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This is worth the read and a raving review of the 2024 Tacoma 
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road vs. 2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Comparison Test
Dan Edmunds
From the March/April 2024 issue of Car and Driver.
One could say we're in the glory days of mid-size pickups. Whereas full-size trucks have become plus-size, increasingly expensive, and ill suited to off-piste meandering, their junior counterpartsâwhile also growingâstill feel right when it comes to parking lots, fast-food drive-throughs, and off-road adventures. Manufacturers are finally lavishing attention on their mid-size trucks, and aftermarket outfitters' wealth of available upgrades and overlanding equipment nicely supplement factory off-road specials. It's an excellent time to buy a mid-size pickup.
Two of the most noteworthy truckmakers have recently laid fresh cards on the table. The completely new 2023 Chevrolet Colorado burst out of the gate last year, while a totally redone 2024 Toyota Tacoma is just beginning to reach dealers. Each vehicle has proved impressive in separate tests, but we wanted to see how they stacked up in a head-to-head contest. Not appearing in this tournament is the 2024 Ford Ranger, which wasn't ready in time. As for the Frontier, Nissan chose not to ante up.
We picked the TRD Off-Road to represent the Tacoma because it has been a consistently popular trim since its 1998 introduction. Toyota has changed the very bones of the fourth-generation Tacoma significantly, starting with a new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four backed by a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Six-speed Tacos have 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. But here, paired with the automatic, this new engine makes the same 278 horsepower as the outgoing V-6, and its 317 pound-feet represent a significant 52-lb-ft increase and peak a full 2900 rpm earlier. The TRD Off-Road's new chassis has roughly three extra inches of track width, and coil springs now support its live-axle hindquarters. Specific off-road equipment includes 32-inch BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A tires (up from 31), Bilstein monotube dampers, an electronically lockable rear differential, and the multiterrain and crawl-control systems found in the top TRD Pro trim. Toyota upgraded the Bilsteins from puny 36-mm units to beefier 46-mm models that are fortified with external reservoirs and position-sensitive end-stop control. Our truck also has an electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar, a new $1230 option. This, plus Solar Octane paint ($425), heated front seats ($585), the eight-speed automatic ($1100), and upgraded JBL audio with a 14-inch touchscreen ($845), nudged our truck's $43,295 base price to $47,480 as tested.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
For the Colorado, we chose the mighty ZR2 that had impressed us so much on an extended off-road romp across Nevada. This comparison test would have been a mismatch before the wide-track Tacoma appeared. And it still could be, because the ZR2's high-output turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four makes 310 horsepower and a mighty 430 pound-feet. It also has Multimatic spool-valve dampers, electronically lockable front and rear differentials, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. Its base price of $48,295 is $5000 higher than the Toyota's, but the next rung down in the Colorado lineup is the Z71, which is, with all due respect, a narrow-stance appearance package that would have been overmatched by the newly invigorated Tacoma. The ZR2 model lines up best with the TRD Off-Road. That sounded great until we realized that all we could lay our hands on was a loaded example with an as-tested price of $61,530. Of that, $500 was premium audio, $950 got us adaptive cruise plus rear pedestrian detection and a surround-view camera, $1000 brought in a sunroof, and $1490 went for ventilated leather-appointed front seats with memory, a heated steering wheel, and inductive phone charging. The remaining $9295 was for the Desert Boss package, which includes a 40-inch light bar atop a dubious bed-mounted "sport bar," beadlock-capable wheels, underbody cameras, and a front-bumper "safari bar" with built-in fog lights.
But we have faith in our scoring system, which deducts points for added cost just as it awards them for extra features. A quick scan of our results charts shows that things panned out in precisely that fashion: The extra cost was neatly neutralized, so our rankings boil down to a comparison of each truck's underlying goodness.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Interior and Exterior
There are no styling missteps in either truck, with the possible exception of the Hot Wheels nature of the Chevy's Desert Boss get-up. The ZR2 other wise looks mean and tightly drawn, while the Tacoma is resplendent in Toyota's creased and angular design language, which looks awkward on the Tundra. Getting into the driver's seats, on the other hand, is a very different experience that we noticed at Every. Single. Driver. Change. The ZR2's 26.5-inch step-up height counts as a stretching exercise, while the Toyota requires a more civilized 23.8-inch leg hike. It's a similar story when loading the bed, where the Chevy's 37.1-inch open tailgate height is a workout compared with the 34.2-inch Taco's. Despite the lower step-in height, the Tacoma has more ground clearanceâ11.0 inches compared with the ZR2's 10.7 inches.
