Chevrolet demonstrates why the Colorado and Trailblazer are 'Born Ready'

If you live in the Philippines, you always have to be ready for the worst nature can throw at you. We're talking about floods, typhoons, and maybe even volcanic eruptions. But what if we tell you that Chevrolet has trucks that are as 'Born Ready' as us to survive these natural disasters?

We're talking about the Colorado Tracker Pro and Trailblazer SUV, tough trucks that can beat the heck out of rain, mud, and floods. 

To prove this, Chevrolet Philippines brought us to the hills of Antipolo City where they constructed a rain-soaked off-road course to simulate almost every possible natural disaster we can come across. Best part is, they gave us a go at it where both behemoths made it look like a walk in the park.

Two courses were laid out for each machine. The Colorado Tracker Pro had to go through a slippery, muddy trail and deep pool that looked like it was devastated by the monsoon rains. Meanwhile, the Trailblazer was faced with steep obstacles and broken ground as if it had been hit by an earthquake.

First up was the Trailblazer where were instructed to go to the edge of a hill and drive straight down. Seriously, every part of my body knew that it was a bad idea. To make matters worse, the instructors told us to do it without stepping on the brakes. But that's just their way to demonstrate the 'Hill Descent Control' and we're glad to report that it did work and gave us a smooth an safe trip down the hill.

Then, we had to traverse our way through the field that has by now turned into a slurry of mud. That's where the Traction Control kicked in to keep things pointing where it should. We were also impressed with the Trailblazer's ride comfort that graciously absorbed all the bumps and ruts along the way.

To complete the course, we relied on the 'Hill Start Assist', '4WD Lo' mode, and the 500 Nm of torque from its 2.8L Duramax turbo diesel engine to get us back up the hill where we started.

Moving to the Colorado Tracker Pro, this pickup on steroids had what it takes to cut through a landslide. With a ground clearance of 245 mm and with '4WD Lo' mo switched on, this thing crawled over mounds with ease that could have easily been tree trunks.

Its class-leading 880 mm water wading depth was also put to good use crossing the rain-filled pool of water. The pond was so deep that it completely submerged the Colorado's high-profile 17 inch tires. Going in gently, the Tracker Pro managed to make its way across with no hitch. We just don't want to test how much deeper it can go with the added snorkel lest we want to go in for a swim.

The soft, soupy mud though was a bit more tough to get out of. But the Colorado's 4WD system and powerful 2.8L Duramax engine simply plowed through all the brown slurry. And in case we ever get stuck, the Tracker Pro comes with a 12,000 lb integrated power winch to get us out of trouble... that is if you have anything to hook it up on.

Do take note that all the vehicles we got to play with were all stock. It's the same 7-seat Trailblazer you can buy from a showroom, fully equipped with leather seats, climate control, and even a fancy 7-inch MyLink infotainment system. Same thing goes for the gung-ho Colorado Tracker Pro.

Now, not everyone who buys a pickup or SUV will take it off-roading. Chevrolet knows that. But the point of this whole exercise is to let would-be owners of the Colorado and Trailblazer know that their daily drive can take the worst conditions nature can throw at it, survive, and come out looking this good.

Still think you don't need a rugged 4x4 truck? You might not need all that muscle for the daily commute to work, to school, or to the mall, but it's always a good idea to be 'Born Ready'. 

Visit the AutoDeal Car Guide for more information on the Colorado and Trailblazer.