The Chevy Colorado goes toe-to-toe with some of its rivals and comes out a winner time after time. The popularity of compact trucks helps drive sales, but if you’re looking for a similar truck with just a few more options without the high price tag, what should you check out? You could turn to its cousin, the GMC Canyon, but why not explore some comparable Chevy Colorado alternatives at a lower price? Here are three of the best options to take a closer look at.
1. ford ranger
Ford’s Ranger pickup is powered by a single powertrain, which is a 2.3-liter inline-four. It can produce 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. Towing capacity tops out at 7,500 lbs., while payload offers 1,609 lbs. of hauling capacity.
Fuel economy is pretty standard for a pickup truck. You can get an estimated 19 mpg combined for the V6 and 22 mpg overall for the four-cylinder. Pricing starts at around $25,980 for the base model, which is the XL Supercab SB, according to from edmund.
2.Nissan frontier
With the Nissan Frontier, there’s a powertrain for every trim level. The 3.8-liter V6 engine offers 310 hp and 281 pound-feet of torque. When it comes to towing, it can tow approximately 6,270 lbs. Its payload capacity is rated at 1,230 lbs.
For fuel economy, you can expect around 19 mpg combined with 17 mpg city and 22 mpg highway. Starting pricing for this model starts at around $28,690 for the base and can go as high as $38,120 before adding optional features.
3.Toyota Tacoma
This model comes with two powertrain options to choose from. Lower models offer a 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 159 hp and 180 pound-feet of torque. Top trim models have a 3.5-liter V6 that makes 278 hp and 265 lb-ft.
When it comes to towing, you’ll want the V6 engine because it can haul up to 6,400 lbs. The four-cylinder can only handle 3,500 lbs. Payload capacity is rated at 1155 for the V6 and 1445 for the 2.7 engine.
The fuel economy of the Toyota Tacoma is comparable to the Frontier and Ranger. The Tacoma can get around 20 mpg combined, 18 mpg in the city and 22 mpg on the highway. Pricing starts at around $27,150 for the base model and can go as high as $49,290 before any packages are added.
How do the three models compare as alternatives to the Chevy Colorado?
The Chevy Colorado offers two powertrains, just like the Tacoma. You get a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, making 200 hp and 191 lb-ft. You also get a 3.6-liter V6 that makes 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, which is slightly better than the Toyota pickup, but slightly less so than the Frontier’s six-cylinder. Its four-cylinder option is less than what the Ranger offers in horsepower and torque.
When it comes to towing, the Colorado offers the most cargo capacity of any truck. With its 7,600-lb. towing capacity, only the Ranger comes close with its 7,500-lb. towing figure. Both the Tacoma and Frontier can haul more than 1,000 fewer pounds.
Fuel economy for the Chevrolet is rated at 22 mpg combined on the four-cylinder, which is the same as the Tacoma and Ranger, but slightly more mpg than the Frontier. The V6 gets 19 mpg overall, the same as the Ranger and Frontier, one less than the Tacoma.
If you compare prices, you’ll notice that the base on the Colorado starts at around $25,200, which is the cheapest of all the trucks. Ranger comes close, but is being offered for around $700 more. However, this price is for the work truck version, which doesn’t offer many options.
The Chevy Colorado is a good truck, but if you want to get a little more out of your truck purchase, you have three options to choose from. You can go for Ranger, Frontier and Tacoma. Each offers some decent features for a comparable price.