Inside, the differences are stark. The Colorado has an extra inch of rear legroom that makes the aft compartment less tight, but it's mostly downhill from there. Its driving perch is somewhat upright, while the Tacoma's feels naturalâa marked improvement from previous models. The Tacoma's standard seat cloth is nowhere near as nice as, say, a 4Runner's, but that's about the only place where the Chevy has a material advantage. Chevrolet formed the Colorado's cabin from uninspiring stuff draped across an uninteresting landscape that offers little in the way of storage. The Tacoma's environs, on the other hand, are interesting and multilayered and manage to seamlessly include a storage shelf, a handy well near the shifter, and an inclined plane that holds two phones. Even the door pockets are massiveâenabled, perhaps, by the cabin's wider dimensions.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
But the controls are where the biggest differences lie. The Tacoma features a crisp 14.0-inch touchscreen that displays information clearly and mainly concerns itself with audio, navigation, and phone-mirroring functions. All the fixed controls are familiar and operate with supreme obviousness. The transfer-case shifter, drive-mode switch, terrain selector, and crawl-control button are all combined into a clever dial that looks like a miniature Millennium Falcon.
2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Highs: Looks badass, no slouch off-road, accomplished highway cruiser.
Lows: Touchscreen excess, underwhelming performance, guzzles gas.
Verdict: A great off-road truck let down by its interior and, surprisingly, its engine.
Conversely, the Chevy attempts to follow Tesla's lead and save a few pennies on switchgear. Numerous driving controls are confusingly intermixed with infotainment functions in the confines of the ZR2's smaller central touchscreen. Want to reset the trip odometer? That's a few layers deep in the menus. Need to initiate downhill-assist control? Ditto. Turn on the fog lights? Same, and the control is nowhere near the main headlight settings, also buried in the touchscreen. The Desert Boss light bar, however, comes on with a flick of the lone auxiliary switch on a panel below the climate controls. Three exterior lights; three unrelated places to control them. Meanwhile, our TRD Off-Road didn't have any auxiliary switches, but the Premium and Upgrade packages come with a trio that occupies blanks on the dash behind the conventional headlight stalk.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
In pure trucking terms, our TRD Off-Road's 1200-pound payload bests the ZR2's 1084-pound rating. It can tow up to 6300 pounds, while a manual-equipped TRD Off-Roadâa thing you can buyâtows 6400 pounds. Meanwhile, the ZR2 is good for 5500 pounds with the Desert Boss package and 6000 pounds without it. The Tacoma's time-tested composite bed returnsâarguably a better solution than the Chevy's spray-in bedlinerâcomplete with its system of deck rails and movable cleats that accompany four fixed tie-downs. Inside, both trucks have rear seat cushions that flip up, but the enclosed space that's revealed is notably larger in the Toyota. What's more, the Tacoma's 60/40 seatbacks also fold flat, so you can stack stuff on top of them. The Colorado's don't.
Powertrain and Performance
On paper, the ZR2 should have crushed the Tacoma, as its high-output turbo 2.7-liter four makes considerably more horsepower and gobs more torque than the Tacoma's similar but smaller 2.4-liter engine. Sure, the Desert Boss package adds weight, but only 180 pounds compared with a regular ZR2 we've measured. The 5106-pound Desert Boss still has a marginally better power-to-weight ratio than the 4671-pound Toyota, and its 24 percent torque-to-weight advantage is undeniable. In fact, we had an excuse ready had the TRD Off-Road been slower: "Of course it is. The ZR2 has 32 extra horsepower and 113 pound-feet more torque. The optional iForce Max with 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet will soon be available to level that playing field."
