Let's start with the fetching 2018 Colorado ZR2, in "Cajun Red Tintcoat."
Our test truck was $43,475 — the Colorado ZR2 is already a lot pricier then the $20,000 basic Colorado, but our tester came well-optioned out of the box before a few extras added about $700.
Our ZR2 came with a crew cab and a "short box" bed. Some folks don't much like short boxes, but I think that for most owners the short box is ideal.
The Colorado ZR2 kind of blends aggression with sporty sleekness. Personally, I don't think the various fascia elements — grille, badge, headlights — are in good balance.
The stickers are angular and jazzy.
You have electronic locking differentials front and rear, so the Colorado ZR2 is ready for serious off-roading. The front underbelly and rear transfer case are also shielded, so rock-busting won't cripple your pickup.
The bed is on the smaller side, but if you're headed off-road, hauling capacity isn't necessarily top of mind.
For daily duty, there's plenty of room in the box for mountain bikes, camping gear, and home-improvement supplies.
On paper, the 308-horsepower, 3.6 liter V6 could be construed as underpowered. But it was anything but in my hands. This pickup has nice pop.
The ZR2 has been clocked at a respectable 0-60 mph in six seconds. The motor is smoothly responsive, with solid, if not stunning torque. I'm a fan of naturally aspirated V6's that simply get the job done. The ZR2's six-pot is a stout motor that's not likely to give owners a lot of trouble.
Fuel economy is meh: 16 mpg city/18 highway/17 combined. But you don't buy a performance off-roading pickup to save on gas.
The ZR2's power is channeled to the 4WD system through an eight-speed automatic transmission.
The shifting was smooth. The transmission isn't tuned to race for the upper gears to save fuel, either. It holds in second through fifth to produce a sporty, powerful feel.
The interior is a nice environment, near-premium without being luxurious. That's by design. This isn't a truck that's meant to be babied, so the interior has to be able to endure some punishment.
For the driver, the instruments and steering wheel are pretty no-nonsense.
Beyond heated seats, cruise control, and nicely appointed leather-wrapped steering wheel, you don't get a lot of driver-assist features with the ZR2. But an off-road warrior such as this doesn't really need a suite technologies that would be more at home on the freeway.
We've liked the Intellilink infotainment system on all Chevys, and in the ZR2, it's up to snuff, although the screen is fairly small.
Bluetooth device pairing is a snap, and there are USB/AUX options for plugging in gadgets. Like all GM vehicles, the Colorado ZR2 has 4G LTE wifi connectivity. Our tester didn't have the Bose audio system that we've enjoyed in many other vehicles from the brand, but the more basic stereo still sounded pretty good when we fired up Classic Vinyl on SiriusXM.
Now to the more utilitarian 2017 Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4, in "Quicksand." Maybe not the best name for a color. But it will probably look good dirty.
The Toyota stickered at $38,031, which is a premium over the $25,000 base Taco. Like the ZR2, the TRD Sport was already set up with many options, but the add-on did contribute more to the final price.
Still, the Tacoma is thousands cheaper than the Colorado.
The TRD Sport came with an "access cab" — just two doors — and a longer bed than the Colorado: six feet.
You can sacrifice some bed for rear doors and easier rear-seat access in a different configuration.
As much as a kind of dislike the front fascia of the Colorado, the Tacoma's is certifiably unattractive. But it is purposeful and "trucky" — more than the Chevy.
A lot of information on the sticker: "TRD" stands for "Toyota Racing Development," "4x4" is self-explanatory, and "Sport" just doubles down on the excitement.
With a limited-slip differential and an electronic transfer case, plus some sport shocks, the TRD is just as ready to tackle the world beyond the pavement as the Colorado.
The Tacoma also features a good scoop, but this one actually vents the engine bay.
The hump in the hood does affect visibility, and not in a good way.
A late winter storm meant that the TRD's bed held mainly snow. But because it's longer than the ZR2's, it offers greater versatility.
The Taco's 3.5-liter V6 puts out 278 horsepower. That's less than the ZR2's 308 hp, but interestingly the TRD Sport's grunt is more visceral. Or unrefined, depending on your perspective.
This V6 also yields a slower 0-60 mph time of about seven-and-a-half seconds. But I thought it sounded huskier than the Colorado's V6.
Fuel economy is 17 mpg city/21 highway/18 combined. That doesn't sounds all that great, but it beats the Colorado. And in practice, I didn't seem to burn through much gas at all over the course of about a week.
A major difference between our two trucks: the Tacoma had a six-speed manual.
Shifting was clunky. But also very truck-like. That's the thing about the Toyota Tacoma — it wants to consistently remind you that it's a pickup.
I always struggled to get the thing into reverse. Over time, you'd probably develop the right fee; But it was frustrating. This pickup can be had with a six-speed automatic, however.
The interior is rather spartan, right down to the synthetic upholstery and the rear jump seats.
The Colorado's interior is prettier, but in its favor, the Toyota Tacoma's interior looks like it could handle some serious abuse.
The Tacoma's setup for the driver is downright minimal. The only nod to luxury is the leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Toyota's infotainment system gets the job done, but the smallish seven-inch screen exacerbates its weakness relative to what we found in the Chevy.
This one isn't a fair flight. We've had issues with Toyota's infotainment setup in all its vehicles, including Lexus brand. The core functions are fine — Bluetooth paring, USB ports, navigation, SiriusXM radio — but Chevy vehicles offer infotainment that's setting an industry standard.
The Tacoma's audio was more or less even with the Colorado's system.
And the winner is the Chevy Colorado ZR2!
The Chevy Colorado Zr2 is, quite simply, a nicer pickup. Now, will it beat the Toyota Tacoma's legendary durability? I wouldn't bet on it. Toyota pickups are designed to take a lickin' and keep on tickin'.
For what it's worth, both pickups are made in the USA: the Chevy Colorado is made in Missouri and the Toyota Tacoma in Texas.
I wasn't able to put the respective four-wheel-drive systems through a proper test, but I did drive over some small snowbanks in the TRD Sport and it brushed them off like they were off-road hors-d'oeuvre. And other reviewers who have taken these trucks off the beaten path have applauded their capabilities.
But the Chevy Colorado wins this comparison because it's more refined inside and is a bit easier to deal with on a daily basis. Plus, it has a much better infotainment system. At just over $43,000 as tested, it's also more expensive than the $38,000-as-tested Toyota Tacoma — and worth it. The looks aren't quite as hardcore as the TRD's, so the Colorado has wider appeal, something that matters if you don't intend to drive your off-roader exclusive off-road.
You can sort of think of the ZR2 as a less intense, junior-ized version of the Ford Raptor or the Chevy Silverado Z71. Not that it isn't intense on its own. I think the smaller size and sportier demeanor would quite a lot of fun to take to the desert, maybe more so than bigger and far more powerful high-test pickups.
From a price-to-value-ratio standpoint, you're getting a lot of truck with the ZR2. If you lead an active, outdoorsy lifestyle, it's definitely worth a look. It will be able to handle pretty much anything you can throw at it.
So there you have it. The Zr2 is the better mid-sized performance pickup!
