Tacoma vs Colorado

So a few months ago my Tacoma had to go in the shop (topper brake light shorted and melted parts of the wiring harness under dash - don't ask how) and I was given a company vehicle as a temporary replacement, in this case an above-base model Chevy Colorado 2.9 ext cab. After driving it a considerable amount of time I've noticed some key differences that were kind of surprising and caused me to bring in to question the superiority of the Tacoma. Despite the constant flack the other auto manufacturers get for producing mediocre small/med trucks, the Colorado wasn't that bad and in some areas it was actually better. I've created a list of some of the key points I noticed below.

(Just for some background information, I work in the satellite TV industry and have driven over 70k miles in a 09 reg cab Tacoma with the 2.7 and 5 speed. I need to carry several ladders, dishes, poles, cable, concrete, and a 2 week supply of virtually every item required for installations on my truck at all times. Most of my views come from a functional/business standpoint.)

Chevy Colorado
Pros:
Business - The Colorado was definitely designed with the intention of being a work vehicle. The materials the truck is built out of are not at all fancy, but definitely hold up well in a hard environment. The interior, while cheaper, doesn't scratch as easily and the outside metals are solid. The base model works as a complete product and not just as an incentive to push people to higher trim levels.
Engine - The 2.9 has more power than the Taco's 2.7 (190 vs 159 hp) and it is quicker. Regardless of how loaded I had the Colorado, it still seemed to have the same acceleration and handled highway speeds with aplomb.
Ergonomics - At first glance the Colorado looks like your typical boxy truck with the ergonomics of a brick, but if you dig deeper into the design you can tell engineers put at least some thought into how the truck was put together before the bean counters got in the way. The controls make sense and visibility is near 360 degrees with superior upward and downward view angles, which are crucial for navigating fast paced urban environments and improve safety. The design can accommodate a large variety of body sizes in relative comfort with good ingress/egress. The colorado, despite being smaller, than the tacoma, surprisingly felt like it had more room on the inside.
Size/minimalism - In 2012 the Colorado was one of the smallest vehicles on the road, aped by virtually all of its counterparts. Function is put over form and the design works extremely well for a variety of trades. At 68" wide, the truck easily goes where other larger vehicles have difficulty fitting. Easier to dodge other vehicles and road obstacles. The Tacoma is a full 6" wider and it all goes into the fenders that protrude past the windows and stock 15" wheels rather than the cab. Same size box as Tacoma. No unnecessary bloat to create blinds spots.
Interior gauge cluster - Clear view of all instruments. No motorcycle tunnels to peer through.
Utility - The bed is stronger, holds more weight, and is optimum for mounting a work topper. Stronger brakes. Stronger suspension doesn't "sink" like the Tacoma. (customer comments about how loaded my truck was disappeared when I switched over)

Cons:
Engine/Trans combo - The 2.9 is loud and agricultural and the 4 speed auto is pretty awful. The worst MPG I've seen so far has been 12.5 in the dead of winter in the city and the best was 17 mixed. Modern 1/2 tons can perform those figures without a sweat. This is however, with an ext. cab, slushbox, taller/heavier ladder rack and even more weight. Reliability not as proven as the Tacoma's combo.
Long term quality - Looks like it would age like a vehicle from 15 years ago. It's definitely "old GM" build quality. Would probably require above average maintenance to maintain usability whereas the Tacoma would be more or less bulletproof.
Lack of mods - no explanation needed

Toyota Tacoma
Pros:
Style - There's no question the Tacoma is definitely the best looking of the current batch of midsize trucks. For someone looking for a compromise between a compact truck and a modern full size, this is the one to get (but generally higher trim levels - access/crew cab 4x4 etc). It has broad appeal and the 2005 design has aged very well. Lots of aftermarket products to customize and personalize.
Engine and trans combo - The 2.7 revs all day without complaint and the 5 speed is superbly geared for suburban and non-80mph highway environments. My MPG has averaged 20mpg carrying what I need for my job.
Reliability - Toyota crushes its competition in this department. No questions there.
Long term resale - The Taco has been proven to hold its value over time, but suffers from larger initial cost.

Cons:
Design - The designers put form over function during the creation of the Tacoma or at the very least certain things weren't taken into account or were afterthoughts. It was designed to sit high with big tires, not as a base model for example. I feel it was not designed with the intention of commercial use but rather as an attractive, lightweight midsizer with mild capacity and good off road potential.
Ergonomics/blind spots - For me the seating position has always been kind of awkward. Move up too high and you can't look up, move too low and you can't see over the hood. The beltline is good, but the hood comes up high and the sheet metal of the roof slopes down and an odd angle, cutting the windshield off a couple inches lower than what would feel natural. The A pillar is chunky and slopes aggressively cutting off your upward outward periphery. Chunky headrests protrude forward instead of a natural upright position and the bench offers no lower back support. (remedied with an ergonomic chair pad) The rear window is too small and cuts off too low. The rearview mirror sits too low by default and must be raised with an aftermarket bracket to effectively see pedestrians/cyclists. The good side mirrors help compensate, but there are many blind spots that don't exist on the Colorado. I have to constantly "guess" where the vehicle is at all times due to the lack of periphery. Shifting the seat a few clicks backward helps improve view angles, but makes it difficult to reach the gas and clutch. This is not something I need at all in a commercial environment where I need to know what's going on around me and react instantly to hazards.
Interior gauge cluster - If you close one eye, some of the gauges are blocked by the steering wheel. Not really a big deal but annoying.
Utility - Despite adding Bilstein shocks, the Hellwig swaybar, and 500lb (?) overloads (clamped on behind the axle), the Tacoma is constantly bottomed out when loaded and feels unstable above 75. The work topper I have is fairly heavy and will shift on the cheap bed rails and require adjustment every couple months, despite 6 clamps.