Turns out, we didn't need to deploy those qualifiers because the TRD Off-Road matched the ZR2 to 60 mph (6.8 seconds), in the quarter-mile (15.2 seconds), from 5 to 60 mph (8.1 seconds), and from 30 to 50 mph (3.9 seconds). Moreover, its quarter-mile trap speed was 92 mph versus the ZR2's 89 mph, and its 4.7-second 50-to-70-mph passing time was seven-tenths quicker.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Away from the test track, the ZR2 doesn't feel like it has an underhood advantage. In fact, it exhibits less gumption and willingness to respond to various throttle proddings. At best, this could be a minor plus when tiptoeing over rocks, where the ZR2 offered a wee bit more delicate control. Mostly, though, the Tacoma's turbo 2.4- liter always felt more ready, willing, and able. Its transmission in the default setting was more eager to downshift and keep the party going than the ZR2's was in Baja mode. As a bonus, the Tacoma's mill even produces an intermittent whiff of part-throttle turbo whistle that senior editor Elana Scherr likened to a tooth-deprived six-year-old singing about selling seashells by the seashore. Its idle racket, on the other hand, is less endearing.
Despite its eager demeanor, the TRD Off-Road wins big at the pump, where its EPA estimates of 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined destroy the ZR2's 16-mpg across-the-board (city, highway, and combined) ratings. The Chevy returned 14 mpg on our round trip to Borrego Springs, California; the Toyota averaged 19 mpg. This lopsided result was obvious at gas stops, where the ZR2 typically drank three additional gallons. Even though the Chevy has the larger fuel tank, the Toyota still delivers superior range.
Driving Experience
On the highway, the ZR2 is a secure and confident cruiser you could easily drive cross-country, accompanied by the low-frequency road hum generated by its knobby treads. But the straight-ahead surety of the steering turns to heavy reluctance in corners, where the Chevy feels like it would rather not bother. Its brakes are likewise a bit sluggish, as the effort-versus-output relationship is a bit lacking. Our tests back up both points: The ZR2's big Goodyears only manage 0.72 g on the skidpad and longish 186-foot stops from 70 mph.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
The Toyota feels much more eager when it's time to crank in some steering and squeeze the brakes, to the point that we'd call it a deft handler, engaging on the sorts of twisty roads that invariably lead to a trailhead. In places where the Colorado feels recalcitrant, the Tacoma is ready to play along. The subjective differences feel more substantial than they measure at the track, where the TRD Off-Road's tires grip to the tune of 0.77 g and haul the truck to a stop from 70 mph in 179 feet. The Tacoma would likely have stopped even shorter and bested the Colorado by a few more feet, but its ABS's coarse activation lengthened the stop.
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road
Highs: Engine punches above its weight, off-road goodness, deft handling.
Lows: Back-seat legroom, low-rent seat cloth, gruff idle.
Verdict: Toyota is clearly committed to Tacoma excellence.
On the suspension front, the ZR2's secret sauce has always been its superior dampers. Back in the day, the Chevy S-10 ZR2's 46-mm Bilsteins were demonstrably superior to the first-gen TRD Tacoma's 36s [see "Reeling in the Years," below]. Today, the Colorado fields Multimatic dampers with excellent fade resistance, while the TRD Off-Road brings substantially upgraded Bilsteins. Combine them with Toyota's newly available coil-sprung rear axle, and the difference comes down to tuning. On pavement, the ZR2 generally feels better able to isolate small cracks and certain coarse road textures, but it can feel jiggly too. On rock, sand wash, and washboard, any underlying softness is overshadowed by a tendency for shake and some lateral skittishness in corners that we attribute to its leaf-sprung rear end. The Tacoma's new configuration works extremely well off-road and on, where its rear suspension keeps the tires securely planted. There's no discernible skittishness or hop from the rear, even when you're traversing lumpy corners or laying on the power in sandy wash bottoms. It does feel a bit firmer at times, but the damping clamps down any unwanted after-shake, making the new Bilsteins feel absolutely dialed in.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
In slower off-road-going, the ZR2's suspension does not flex as readily. What's more, its 461-point score on our ramp travel index also trailed the previous generation's 501-point test result. It's a curious bit of backsliding, likely due to the newest ZR2's longer wheelbase and revised anti-roll-bar linkage that comes with the otherwise improved front suspension. It does have a locking front differential, whereas the Toyota doesn't, but reduced flex means you're more likely to lean on that crutch. The TRD Off-Road's anti-roll-bar disconnect improves articulation measured on the ramp from a nominal 411 points with the bar fixed to 489 with it unlocked. It operates in both two- and four-wheel drive, and running unlocked is a great way to reduce head toss on lumpy trails. It automatically reconnects when the vehicle speed exceeds 18 mph, which is fine, but we have qualms with Toyota's half-considered logic after that. On trails where you may dither above and below that speed, it'll lock above 18 mph and stay that way until you press the button again, even if you've subsequently slowed. Jeep knows better, as it programmed Rubicons to recognize that speeds vary on meandering tracks. Their bar automatically re-unlocks when you slow if your speed history indicates you haven't exited the trail.
