Chevrolet Colorado Suspension Guide: Leveling Kits, Lift Kits, and Shocks by Generation

The Chevrolet Colorado has never had a suspension guide on this site, which is strange given how many owners lift these things. The mid-size Colorado runs on two very different platforms depending on year, and what fits one will not fit the other, so this guide splits clean at the generation line: 2015-2022 and 2023-2026.

The GMC Canyon is built on the same platform as the Colorado in both generations, and a lot of the kits in this guide are sold as one listing that covers both trucks. If you drive a Canyon, everything here about fitment year and generation still applies to you, the badge on the tailgate is the only real difference.

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2015-2022 Colorado (Gen 2)

This is the GMT31XX-based truck, sold with either a 3.6L V6 gas engine or the 2.8L Duramax Turbo-Diesel I4. The aftermarket has had a decade to build for it, so the range runs from cheap leveling kits to full off-road coilover setups.

On the budget end, Truxxx Direct 2015-2022 Chevy Colorado & Canyon Pickup 1.5" Front Leveling Kit - 2WD 4x4 #403018 is a straightforward 1.5 inch front leveling kit for 2WD and 4x4 trucks. One step up, Truxxx Direct 2015-2022 Chevy Colorado & Canyon Pickup 2.0" Front & 1.0" Rear Lift Kit - 2WD 4x4 #403034 gives you 2 inches up front and 1 inch in the rear, which is enough to clear a modestly larger tire without touching the rear leaf springs.

If you tow or haul with this truck regularly, look at Deaver Spring Deaver Expedition Leaf Pack [15-22 Colorado/Canyon], a rear leaf pack built for load, not just looks. It is priced like a real component because it is one.

For guys building this truck to actually wheel it, the control arm and shock side of the catalog gets serious fast. Camburg Camburg Chevy/GMC Colorado 2WD/4WD 15-22 1.25in Performance Uniball Upper Arms and Total Chaos Fabrication Total Chaos Upper Control Arms — 2015-2021 Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon are both upper control arm setups aimed at more suspension travel and better geometry at ride height, not just lift. Pair either with a coilover front end like Eibach Eibach Pro-Truck Coilover 2.0 Front Coilovers +1-3in Lift For 2015-2022 Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon 2WD/4WD, which is rated for 1 to 3 inches of lift, or step up to a full shock package like Bilstein 6112 Assembled & 5100/5160 Shocks Set for 2015-2022 Chevrolet Colorado, which bundles the 6112 front assembly with 5100 or 5160 shocks in one listing.

2023-2026 Colorado (Gen 3)

The redesigned truck changed the suspension enough that almost nothing from the first generation carries over. This generation also introduced the ZR2 and Trail Boss trims, which already come with more aggressive factory suspension, so check your trim before you buy anything built specifically for it.

The cheapest way into this generation is Colorado & Canyon Enthusiasts CCE 1.5" Leveling Kit for Chevy Colorado & GMC Canyon (2023-2026), a 1.5 inch leveling kit built specifically for the new chassis. Zone Offroad 2 Inch Lift Kit | Chevy Colorado ZR2 & GMC Canyon AT4X (23-26) 4WD is a 2 inch lift kit, but the catalog lists it as ZR2-specific, so it is not a fit for a base or LT truck.

For the front end, Bilstein 0-3" Front Pair Adjustable Struts,2023-2026 Chevy Colorado is a pair of adjustable struts rated 0 to 3 inches, giving you some room to dial in ride height rather than committing to one number. If you want a matched front and rear system built around a specific lift number, Eibach Eibach 23-25 Chevy Colorado 2.7L 4WD Pro-Truck Lift Kit Stage 2R - Front w/ Rear Reservoir Shocks (E86-23-042-04-22) is a Stage 2R kit that pairs front springs with rear reservoir shocks.

At the top of the Gen 3 lineup sits ICON Vehicle Dynamics ICON 23-24 GM Canyon/Colorado 1.75-2.5in Stage 3 Suspension System - Billet UCA, a Stage 3 system with billet upper control arms rated for 1.75 to 2.5 inches of lift. This is the kind of kit built for a truck that actually sees trail miles, not a daily driver looking for a slightly bigger tire. If you want the control arm upgrade without the full ICON system, Total Chaos Fabrication Total Chaos Upper Control Arms — 2023-2025 Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon is the Gen 3 version of the same Total Chaos arm sold for the first generation.

What to check before you buy

• 2WD versus 4WD. Several of these kits, including the Truxxx kits above, are sold for both drivetrains but as separate part numbers. Confirm which one matches your truck before you order.
• Trim restrictions. The Zone Offroad kit above is built for ZR2 specifically. Other listings call out Z71, Trail Boss, or WT/LT trims in the title. Read the actual listing title, not just the category.
• Engine. Gen 2 parts in this guide are listed to fit both the 3.6L V6 and the 2.8L Duramax diesel, but always confirm against the retailer's own fitment note rather than assuming.
• Alignment. Every one of these parts lists roughly 3 to 6 hours of install time with an alignment required afterward. Budget for the alignment as part of the job cost, not as an afterthought. Skipping it is a fast way to chew through a set of tires.
• Leveling kit versus lift kit versus coilover. A leveling kit corrects the factory rake (nose lower than the tail). A lift kit adds height all around, front and rear. A coilover setup like the Eibach or ICON options above gives you adjustable ride height and usually better ride quality, at a real cost difference over a strut spacer or leveling kit.
• What the kit does not include. A lift or leveling kit changes ride height. It does not automatically mean a bigger tire will clear without rubbing, especially at full turn or full compression. Confirm tire size clearance separately before you buy tires to match a new lift.

A word on warranty and towing capacity

Changing ride height can affect how a dealer treats warranty claims tied to suspension or drivetrain components, and it can change your effective payload and towing numbers depending on what you install. Neither of those is a legal question this guide can answer for your specific truck and insurance situation. If you are financing the truck or leasing it, check your agreement before you cut into anything.

What to skip

Skip any "no-name" leveling kit sold with no brand attached and no listed install time or torque spec. On a truck this heavy, the strut spacer or leveling kit is holding up the front corner of the vehicle. A cut-rate kit off a marketplace listing with zero engineering behind it is not the place to save money. Every kit named in this guide comes from a retailer that lists a brand, a price, and a fitment year range you can check against your own VIN.