The 2012 Chevrolet Colorado attempts to hold on in what is, at best, a tightening world of smaller pickup trucks. Compact pickups are dropping by the wayside - manufacturers have apparently given up on them for the most part - and GMC has indicated in recent years that the days of the Colorado and its sibling, the GMC Canyon, are numbered.

But the Colorado, pickup enthusiasts hope, is making a bit of a comeback before it goes away, if indeed that is the plan. The 2012 Chevrolet Colorado, introduced as a concept car with many performance specifics lacking at the Bangkok Motor Show in Thailand in 2011, fuels much of the optimism and enthusiasm. Thailand, it should be noted, earned itself preview status in part because it, along with much of the rest of Southeast Asia, has become a huge market for smaller pickups.

The 2012 Chevrolet Colorado will be offered with a 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine, though the carmaker did not release detailed output numbers. In 2011, engine options for the Colorado included a 2.4-liter inline 4-cylinder (I4) making 185 horsepower and 190 lb-ft of torque, a 3.7-liter inline 5-cylinder (I5) at 242 hp and 242 lb-ft of torque, and a 5.3-liter V8 at 300 hp and 320 lb-ft of torque.

The 2012 Chevrolet Colorado features dramatic and aggressive styling, inside and out. The Colorado had become dated since its introduction in 2004, reviewers point out, and its exterior makeover has gone a long way toward dressing up the look of the pickup that has long been seen as a solid worker with little flash. It owns a reputation as an affordable truck good for getting around town, not so comfortable for longer hauls.

Moving inside, the experts in the past liked that the Colorado’s cabin was user-friendly, but found it sparse, plain and packed with too much hard plastic. No longer. Now they praise its design and its spacious feel and its dual-cockpit instrument panel, all accented by blue lighting. The cabin retains its utility, too, with plenty of storage compartments, including a large glovebox and a covered bin between the front seats.

Chevrolet put a dual-zone, digital climate control system and upgraded entertainment and information systems in the Colorado for 2012. New technology sets the Colorado up with access to the web and navigation to go along with updated music and hands-free phone capabilities.

The Colorado comes in Regular cab, Extended cab (with small rear access doors) and Crew cab (four regular doors) versions. The Crew cab gets a cargo bed that is 5 feet, 1 inch long, while the others have a 6-foot bed. Chevy offers the Colorado in four trims: Work Truck, LT1, LT2 and LT3.

The Work Truck starts things off with a front bench seat and gets cruise control, air conditioning, OnStar and an AM/FM stereo. The Colorado works its way up the trims to the LT3, which gets 18-inch alloy wheels, up from the 16-inchers of the trims below it, and front bucket seats with a floor console. Among the options available for the Colorado are assist steps and a towing package. Those opting for Crew cabs can also get power and heated front seats and leather-trimmed upholstery.

The 2012 Chevrolet Colorado comes with standard stability and traction control and also features OnStar, antilock brakes and dual-stage front airbags with optional side roof-mounted airbags.