And the Winner Is...
We were so impressed when the ZR2 first came out that we doubted Toyota could pull ahead again, but the new Tacoma proves that it absolutely has. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road is the clear winner here. It's also on a different plane of existence from the aged truck it replaces. It goes about its business with enthusiasm in terms of powertrain response and handling, and it's quite capable off-road. Its interior is smart and easy to live with, and it's more entertaining to drive on your way to the dirt.
View Photos
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
With respect to the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, this result came as a surprise. Not only have we been consistently amazed by the new ZR2, but its list of advantages seemed long. We fretted about a crushing victory, a bad pairing that would provoke angry letters. But the inconvenience of the Chevy's interior stands in stark contrast to the Tacoma's, and its playful off-road nature and theoretically more powerful motor don't show up on pavement. None of this changes the fact that it's a solid off-road truck, but it's now clear there is room for improvement.
Reeling In the Years
The mid-'90s Chevrolet S-10 ZR2 was the inspiration for the original Tacoma TRD Off-Road package, and Toyota used one as a reference vehicle throughout the testing and tuning of the then-unnamed off-road package at its Arizona proving ground. How do we know? C/D technical editor Dan Edmunds worked there, and he spearheaded the suspension development of that first Taco supreme and successfully lobbied for the purchase of an S-10 ZR2 as a target vehicle. That first-generation effort never quite matched the ZR2 because the bean counters couldn't be persuaded to give the Tacoma the S-10 ZR2's larger-diameter Bilsteins and wide-stance suspension. But the 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-Road finally has those features. This comparison is merely the latest round in a 30-year-old rivalry.
Specifications
2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $48,295/$61,530
Options: Desert Boss package (40-inch light bar, bed-mounted sport bar, beadlock-capable wheels, underbody cameras, "Safari" front bumper with built-in fog lamps), $9295; ventilated front seats with memory, heated steering wheel, inductive phone charging, $1490; sunroof, $1000; adaptive cruise-control with pedestrian detection, surround-view camera, $950; premium audio, $500
ENGINE
turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 166 in3, 2727 cm3
Power: 310 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 430 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT
LT285/70R-17 116/113Q POR TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.4 in
Length: 212.7 in
Width: 76.3 in
Height: 77.4 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 56/43 ft3
Payload, Max/As Tested: 1151/1084 lb
Towing, Max/As Tested: 6000/5500 lb
Curb Weight: 5106 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
30 mph: 2.0 sec
60 mph: 6.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 89 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5â60 mph: 8.1 sec
Top Gear, 30â50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top Gear, 50â70 mph: 5.4 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 98 mph
Braking, 70â0 mph: 186 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.72 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 16/16/16 mpg
--
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $43,295/$47,480
Options: electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar, $1230; 8-speed automatic transmission, $1110; JBL audio system with 14-inch touchscreen display, $845; heated front seats, $585; Solar Octane paint, $425
ENGINE
turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2393 cm3
Power: 278 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 317 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/12.2-in vented disc
Tires: BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
265/70R-17 115S M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.9 in
Length: 213.0 in
Width: 77.9 in
Height: 74.6 in
Passenger Volume, FR: 56/43 ft3
Payload, Max/As Tested: 1200/1200 lb
Towing, Max/As Tested: 6400/6300 lb
Curb Weight: 4671 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
30 mph: 2.2 sec
60 mph: 6.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.5 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5â60 mph: 8.1 sec
Top Gear, 30â50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top Gear, 50â70 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70â0 mph: 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 19 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/19/23 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road vs. 2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Comparison Test
Dan Edmunds
From the March/April 2024 issue of Car and Driver.
One could say we're in the glory days of mid-size pickups. Whereas full-size trucks have become plus-size, increasingly expensive, and ill suited to off-piste meandering, their junior counterpartsâwhile also growingâstill feel right when it comes to parking lots, fast-food drive-throughs, and off-road adventures. Manufacturers are finally lavishing attention on their mid-size trucks, and aftermarket outfitters' wealth of available upgrades and overlanding equipment nicely supplement factory off-road specials. It's an excellent time to buy a mid-size pickup.
