The Chevrolet Colorado is more than just a humble pick-up

Multi-purpose vehicles - or MPVs as you probably know them - have been around since the mid-1980s and since then they have mutated into various sizes and layouts to suit a wider audience.

But if you think laterally for a moment, there’s another vehicle that qualifies as multi-purpose which has been on sale for even longer – the humble pick-up.

It’s a humble thing because for a long time it has been solely a working vehicle, but in recent years the combination of utility and visual toughness has made it desirable in its own right.

Chevrolet is going to get in on the act too, with its new Colorado.

In its US homeland the pick-up truck is the best-selling vehicle of all, but this will be the first one to reach the UK.

It’s part of a bigger picture for Chevrolet in Europe as it broadens its range with more vehicles that have previously been sold only in the US or Asia, and the Colorado is the most recent example.

There are no surprises with the exterior appearance: practicality still comes first, so there is a sizeable load area at the rear and a cabin arrangement to suit your own needs.

With the business of driving and accommodating passengers taken care of, the rest of the Colorado’s duties are a cinch; the vast load bay means you can chuck in whatever you like. And it can tackle seriously tough terrain, too – certainly the worst Thai roads imaginable.