Holden to launch Jackaroo successor

Holden will reintroduce a heavy-duty off-roader to its lineup from early 2013. It will be badged the Colorado 7, and is a full-size seven-seater is a spiritual replacement for the once-loved Jackaroo that was killed off almost a decade ago.

Unlike the Jackaroo, which was built by Isuzu in Japan, the Colorado 7 has been designed primarily for North America and the Middle East, where it will wear Chevrolet Trailblazer badges – as shown at its debut in Dubai this week.

Like the new Colorado ute – shown at the Melbourne motor show, and due in Australia next year – the seven-seat wagon version will be built in Thailand. A new-generation 2.8-litre diesel will be offered, featuring common-rail injection and a variable-geometry turbo. Expect a petrol V6 – possibly an Australian-built Alloytec – to be added to the launch lineup.

Holden claims that, despite its ladder-frame construction, the Colorado 7 will team proper off-road capability with impressive ride comfort for urban and city driving. Expectations are low, however, as the current ute-based competitor set – the Triton-based Mitsubishi Challenger and Navara-based Nissan Pathfinder – do not offer the on-road sophistication of soft-roaders like the Ford Territory and Mazda CX-9.

The Colorado 7 will launch in Australia in March 2013, following the Colorado ute and Malibu mid-sized sedan late next year.