Two of the most noteworthy truckmakers have recently laid fresh cards on the table. The completely new 2023 Chevrolet Colorado burst out of the gate last year, while a totally redone 2024 Toyota Tacoma is just beginning to reach dealers. Each vehicle has proved impressive in separate tests, but we wanted to see how they stacked up in a head-to-head contest. Not appearing in this tournament is the 2024 Ford Ranger, which wasn't ready in time. As for the Frontier, Nissan chose not to ante up.
We picked the TRD Off-Road to represent the Tacoma because it has been a consistently popular trim since its 1998 introduction. Toyota has changed the very bones of the fourth-generation Tacoma significantly, starting with a new turbocharged 2.4-liter inline-four backed by a six-speed manual or eight-speed automatic transmission. Six-speed Tacos have 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. But here, paired with the automatic, this new engine makes the same 278 horsepower as the outgoing V-6, and its 317 pound-feet represent a significant 52-lb-ft increase and peak a full 2900 rpm earlier. The TRD Off-Road's new chassis has roughly three extra inches of track width, and coil springs now support its live-axle hindquarters. Specific off-road equipment includes 32-inch BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A tires (up from 31), Bilstein monotube dampers, an electronically lockable rear differential, and the multiterrain and crawl-control systems found in the top TRD Pro trim. Toyota upgraded the Bilsteins from puny 36-mm units to beefier 46-mm models that are fortified with external reservoirs and position-sensitive end-stop control. Our truck also has an electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar, a new $1230 option. This, plus Solar Octane paint ($425), heated front seats ($585), the eight-speed automatic ($1100), and upgraded JBL audio with a 14-inch touchscreen ($845), nudged our truck's $43,295 base price to $47,480 as tested.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
For the Colorado, we chose the mighty ZR2 that had impressed us so much on an extended off-road romp across Nevada. This comparison test would have been a mismatch before the wide-track Tacoma appeared. And it still could be, because the ZR2's high-output turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four makes 310 horsepower and a mighty 430 pound-feet. It also has Multimatic spool-valve dampers, electronically lockable front and rear differentials, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. Its base price of $48,295 is $5000 higher than the Toyota's, but the next rung down in the Colorado lineup is the Z71, which is, with all due respect, a narrow-stance appearance package that would have been overmatched by the newly invigorated Tacoma. The ZR2 model lines up best with the TRD Off-Road. That sounded great until we realized that all we could lay our hands on was a loaded example with an as-tested price of $61,530. Of that, $500 was premium audio, $950 got us adaptive cruise plus rear pedestrian detection and a surround-view camera, $1000 brought in a sunroof, and $1490 went for ventilated leather-appointed front seats with memory, a heated steering wheel, and inductive phone charging. The remaining $9295 was for the Desert Boss package, which includes a 40-inch light bar atop a dubious bed-mounted "sport bar," beadlock-capable wheels, underbody cameras, and a front-bumper "safari bar" with built-in fog lights.
But we have faith in our scoring system, which deducts points for added cost just as it awards them for extra features. A quick scan of our results charts shows that things panned out in precisely that fashion: The extra cost was neatly neutralized, so our rankings boil down to a comparison of each truck's underlying goodness.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Interior and Exterior
There are no styling missteps in either truck, with the possible exception of the Hot Wheels nature of the Chevy's Desert Boss get-up. The ZR2 other wise looks mean and tightly drawn, while the Tacoma is resplendent in Toyota's creased and angular design language, which looks awkward on the Tundra. Getting into the driver's seats, on the other hand, is a very different experience that we noticed at Every. Single. Driver. Change. The ZR2's 26.5-inch step-up height counts as a stretching exercise, while the Toyota requires a more civilized 23.8-inch leg hike. It's a similar story when loading the bed, where the Chevy's 37.1-inch open tailgate height is a workout compared with the 34.2-inch Taco's. Despite the lower step-in height, the Tacoma has more ground clearanceâ11.0 inches compared with the ZR2's 10.7 inches.
