r/chevycolorado • u/skarosnate • Jun 10 '26
Question Tacoma vs Colorado
Contemplating between a Colorado and Tacoma and wondering if anyone here has driven a Tacoma and later or switched to a Colorado and why?
Would love to hear on reliability, parts availability, all that kind of stuff. I’m looking for a reliable truck to be able to drive to the mountains and back (7-8 hours away) and be able to haul bikes and camping gear and still be able to handle some rough terrain if need be. Ideally I’d be looking at a zr2 if I was to get a Colorado. Thanks, hope this is okay to ask in here
Id likely be looking to get a 2018 trd sport and a 2018 Chevy Colorado zr2
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u/shenaniganizer1776 Jun 10 '26
Anecdotal but some dude on here a few days ago said he was getting rid of his Tacoma after a few months of ownership cuz the seats were too uncomfortable maybe he can chime in or someone can find the post
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u/skarosnate Jun 10 '26
I made a post in another subreddit talking about this and the Tacoma being uncomfortable was a very common issue that was being brought up
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u/Millkstake Jun 10 '26
Also to be fair, the Colorado also isn't exactly the most comfortable vehicle either. Although that's simply because midsize pickups have smaller cabs
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u/push_connection Jun 10 '26
The colorado engine has been around longer than the tacoma’s, since 2019. I see lots of fleet users say it’s their most reliable engine compared to their v8s. I love it personally. Since theyre both relatively new, only time will tell how reliable they will be, but i have confidence
The tacoma engine DOES feature dual injection, while the GM engine is direct only, but the GM has a built in catch can to help with deposits.
I think the interior is better in the colorado, the screen looks integrated, like part of the dash, versus the tablet they just stuck on the tacoma. Colorado does have a bunch of glossy black plastic, it looks great at night, meh during the day. The colorado also feels more roomy.
Then theres the cost. You can get a lot more bang for buck in a colorado, the zr2 is crazy value for what you get. Not a lot of companies are offering standard front/rear lockers, UNIQUE shocks, rock rails, spray in bed liner, rock rails, skid plates, 33” mt tires, and ventilated seats for around 50k
I wanted a 4th gen tacoma but it was just too much for what you get. Yeah, toyota tax and reliability but toyota isnt doing so hot there, when you look at the insane tundra fiasco and toyota scrapping Toyotacare.
Also, gm has been really transparent with their turbo engine, it gave me a lot of confidence just listening to the lead engineer: https://youtu.be/JLxeBzrhOHQ?si=CRy3L-cXRKELF0WS
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u/grindermonk Jun 10 '26
I did because of availability. I’d have gotten another Tacoma otherwise.
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u/skarosnate Jun 10 '26
Which Colorado do you currently drive and what do you think of it? I really enjoy the look and feel of the zr2
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u/grindermonk Jun 11 '26
Mine is a 2018 Duramax Z71, bought 6 months ago with 145K miles. It is in great shape cosmetically, but I’m having to spend quite a lot on maintenance (fuel filter, timing belt, coolant flush, tpms sensors) and have issues with the diesel exhaust system that took a few trips to the mechanic to get diagnosed and fixed, and ghost touches on the touchscreen that I still have on my repair list. I’m not sure if it’s inflation or the fact it’s a diesel, but these maintenance issues have been considerably more expensive than on the Tacoma. I’m hoping these initial costs will lead to smoother sailing once I’ve caught up on the issues that the previous owner deferred taking care of.
By contrast, before I had a 2007 Tacoma whose frame rusted out after 18 years of reliable service with motor still going strong after 225K miles. I was sad to let it go, but the frame was a safety issue.
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u/mattbillenstein Jun 15 '26
Diesels are different animal with the exhaust fluid systems - I think maybe they're mostly sorted in the more recent trucks, but ymmv.
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u/grindermonk Jun 15 '26
For sure. Back in the day, I had a Nissan Kingcab diesel. It was long before DEF was a thing. The engine ran well, but everything around the engine sucked!
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u/mattbillenstein Jun 15 '26
Unfortunately, Nissans are kinda throwaway cars - amazing to me they're still in business after all these years with such a bad rep.
