turn. The second kind is the automatic hitch, which takes care of that process, so you never have to get out to make a turn. Automatic sliding hitches usually cost more, but the extra convenience might be worth it. You might also have to buy the 5th-hitch rails separately to match the Colorado’s bed.

Short box options

For the short box on a Colorado, your choices are limited to a Sidewinder pin box, which moves the pivot-point back toward the tailgate to create more clearance between the trailer and cabin. You’ll need to find a sidewinder compatible with a pin box specific to the Chevy Colorado. There are plenty of other accessory options to give you a bit of extra storage in the bed as well. You can check out our list of pickup truck storage solutions to find other ways to improve your options with a short box.

What are Chevy’s truck bed sizes?

The Chevy truck bed sizes use the typical nomenclature of long, standard, and short boxes. The actual measurements for each vary depending on the truck model. The Colorado is the smallest truck in Chevy’s lineup. The Colorado truck’s bed sizes come in a bit shorter than the standard truck's average length, but it holds up among its class. It also doesn’t have a standard box size like the Silverado 1500 and Silverado HD models, but once again, that’s standard for its class. Here’s a quick breakdown of how each of Chevy’s truck beds compares to each other.

Chevy Silverado 1500 and Silverado HD the difference between their boxes size, How Big Is The Bed Of Chevy Colorado?

Silverado 1500

  • Short Box: 69.92” long, 71.4” wide, 44.4” wide at the wheel housings
  • Standard Box: 79.44” long
  • Long Box: 98.18” long

Silverado HD 2500 and 3500

  • Standard Box: 82.25” long, 71.4” wide, 51.85” at the wheel housings
  • Long Box: 98.27”

The general widths and wheel housing widths don’t change within the model, so we only listed those stats once for each truck. The Silverado HD also doesn’t have a short box option, just like the Colorado doesn’t have a standard box.

Which Chevy truck has the largest bed cargo volume?

Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD Crew Cab Work Truck

The Silverado HD models have the largest Chevy bed cargo volume of 83.5 cubic ft. for the long box option. The Silverado HD has a wider bed than the Silverado 1500, and its max length of 98.27” overshadows the Colorado’s modest 74” box length. The Colorado is definitely intended for less intense cargo needs with 49.9 cubic ft. in storage for its long box.   

The Chevy Colorado has a decently sized truck bed for its smaller class size, but you don’t want one to haul and tow heavy items for work. The Colorado’s strength lies in its casual, everyday commute on the road and its superior gas mileage for a truck. If you think you need to buy a size up, then check out our full breakdown of the Chevy Silverado’s dimensions and how much storage the bed offers.

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2 Comments

  1. Well, these Silverado trucks deserve a bigger bed since the engine has enough power to haul such heavy loads. My uncle recently got a 2015 and it has a very reliable hauling truck. We installed a new set of AT tires from 4Wheelonline and very pleased with the traction and less noise on the road.

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