Inside, the differences are stark. The Colorado has an extra inch of rear legroom that makes the aft compartment less tight, but it's mostly downhill from there. Its driving perch is somewhat upright, while the Tacoma's feels naturalâa marked improvement from previous models. The Tacoma's standard seat cloth is nowhere near as nice as, say, a 4Runner's, but that's about the only place where the Chevy has a material advantage. Chevrolet formed the Colorado's cabin from uninspiring stuff draped across an uninteresting landscape that offers little in the way of storage. The Tacoma's environs, on the other hand, are interesting and multilayered and manage to seamlessly include a storage shelf, a handy well near the shifter, and an inclined plane that holds two phones. Even the door pockets are massiveâenabled, perhaps, by the cabin's wider dimensions.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
But the controls are where the biggest differences lie. The Tacoma features a crisp 14.0-inch touchscreen that displays information clearly and mainly concerns itself with audio, navigation, and phone-mirroring functions. All the fixed controls are familiar and operate with supreme obviousness. The transfer-case shifter, drive-mode switch, terrain selector, and crawl-control button are all combined into a clever dial that looks like a miniature Millennium Falcon.
2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Highs: Looks badass, no slouch off-road, accomplished highway cruiser.
Lows: Touchscreen excess, underwhelming performance, guzzles gas.
Verdict: A great off-road truck let down by its interior and, surprisingly, its engine.
Conversely, the Chevy attempts to follow Tesla's lead and save a few pennies on switchgear. Numerous driving controls are confusingly intermixed with infotainment functions in the confines of the ZR2's smaller central touchscreen. Want to reset the trip odometer? That's a few layers deep in the menus. Need to initiate downhill-assist control? Ditto. Turn on the fog lights? Same, and the control is nowhere near the main headlight settings, also buried in the touchscreen. The Desert Boss light bar, however, comes on with a flick of the lone auxiliary switch on a panel below the climate controls. Three exterior lights; three unrelated places to control them. Meanwhile, our TRD Off-Road didn't have any auxiliary switches, but the Premium and Upgrade packages come with a trio that occupies blanks on the dash behind the conventional headlight stalk.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
In pure trucking terms, our TRD Off-Road's 1200-pound payload bests the ZR2's 1084-pound rating. It can tow up to 6300 pounds, while a manual-equipped TRD Off-Roadâa thing you can buyâtows 6400 pounds. Meanwhile, the ZR2 is good for 5500 pounds with the Desert Boss package and 6000 pounds without it. The Tacoma's time-tested composite bed returnsâarguably a better solution than the Chevy's spray-in bedlinerâcomplete with its system of deck rails and movable cleats that accompany four fixed tie-downs. Inside, both trucks have rear seat cushions that flip up, but the enclosed space that's revealed is notably larger in the Toyota. What's more, the Tacoma's 60/40 seatbacks also fold flat, so you can stack stuff on top of them. The Colorado's don't.
Powertrain and Performance
On paper, the ZR2 should have crushed the Tacoma, as its high-output turbo 2.7-liter four makes considerably more horsepower and gobs more torque than the Tacoma's similar but smaller 2.4-liter engine. Sure, the Desert Boss package adds weight, but only 180 pounds compared with a regular ZR2 we've measured. The 5106-pound Desert Boss still has a marginally better power-to-weight ratio than the 4671-pound Toyota, and its 24 percent torque-to-weight advantage is undeniable. In fact, we had an excuse ready had the TRD Off-Road been slower: "Of course it is. The ZR2 has 32 extra horsepower and 113 pound-feet more torque. The optional iForce Max with 326 horsepower and 465 pound-feet will soon be available to level that playing field."
Turns out, we didn't need to deploy those qualifiers because the TRD Off-Road matched the ZR2 to 60 mph (6.8 seconds), in the quarter-mile (15.2 seconds), from 5 to 60 mph (8.1 seconds), and from 30 to 50 mph (3.9 seconds). Moreover, its quarter-mile trap speed was 92 mph versus the ZR2's 89 mph, and its 4.7-second 50-to-70-mph passing time was seven-tenths quicker.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Away from the test track, the ZR2 doesn't feel like it has an underhood advantage. In fact, it exhibits less gumption and willingness to respond to various throttle proddings. At best, this could be a minor plus when tiptoeing over rocks, where the ZR2 offered a wee bit more delicate control. Mostly, though, the Tacoma's turbo 2.4- liter always felt more ready, willing, and able. Its transmission in the default setting was more eager to downshift and keep the party going than the ZR2's was in Baja mode. As a bonus, the Tacoma's mill even produces an intermittent whiff of part-throttle turbo whistle that senior editor Elana Scherr likened to a tooth-deprived six-year-old singing about selling seashells by the seashore. Its idle racket, on the other hand, is less endearing.
