Storm troopers: new Chevy Colorado High Country Storm

There’s no denying that Chevrolet makes some of the most sturdy pickup trucks out there.

Curiously, most of their owners drive them on urban roads, seldom taking the rugged back roads of the countryside to take full advantage of its capabilities.

And boy, are they missing a lot.

This is why, The Covenant Car Company, Inc. (TCCCI), the exclusive importer and distributor of Chevrolet vehicles and parts in the Philippines, decided to treat its customers the ultimate off-road driving experience, allowing them to master the art of driving off-road under the guidance of qualified instructors.

The ride of choice during this three-day event was the newly launched High Country Storm, Chevy’s top-of-the-line Colorado variant (four-wheel drive. 2.8-liter, 6-speed automatic model with a P1,638,888 price tag).

“This unique event hopefully brought our customers closer to real life off-road adventure, and offered them an experience they will love for life. We are delighted with the response of our customers who were amazed by the capability of Colorado High Country Storm, especially its advanced off-road driving safety features that include hill descent control, hill start assist, and electronic stability control,” said Chevrolet Philippines president and managing director Alberto Arcilla.

Close to a thousand participated in the event that concluded last Sunday, Oct. 7 at a makeshift track at the Eton City Square in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.

Test the limits

The course Chevy Philippines prepared was short, but very challenging—designed to test the limits of the Colorado High Country Storm on extreme slopes, impossible angles, and of course, lots of mud-wading.

“We taught our customers how to respond to off-road driving challenges, including hill descent, hill climb, and muddy water crossing. The first thing we remind them is to ‘trust the vehicle’ and its various off-road capabilities—like hill descent control—and to learn when and where to apply these safety features,” said Arcilla.

Expectedly, customers conquered mud hazards, and learned to cross deep ditches. They experienced how to gain traction with only two wheels on the ground while the front or diagonally opposite wheels were in the air.

Indeed, these were maneuvers few of the drivers who participated had tried before—and had never thought they could do without getting into trouble.

But they put their trust in the Colorado High Country Storm, and learned new skills in the process.

Lyn Buena, TCCCI SVP and director for Marketing, shared that a few of their Colorado owners had no idea of the potential of their pickup trucks.

And although they were unlikely to go out four-wheel driving on their own after even after what they just had experienced, Buena said they now have a more appreciation of the vehicle.

She added: “Every chance we get, we go above and beyond, to ensure that each Colorado fan and customer gets to experience the breadth of capability of this wonderful pickup truck. And with the skills they have now learned, they think they will probably be a bit more adventurous whenever they are out there in the countryside.”