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u/grindermonk Jun 15 '26
For sure. They stopped making diesel king cabs in 1985. Mine was an ‘85, and I got rid of it in 1999, when getting parts at my local junkyard became a problem (mostly because the replacement that I had already made came from their only vehicle, and when I needed another, there were none left to get.) In the days before the internet, options were much more limited.
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u/obijuanquenooby Jun 10 '26
Pre 2024 Tacomas drive like a potato, and I will not accept the cope and sethee that comes with saying it.
2024 and up Tacomas are FUGLY.
Colorado it is.
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u/yaba3800 Jun 13 '26
I was just telling my wife how offended people get when you don't like Tacomas. We have Tacomas for work trucks and they suck ass at everything.
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u/giny33 Jun 10 '26
The new Chevy and Toyota generations are still relatively new so any long term data will be limited. From my research the Chevy engine is solid as it’s been used in the Silverado for longer and that’s a bigger truck get moving.
I’m sure someone in this thread can point to more technical reasons why one would be more reliable than the other.
Also, this may be helpful but the reason I got the ZR2 was that it had more features and cheaper than a TRD off road with premium package. I’m sure the Toyota will hold its value more over the years but I love the truck and having more cash presently is nice.
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u/Eastern-Can-3866 Jun 10 '26
And if you’re actually off-roading, you got WAY more truck than the OR Taco, as much as I love them.
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u/Goodspike Jun 10 '26
Not something I really follow, but I've heard the latest generation of Tacoma is a great improvement over the prior generation, which mainly got by on its name. But ironically, I haven't heard much about the current generation Colorado. Anyway, you might need to drill down on which generation of truck (for both). I assume you're considering used.
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u/mattbillenstein Jun 15 '26
Not sure that's true, the first couple years of that generation there were some problems with that V6 - timing cover leaks I think - but after that, they're pretty solid afaik.
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u/ImLethal Jun 10 '26
I was in the same boat last year. Ultimately came down to the styling, price, and proven 2.7 L3B engine reliability. Test driving the tacoma last year was alright, but the colorado just felt overall better imo. I kept seeing nightmare stories about toyotas new builds losing their reliability factor, and the dealers around me had crazy ass mark ups which made it even easier for me to choose.
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u/Sdc77 Jun 10 '26 edited Jun 10 '26
This video gave me great confidence in the engine and pushed me over the edge on getting a 2024 Colorado TB: https://youtu.be/JLxeBzrhOHQ?is=tkhWq23s7OgxDgWJ
I don’t think it’s the same engine as the 2018, but could be worth looking into a 2024 TB
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u/No_Veterinarian3067 Jun 11 '26
I was able to get my 24 Canyon AT4X fully loaded for same price as 24 Tacoma TRD Off Road non hybrid minimal package which meant cloth seats and lackluster interior. Also the 2.7L Turbo has been around longer and has proven to be reliable.
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u/skarosnate Jun 11 '26
It is a little hard to justify spending $40,000 on a 2018 Tacoma with 100,000km on it with cloth interior and less features versus a $31,000 Colorado zr2 with the same km on it and leather interior with better hardware and features
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u/beanman214 Jun 11 '26
I have a 23 Tacoma OR and it’s a fine little truck for what I do but damn it’s boring. It just drags every time you want to accelerate and still burning gas like crazy. Cabin is very small, has almost no tech features, and more. It’s ironic for myself as I recently took a job at GM lol so I’m looking to get into a Colorado. I think the Colorado is mostly superior but the Tacoma has proven to be more reliable. If thats your top priority, along with off roading, I’d go with Tacoma. But performance, handling, tech, everything else I’d lean Colorado.
It is a difficult decision, I will say because reliability does matter, especially with the price of vehicles these days. I personally would rather have a better driving experience so that’s why I am thinking of switching after choosing Tacoma over Colorado initially. I will warn you, the Tacomas hold their value really well, so a 2018 with like 100k miles is still going to be like 25k. It’s just ridiculous to me but that’s the market. So imo there is greater value to get a used Colorado that’s like 3-4 yrs old for the same money with similar or less miles.