Despite its eager demeanor, the TRD Off-Road wins big at the pump, where its EPA estimates of 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined destroy the ZR2's 16-mpg across-the-board (city, highway, and combined) ratings. The Chevy returned 14 mpg on our round trip to Borrego Springs, California; the Toyota averaged 19 mpg. This lopsided result was obvious at gas stops, where the ZR2 typically drank three additional gallons. Even though the Chevy has the larger fuel tank, the Toyota still delivers superior range.
Driving Experience
On the highway, the ZR2 is a secure and confident cruiser you could easily drive cross-country, accompanied by the low-frequency road hum generated by its knobby treads. But the straight-ahead surety of the steering turns to heavy reluctance in corners, where the Chevy feels like it would rather not bother. Its brakes are likewise a bit sluggish, as the effort-versus-output relationship is a bit lacking. Our tests back up both points: The ZR2's big Goodyears only manage 0.72 g on the skidpad and longish 186-foot stops from 70 mph.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
The Toyota feels much more eager when it's time to crank in some steering and squeeze the brakes, to the point that we'd call it a deft handler, engaging on the sorts of twisty roads that invariably lead to a trailhead. In places where the Colorado feels recalcitrant, the Tacoma is ready to play along. The subjective differences feel more substantial than they measure at the track, where the TRD Off-Road's tires grip to the tune of 0.77 g and haul the truck to a stop from 70 mph in 179 feet. The Tacoma would likely have stopped even shorter and bested the Colorado by a few more feet, but its ABS's coarse activation lengthened the stop.
2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road
Highs: Engine punches above its weight, off-road goodness, deft handling.
Lows: Back-seat legroom, low-rent seat cloth, gruff idle.
Verdict: Toyota is clearly committed to Tacoma excellence.
On the suspension front, the ZR2's secret sauce has always been its superior dampers. Back in the day, the Chevy S-10 ZR2's 46-mm Bilsteins were demonstrably superior to the first-gen TRD Tacoma's 36s [see "Reeling in the Years," below]. Today, the Colorado fields Multimatic dampers with excellent fade resistance, while the TRD Off-Road brings substantially upgraded Bilsteins. Combine them with Toyota's newly available coil-sprung rear axle, and the difference comes down to tuning. On pavement, the ZR2 generally feels better able to isolate small cracks and certain coarse road textures, but it can feel jiggly too. On rock, sand wash, and washboard, any underlying softness is overshadowed by a tendency for shake and some lateral skittishness in corners that we attribute to its leaf-sprung rear end. The Tacoma's new configuration works extremely well off-road and on, where its rear suspension keeps the tires securely planted. There's no discernible skittishness or hop from the rear, even when you're traversing lumpy corners or laying on the power in sandy wash bottoms. It does feel a bit firmer at times, but the damping clamps down any unwanted after-shake, making the new Bilsteins feel absolutely dialed in.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
In slower off-road-going, the ZR2's suspension does not flex as readily. What's more, its 461-point score on our ramp travel index also trailed the previous generation's 501-point test result. It's a curious bit of backsliding, likely due to the newest ZR2's longer wheelbase and revised anti-roll-bar linkage that comes with the otherwise improved front suspension. It does have a locking front differential, whereas the Toyota doesn't, but reduced flex means you're more likely to lean on that crutch. The TRD Off-Road's anti-roll-bar disconnect improves articulation measured on the ramp from a nominal 411 points with the bar fixed to 489 with it unlocked. It operates in both two- and four-wheel drive, and running unlocked is a great way to reduce head toss on lumpy trails. It automatically reconnects when the vehicle speed exceeds 18 mph, which is fine, but we have qualms with Toyota's half-considered logic after that. On trails where you may dither above and below that speed, it'll lock above 18 mph and stay that way until you press the button again, even if you've subsequently slowed. Jeep knows better, as it programmed Rubicons to recognize that speeds vary on meandering tracks. Their bar automatically re-unlocks when you slow if your speed history indicates you haven't exited the trail.
And the Winner Is...
We were so impressed when the ZR2 first came out that we doubted Toyota could pull ahead again, but the new Tacoma proves that it absolutely has. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road is the clear winner here. It's also on a different plane of existence from the aged truck it replaces. It goes about its business with enthusiasm in terms of powertrain response and handling, and it's quite capable off-road. Its interior is smart and easy to live with, and it's more entertaining to drive on your way to the dirt.
