MotorTrend Chooses Chevy Colorado Over Toyota Tacoma

The midsize truck segment has significantly heated up recently, with nearly all of the manufacturers in this segment having redesigned their midsize truck lines in the last two years. No sooner had MotorTrend named Colorado their “2024 Truck of the Year,” Toyota revealed its total redesign of the Tacoma, the segment’s best-seller. The publication quickly wanted to see how these two vehicles matched up, and Barry’s Chevrolet offers these highlights of the match.

How They Look on Paper 

Both truck lines have discarded their former V-6 engines for turbocharged 4-cylinder engines across the line, which they offer in different states of tune. Options abound with the Tacoma, with a choice of extended or crew cabs, a 6- or 5-foot long bed, three different states of tune for their 2.4-liter turbocharged engine lineup, plus a hybrid, and a choice of coil or leaf-spring rear suspension depending on the grade. 

The Colorado stays closer to what Chevrolet believes most Americans want with a single crew cab/5-foot bed configuration, two states of tune for its 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine, and just leaf springs in the rear, though it does one-up Toyota with a choice of RWD, 4WD, or AWD.

Rather than pitting the two most off-road capable models or the fanciest trim levels, MotorTrend aimed at the heart of each lineup to determine which truck was best overall at the wide range of tasks expected of it. For the Colorado, they went for a mid-grade LT with all-wheel drive (4WD is available only on the off-road-focused models). They optioned the High-Output engine, which is good for 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. The as-tested price was $45,835.

For a Tacoma match, they selected a TRD Sport with 4WD, big cab, short bed, and the middle 2.4-liter turbocharged engine, which produces 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque. Its as-tested price came to $46,435. 

The Bed Battle

The bed is the reason these vehicles exist, so it is surprising that they are constructed quite differently from each other. As it has for years, the Tacoma bed is a composite plastic. This negates the need for a bed liner and is lighter, but it also limits payload to 1,407 pounds. The Colorado truck bed is made of traditional steel, and the test truck had the $475 spray-in bedliner. The Colorado’s bed is also a little longer and noticeably wider. It beats the Tacoma in payload capacity at 1,646 pounds.

In a furniture loading test, MotorTrend found Tacoma’s tie-downs to be sparse and inconveniently located on the bed floor. They added: “The added sliding plastic bed rail cleats help, but they do little to make up for the lack of fixed tie-downs.” The Colorado starts things off with the standard step in the bumper, and then for securing the load, The magazine lists: “...two fixed tie-downs at each corner (one near the bottom of the bed and the other near the top) and three punch-outs on the left, center, and right for added fixed tie-downs or accessories.” Adding the convenient enclosed storage compartment in the tailgate for bungee cords, ratchet straps, and such, plus a power outlet the Tacoma lacked, MotorTrend concludes: “For those who regularly haul loads with their trucks or work out of their beds, the Colorado’s bed is simply better.”

The Cabin Contest

In the cabin, they liked the Tacoma’s chunky dash design seating position and configurable rear seat but noticed tighter accommodations, poorer visibility, and lack of vents for 2nd-row passengers. They describe Colorado’s dash as “tastefully understated” and found the displays clear, the physical controls easy to use even with gloves on, and HVAC vents for rear passengers. They criticize Colorado’s screen-located headlight controls. However, as another reviewer who is critical of this pointed out, the fix is to set the headlights to “Auto” and never bother with them again.

The Road Review

MotorTrend spent much ink describing how much better this Tacoma is to drive than its previous version, which, they point out, dates back to “before YouTube was a thing.” But after lauding its engine response, steering, transmission, and ride improvements, they tell you that the Colorado is simply better. Both models exhibit a bit of turbo lag, and they found both transmissions too eager to upshift. Still, Colorado was better in both cases, with its noticeably greater power and a transmission that was easier to control. The Tacoma’s long brake pedal travel came in for particular criticism, while this was no issue for the Colorado.

Wrapping up, they reiterate that Colorado drives better, has a better bed, and greater towing and hauling capability, making the Tacoma “…less useful for getting real truck work done than its rival.”

MotorTrend found no reason to knock Colorado off its 2024 Truck of the Year pedestal. Now it is your turn. Come to Barry’s Chevrolet and check out the continually impressive Colorado for yourself.