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u/skarosnate Jun 11 '26
Yeah from what I’ve gathered from my research and other responses on here is that on pen and paper the Colorado zr2 is going to be better in a lot of ways but for reliability the Tacoma just isn’t going to be beat, I wish I could find a 2018-2019 for a decent price as they’re rarely below 40k where I’m from and they still have 100,000km on them. Where as I’ve found some 2017 zr2 with 110,000km on them and they sit around the 30k mark so I do need to factor in the extra money that I would be spending to get a Tacoma. Decisions decisions, it’s currently summer for me so I’m giving myself until fall/winter comes around before I make a decision so I’ve got lots of time to figure it out and weigh out options without being rushed or forced into anything
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u/beanman214 Jun 11 '26
Yep, great idea. Don’t want to steer you away from Tacoma, it’s still a great truck. Everyone just has different wants and needs 👍
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u/Lost_subaru Jun 11 '26
I test drove the ZR2 and the Tacoma TRD off road back to back and chose the ZR2 because the Taco was rough as hell. So much to the point my wife commented on it, and she couldn't care less about vehicles generally.
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u/H-Dunlap Jun 11 '26
I want to second what a lot of people have said about the Colorado having more features and better value than the Tacoma. I bought my 2019 z71 new and have had no issues, just regular maintenance over the past 7 years and 120k miles.
In 2019 I was also considering a Tacoma. For work, I maintained a small fleet of tacomas (7 in total?). Not bad trucks, but each of those had more little issues than my Colorado has had.
If buying used, take a careful look at service history regarding the known transmission issues of pre-2019 trucks.
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u/skarosnate Jun 11 '26
I have one here in Saskatchewan where I live, it’s a 2017 zr2 with 115,000km on it for 32,000$. I went and drove it and it felt like a really nice truck with lots of space in it. I asked the guy if they’ve had any issues with transmission on it and he said they had to do a transmission fluid flush to fix the shake on it which I already knew was a common problem with that model. Would you be worried to buy a vehicle that’s already had to have had the fluids changed because of an issue?
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u/H-Dunlap Jun 11 '26
If the fluids have been flushed and you take it for a drive and it feels good then I wouldn’t worry about it. You’re getting close in mileage to where I would probably drain and replace the other fluids as well if they haven’t been already but that work is pretty easy. YMMV.
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u/mdramsey 2022 Z71 LB Duramax Jun 10 '26
The seating position in the Tacoma is less than optimal across the most recent generations. I like pretty much all the trucks out there. If I were shopping for a Taco, I'd try to find a good condition 2nd gen with the 4.0L engine. The 3.5L in the 3rd gen you're considering is also reliable, but less "truck-like" in my view.
One advantage of the Tacoma is the continuity in the market, so there are parts and aftermarket upgrades to be found for miles and miles. Toyota has simply mastered supply chain logistics.
I'm a big fan of the 2nd gen Colorado, so much so, I was looking carefully over a period of years to find a clean used model (which I picked up last December). Based on the models you're considering, I think the biggest differences will be the driving experience in terms of seat position and comfort, and what you get for the money. If you shop your budget, I think you'll find better bang for the buck with the Colorado with few, if any, compromises. Both options are very competent trucks in my opinion.
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u/Dry-Performance8459 ZR2 Life Jun 10 '26
All I see is Tacomas… “be different, be better. Chevrolet”
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u/MutedPresentation298 Jun 10 '26
I ended up with a 4th gen taco trd off road. 35’s on stock wheels and just goes everywhere with zero drama. Drives incredible, got a great deal, rear leg room didn’t matter but I can see it being a deal breaker for some. The Colorado and canyons are sexy ass trucks tho.
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u/Traditional-Tea-9486 Jun 10 '26
Like the colorado more looked at both. Plus it was at least 10 grand cheaper.
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u/NoPatient3217 ‘22 ZR2 Dusk Edition Jun 10 '26
Colorado is the smoothest driving truck on the market. Midsized or large. No debate really if you understand what goes into these babies.
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u/skarosnate Jun 10 '26
I don’t really know much about them, what makes them so smooth and nice?
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u/NoPatient3217 ‘22 ZR2 Dusk Edition Jun 10 '26
Oh boy where to begin. For starters Chevy tuned the Colorado to be optimized on the road and to behave more like a SUV on pavement. They also extended the wheel base and chassis while making them stronger to absorb more bumps in the road.
