2020 Holden Colorado spy photos show an all-new model is still years away
A facelifted version of the Holden Colorado has been caught on camera in Detroit, and that means there’s good and bad news.
EXCLUSIVE
The Holden Colorado is likely to soldier on for at least two more years before being replaced by an all-new model after an unexpected facelift was caught on camera on the streets of Detroit.
The spy photos of the 2020 Holden Colorado ute show while there are no sheetmetal changes, it will adopt a bold new front bumper and possibly more advanced tech to keep pace with stricter safety standards.
The Holden Colorado will be one of the oldest vehicles in the ute segment once the new generation Isuzu D-Max arrives in the middle of next year.
The surprise facelift means it's likely Holden is extending the life of the Colorado, because it would not be able to justify investing in an appearance change for only a short period of time.
This generation Holden Colorado was released in 2011 and it received its most recent facelift in 2017, when the company adopted some minor engineering changes based on testing on Australian roads.
Within the next two years – and before a new generation Holden Colorado arrives – the Australian ute market is expected to see an all-new Isuzu D-Max, all-new Mazda BT-50, all-new Ford Ranger, all-new Volkswagen Amarok, and major facelifts for the top-selling Toyota HiLux and Nissan Navara.
The spy photos show not only a tougher appearance for the 2020 Holden Colorado, but more advanced safety tech.
Look closely and you can see a camera in the centre top of the windscreen. It is believed to be for a camera-based autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, which the current model lacks.
The current Holden Colorado has a forward crash alert system but it does not apply the brakes in an emergency. AEB is a requirement for future five-star safety ratings; it is unclear for how long Holden will be able to continue advertising the current five-star ANCAP crash rating that was updated in 2016.
Holden will no doubt be looking forward to the arrival of some fresh metal in its showrooms following its lowest sales performance since 1948.
The Colorado is Holden’s top-selling model but sales are down by 4 per cent year-to-date to the end of November, as rivals such as the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and Mitsubishi Triton respond with sharp discounts.
Video: ‘Top Gear Australia’ first preview and release date
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