Marc Urbano | Car and Driver
With respect to the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, this result came as a surprise. Not only have we been consistently amazed by the new ZR2, but its list of advantages seemed long. We fretted about a crushing victory, a bad pairing that would provoke angry letters. But the inconvenience of the Chevy's interior stands in stark contrast to the Tacoma's, and its playful off-road nature and theoretically more powerful motor don't show up on pavement. None of this changes the fact that it's a solid off-road truck, but it's now clear there is room for improvement.
Reeling In the Years
The mid-'90s Chevrolet S-10 ZR2 was the inspiration for the original Tacoma TRD Off-Road package, and Toyota used one as a reference vehicle throughout the testing and tuning of the then-unnamed off-road package at its Arizona proving ground. How do we know? C/D technical editor Dan Edmunds worked there, and he spearheaded the suspension development of that first Taco supreme and successfully lobbied for the purchase of an S-10 ZR2 as a target vehicle. That first-generation effort never quite matched the ZR2 because the bean counters couldn't be persuaded to give the Tacoma the S-10 ZR2's larger-diameter Bilsteins and wide-stance suspension. But the 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-Road finally has those features. This comparison is merely the latest round in a 30-year-old rivalry.
Specifications
2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $48,295/$61,530
Options: Desert Boss package (40-inch light bar, bed-mounted sport bar, beadlock-capable wheels, underbody cameras, "Safari" front bumper with built-in fog lamps), $9295; ventilated front seats with memory, heated steering wheel, inductive phone charging, $1490; sunroof, $1000; adaptive cruise-control with pedestrian detection, surround-view camera, $950; premium audio, $500
ENGINE
turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, direct fuel injection
Displacement: 166 in3, 2727 cm3
Power: 310 hp @ 5600 rpm
Torque: 430 lb-ft @ 3000 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/13.3-in vented disc
Tires: Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT
LT285/70R-17 116/113Q POR TPC
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.4 in
Length: 212.7 in
Width: 76.3 in
Height: 77.4 in
Passenger Volume, F/R: 56/43 ft3
Payload, Max/As Tested: 1151/1084 lb
Towing, Max/As Tested: 6000/5500 lb
Curb Weight: 5106 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
30 mph: 2.0 sec
60 mph: 6.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 89 mph
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5â60 mph: 8.1 sec
Top Gear, 30â50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top Gear, 50â70 mph: 5.4 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 98 mph
Braking, 70â0 mph: 186 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.72 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 14 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 16/16/16 mpg
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2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road
Vehicle Type: front-engine, rear/4-wheel-drive, 5-passenger, 4-door pickup
PRICE
Base/As Tested: $43,295/$47,480
Options: electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar, $1230; 8-speed automatic transmission, $1110; JBL audio system with 14-inch touchscreen display, $845; heated front seats, $585; Solar Octane paint, $425
ENGINE
turbocharged DOHC 16-valve inline-4, aluminum block and head, port and direct fuel injection
Displacement: 146 in3, 2393 cm3
Power: 278 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque: 317 lb-ft @ 1700 rpm
TRANSMISSION
8-speed automatic
CHASSIS
Suspension, F/R: control arms/live axle
Brakes, F/R: 13.4-in vented disc/12.2-in vented disc
Tires: BFGoodrich Trail-Terrain T/A
265/70R-17 115S M+S
DIMENSIONS
Wheelbase: 131.9 in
Length: 213.0 in
Width: 77.9 in
Height: 74.6 in
Passenger Volume, FR: 56/43 ft3
Payload, Max/As Tested: 1200/1200 lb
Towing, Max/As Tested: 6400/6300 lb
Curb Weight: 4671 lb
C/D TEST RESULTS
30 mph: 2.2 sec
60 mph: 6.8 sec
1/4-Mile: 15.2 sec @ 92 mph
100 mph: 18.5 sec
Results above omit 1-ft rollout of 0.3 sec.
Rolling Start, 5â60 mph: 8.1 sec
Top Gear, 30â50 mph: 3.9 sec
Top Gear, 50â70 mph: 4.7 sec
Top Speed (gov ltd): 107 mph
Braking, 70â0 mph: 179 ft
Roadholding, 300-ft Skidpad: 0.77 g
C/D FUEL ECONOMY
Observed: 19 mpg
EPA FUEL ECONOMY
Combined/City/Highway: 21/19/23 mpg
C/D TESTING EXPLAINED
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