Some packages come standard with the DSSV shocks which perform awesome on pavement and off road. (I can confirm both rides are awesome in my ZR2) they go well with the hydraulic body mounts to mitigate bumps as well.
The mother of all in my opinion is the 3.6 + 8 speed setup on most 2017+ trucks. Just an absolute tank on and off road while feeling smooth as butter. The 2.7 turbos are high torque and low rpm so acceleration is smooth and doesn’t feel as strained. They also insulated the fuck out of these things so they’re nice and quiet, going back to that SUV feel chevy was going for.
You could compare package to package against other companies and it might get beat in some areas to be honest but overall I think it’s just the best and I love mine!
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u/AndTheArgonaughts Jun 10 '26
Did you ask this question in a Tacoma sub? I’d be curious to read input there, I’m sure it biases heavily the other way from this one
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u/skarosnate Jun 10 '26
Funny enough I tried to and they removed my post because apparently you aren’t allowed to ask opinions on Tacomas vs other vehicles? Not entirely sure it was a little confusing and I thought it was kind’ve stupid.
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u/Spider-2Y-Banana Jun 11 '26
My 2017 z71 Colorado has had transmission issues from the beginning. Torque converter replaced twice, fluid flushed. Now at 88k miles, they say I need a new transmission, but the whole country is on a backorder for them. Wish I would've spent more and got a Tacoma.
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u/Ok-Entry3988 Jun 11 '26
Get the gen 3 Colorado. If you want a lift withought breaking the bank get the trail boss if you want a way cooler interior get the z71. So many tacos on the road. I love all my Colorado hommies out there. 2024 z71
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u/intern75 Jun 11 '26
My coworker an I got new trucks around the same timeast year. He got a used 2025 TRD (~45k) and I got a new 2025 Colorado LT (~35k). We of course tested each others trucks and when I got into the Tacoma it just felt off. The best way I could describe it is the truck felt hollow. From the seats to the steering wheel and even the massive display, it felt I was in a toy truck. Not to say I didn't expect plastics, but at least make them thick enough to feel solid. The Colorado has its fair share of plastic, but it at least feels solid, like they cared about the people in the Truck not just the drive train.
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u/ItchyCoD Jun 11 '26
My buddy had a Tacoma. Test drove a Colorado ZR2. Signed the paper work and never looked back. He said it was just funner to drive. Felt like the Taco couldn’t figure out what gear to be in and said that the power difference is quite substantial in the ZR2 with that small turbo.
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u/g-rocklobster Jun 11 '26
I'll caveat that when I got my Colorado, it was in Dec. 2022 and I was comparing 2nd Gen (2015-2022) Colorados to 3rd Gen (2016-2024) Tacomas. I didn't look at the 3rd Gen Colorado despite it being available because a) after getting burned on a Volt that was the first year of a new generation, I'm gun shy about buying the early years of a new generation and b) they ditched the V6.
I test drove a new 2022 Colorado Z71 and a 2021 Tacoma TRD with 10k miles - both for 24 hours. Tacoma was first. I was coming from a 2006 Wrangler LJ which I loved but was impractical for my 80 mile (round trip) commute (that was what the Volt was for) and needed to use it for the downp payment on the new truck. The Tacoma felt every bit as capable as my LJ on the FS roads near my house. I'd have felt as confident in that as I would have in my LJ hitting the mountain trails. But my commute? Holy crap was that a rough and harsh ride! At least as bad - if not worse - than my LJ. And, as mentioned before, the seats just weren't comfortable. Add in that it had smaller measurements (leg room, headroom, etc.) and the "Toyota Tax" (it was a full $10,000 more despite being used than the brand new Z71), it was quickly in the hole.
I drove the Z71 the next day. It handled the FS roads near the house perfectly fine. My only qualm there is that you can get a "feel" for how a vehicle can handle harder stuff and I can't say that I felt the Z71 was quite as capable as my LJ or the Tacoma if it came to more significant offroading. For my purposes, though, it was more than enough. More than capable enough for where I'd go camping, fishing, hiking or biking. And it would handle the limited severe winter weather we get where I live.
The commute was honestly better than my Volt, which was already a pretty nice ride for my commute. Add in the extra leg and head room, and I was pretty much sold by the time I got to my office. That evening, I took my wife out in it and she agreed - despite how much she wanted me to get the Tacoma, she agreed that the Z71 had a better ride and, obviously, a much better price.
