The newly designed Chevrolet midsize pickup truck, the Colorado, bigger than the S-10 it replaces, is designed to compete with the market-dominating Ford Ranger and the Toyota Tacoma. The S-10 never was a serious competitor to the best selling Ford Ranger, but the new Colorado may change all that.

Chevrolet has ventured into the world of Mercedes Benz, Audi and Volvo in offering an in-line 5-cylinder engine. Equipped with double overhead camshafts, counter balance shafts (to offset the natural vibration inherent in a 5-cylinder engine), and four valves per cylinder, this 3.5 liter engine produces a healthy 220 hp. When you prod the accelerator, this engine does not disappoint. This is the standard engine in the crew cab pickup, and a $1,000 optional in the regular and extended cab versions.

The Chevy Colorado works like a pickup and handles like a car.

A 2.8 liter, 4-cylinder, DOHC, four valve per cylinder, 175 hp engine is standard in the two-wheel-drive $15,565 basic and $17,910 extended cab pickups. The test vehicle was a four-wheel-drive $27,960 crew cab model equipped with the 5-cylinder unit. It appears that GM may finally have realized that the cheaper, older design 2-valve per cylinder pushrod engines don’t cut it anymore, and to compete they will have to do it the Japanese way.

These are advanced, state-of-the-art engines that can compete with any of the current Japanese engines. In fact, one could mistake them for a Toyota or Nissan truck.

A five-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard for the regular and extended cabs, a four-speed automatic with overdrive is standard on the crew cab and is a $1,095 option on the regular and extended cabs. The four-wheel-drive system is rear-drive with all-wheel-drive selectable by a dashboard switch. A low gear all-wheel-drive range for serious off-roading is selectable by another dashboard switch.

The Colorado looks rugged and is functional. Looking like a smaller version of the full-size Chevy truck, this vehicle is practical as a combination car/truck with four doors and five seats. It doesn’t have the crippling fuel consumption of a full-size truck, nor is it a toy truck — too small to fulfill both car and pickup functions. Fuel consumption EPA estimates are 18 city/23 highway for the 4-cylinder with four-wheel-drive, 19 city/24 highway with two-wheel-drive, 17city/22 highway for the 5-cylinder with four-wheel-drive and 19 city/24 highway with two-wheel-drive.

Unfortunately it has rear drum brakes, clearly a money saving move by Chevrolet, but in these days of four-wheel-disks, even on pickups, it is a pity — four-wheel-disks would have elevated the brake system to the same level as the rest of the truck. Not to say that the antilock-equipped disk/drum arrangement severely affects the system — it doesn’t, the braking performance is adequate, just not stellar.

The bed of the crew cab pickup is short at five feet, although a bed extender can be had for $205. The regular and extended cab versions have six-foot beds.

Driving this pickup is fun. It moves like a sporty car with a well controlled, if somewhat stiff, truck-like ride. It feels tight on the road and handling is good. The instruments are clear and easy to read. The rear seats are marginally comfortable for tall adults, but the front seats are very comfortable. The automatic gear shift is on the steering column, making it difficult to drop to a lower gear.

There are too many options and variables to list here, but a few notes are in order: Standard equipment on the four-wheel-drive crew cab model includes power everything, remote entry, driver’s information center, off-road suspension, fog lights, auto headlights, dual front and side airbags, tow hooks, traction control with limited slip rear axle, four-speed automatic transmission, alloy wheels. Major options include an OnStar communication system for $695, upgraded radio with six-CD in-dash player for $395, satellite radio for $325, hard tonneau cover for $665, soft cover for $255 and a trailer hitch for $270. Maximum towing capacity is 4,000 pounds.

The warranty is three years or 36,000 miles. Consumer ratings at www.autos.msn.com are commendably high for this pickup at 9.3 out of 10 from 39 owners. The 2004 Ford Ranger comes in at 8.5 and the Toyota Tacoma at 9.1. The Colorado represents a big step up for Chevrolet and GM and should be taken seriously by anyone looking for a midsize pick up. The test Colorado was loaned by Mossy Chevrolet of Encinitas.

Motoring since 1952, Austin Lynas has owned 55 cars and at one time raced mini-sedans in England. An aerospace engineer, he was instrumental in developing the anti-skid systems used in British military aircraft that preceded today’s ABS systems. Lynas can be reached by e-mail at austin@sandiegometro.com.