After my experience driving the Colorado, I've come to the conclusion that while the Tacoma is a solid vehicle in it's own right and certainly more modern, it does not meet the needs that I've requested of it. The extra 50-100 miles per tank is great (seriously, wtf gm?) and I can turn a profit utilizing it vs company vehicle, but it's just not worth the trade off in the other areas that affect the overall driving experience. Am I the only one with this problem? Do I just need a different seat, sturdier leafs and a set of bigger tires? Have others tried to use their Tacoma for commercial purposes and failed?

 

Friend of mine just bought a 2011 Colorado crew cab Z71(the 2wd not the 4wd) and it is a nice looking truck. That's about all I can say good about it. I desperately tried and tried to get him to get a used Tacoma. Begged him even. He claimed the Tacoma didn't have the room the Colorado had (bs) and that they were expensive (awesome resale value!). He had his heart set on a Colorado though so whatever. It gets good mpg I guess but my 2014 Silverado gets about the same as it does and when he saw that he was pissed.lol not only that but the quality of the interior is so poor on the Colorado, it creaks and squeaks and moans and moves and it's just bad. I put my elbow on the center console and it creaked so bad I thought I was about to break it! He has the 5 cyl and that is one noisy damn motor and it revs like hell but doesn't go anywhere! My Tacoma will smoke it all day long and it is way more refined then the Colorado engine and transmission. I hope he will be happy though because he financed that peice of crap for 5 years so I'll have first hand knowledge of how it holds up.

 

Interesting observations.

Ergonomics can differ person to person, hence why some people can't stand being in small vehicles and need a full-size couch on wheels, but the Tacoma fits me very well. Only thing I don't like are indeed the A-pillar thickness (coming from previous gen 4Runner then Tacoma, there is a noticeable difference) but I am guessing this is not a "just cause" decision but probably with safety design and airbags included.

I've always felt the design has fit me very well, of course I am used to being in a double-cab without a bench seat, and am relatively nimble (5'9" 140 lbs.) so YMMV.

To be honest I'm more interested to see next gen's comparisons of the new Colorado and next gen Tacoma (whenever it arives) seeing as this past gen Colorado is a dead duck.

 

Just drive a 2004 colorado and you will see why Tacoma is the only small truck choice. Wait....there arent any 10 year old colorados still running.

 

Yeah, there's no way in hell I would drop 23k on a new colorado. As a commercal vehicle that I don't have to finance though, I was surprised at how well it did from a utility standpoint. Terrible yes, but damn can I fit that thing in places my tacoma could never go with the same confidence. And the visibility and sense of control are excellent. I can imagine the 1st gen was similar.. They really need to come out with real small trucks again.

 

I agree.

 

Kinda scratching my head. Where could you fit the Colorado where a reg cab couldnt? At highway speeds, yes, the 2.7l is a bit lacking but ive never felt underpowered offroad with stock tires.

 

It fits better in crowded narrow driveways on busy streets where parking on the street is impractical. In New Jersey the Tacoma induced extreme anxiety, but the Colorado fit in Miami with no drama. I once squeezed it into a designated "compact car" slot with space left between the lines. Easier to center on narrow roads, dodge potholes, and keep distance from other vehicles. I can also see where all 4 corners of the vehicle are and I don't have to guess, shift, contort, and hold my head down to know where I'm at. I did get really good at those things but I'm just tired of the bs due to lousy engineering.

The ext cab does have a horrific turning radius though. I've even driven the reg cab colorado and it's still pretty bad. The reg cab tacoma has a fantastic turning radius and often doesn't even need to do a 3-point to turn around. I could also fit it in driveways where the ext colorado would stick out too far.

 

Not really comparing apples to apples, but going from a 09 Sierra to a 14 Tacoma I have a few opinions! One of my main reasons for coming back to a Tacoma is because of the quality and the resale value. I also love the size and the overall look of the truck. The GMC I sold had 60k miles on it and IMO was junk, dash had cracked, rode very rough, just very poor quality. But the one thing I loved about it is all the features that came with it ie remote start heated seats on any model etc. I wish toyota would offer more creature comforts on all the Tacoma models and not just the top of the line model, but you can't have it all!

 

I absolutely cannot believe what I'm reading. As someone who, for the last six years, drove a Colorado for work and a Tacoma at home, I can tell you that the ONLY plus to the Colorado was that it was a column shifter and therefore had more room for equipment in the center console. That one minor thing aside, the Chevy Colorado is the biggest pile of junk truck ever produced by any manufacturer. As much as I tried to keep that vehicle maintained and functioning, it fought me every step of the way, costing the taxpayers untold amounts more than it was ever worth. When it finally completely died (at only 88,000 miles), and it was replaced by a Tacoma, I was the happiest man in the world. The only thing that will make me happier is to see its carcass dragged off to the scrap yard.

Comparing a Tacoma to a Colorado is like comparing a fine, perfectly cooked cut of meat to a moldy, rancid bowl of tofu.