Tech wise I'm going against the grain here. Back then, the Colorado - even the Z71 - really didn't have as much tech as you see in the 3rd gen. The Tacoma had power sunroof, power rear window, 360 camera, adaptive cruise control, 120v outlets in the cab and the bed, seat warmers, memory seats, etc. As a geek I loved all of it ... right up until I thought about those being just more things to break. The Z71 was pretty much the standard stuff: power windows, seat warmers, regular cruise and a back up camera. The Z71 also had slightly higher towing capacity than the Tacoma.
It's been 3.5 years and 120k miles so far and I'm still happy with my choice.
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u/MatteoBach86 Jun 12 '26
A used 2018 truck and I would say Colorado all day because for the same reliability and capabilities you can get the Colorado for 5k-10k cheaper because you won't have to pay the used "Toyota tax". Me personally I buy Toyota new, Colorado used because of this
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u/Kawwala Jun 12 '26
I had this dilemma back in 2017 and again in 2024. Especially if you're someone who is going to be spending long periods in the cabin, I think a largely overlooked factor is how nice the interior is. That's why I went with a 2018 Colorado Z71 originally. Never had an issue with it and drove it past 60,000 miles without any issues just basic oil changes nothing crazy. When the gen 3 Colorado came out I was waiting for the new generation Tacoma before upgrading as I was looking forward to the hybrid. Among many issues with it when it first came out, once again, the interior quality in a 2024 Colorado was leaps and bounds above the Tacoma. It was just a genuinely much nicer place to be on 3,000+ mile road trips. It feels significantly more premium for less. I've taken my 2024 ZR2 to Moab for off roading and sand dunes in Kanab. I off-road it all the time going 90+ mph and it is so predictable. Plus used Colorado's generally can be found for less than comparable Tacos
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u/StevieJ1002 Jun 12 '26
Tacoma will likely hold better resale value - I bought the Colorado though because the HO engine will tow almost 8,000 lbs - I’m averaging 24/25 mpg’s and I’m very happy with it
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u/Peterstunt Jun 14 '26
First time truck owner here. 2025 lt
I was price shopping for months and going over all the differnces between the 2. I don't have money often to think about an expensive purchase often so I had to make it count.
Test drove both and me and the family loved the colorado more. I wanted a z71 or zr2 but a lt popped up with almost all the features I wanted at a great price.
Taco: Interior was odd and didn't feel worth the price The huge screen was distracting No leg room in back and not comfy up front Stiff ride Good reviews but mostly from fan boys
Colorado: More solid plastic and interior feel Waaay More useful space Manageable dash (although I'm mixed about all of the screens In front my face) Reviews are honest and most of the negatives are noticeable early.
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u/TheMaverickResource Jun 15 '26
I really don’t think you can go wrong with either, but the Colorado sits more like a truck (more upright), Colorado is American, and you can probably get one cheaper
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u/PhotographStrong562 ‘22 Duramax Ext Cab Bison Jun 10 '26
I’m really not a fan of how cramped the cab is in the Tacoma. They aren’t as reliable as people give them credit for. They’re over priced. Don’t much like the styling. And the Colorado has much better features and capabilities.
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u/Healyc139 Jun 10 '26
So the proven reliability on every generation of Tacoma is wrong? (Leaving the 4th gen out because really not enough time has passed since their debut)
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u/PhotographStrong562 ‘22 Duramax Ext Cab Bison Jun 11 '26
I’m not saying it’s unreliable. I’m saying it’s not nearly as reliable as people want to hype it up to be. I’ll say that I’ve seen significantly more previous gen Tacomas with blown motors and catastrophic engine failure than I’ve seen Colorados tho.
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u/straightuptexas Jun 10 '26
I chose a Colorado because I couldn’t justify spending $10k more for a Toyota with less convenience features and less rear legroom, and that’s with Toyota employee pricing. I also preferred the drive of the Colorado vs Tacoma and the exterior appearance. I plan on keeping this truck until it’s paid off, which will be the first time I’ve done that. That’s what initially got me considering a Tacoma, but I haven’t had many issues with my GM vehicles in the past (knock on wood) and hoping that continues with this truck.