Compared: 2023 Chevrolet Colorado vs. 2023 Toyota Tacoma
Chevrolet's redesigned midsize pickup truck poses a serious threat to the venerable Toyota.
Chevrolet | Toyota
Quicktakes:
Full-size pickup trucks aren't for everyone. They can come with massive price tags and steep fuel bills and can be cumbersome to drive in some situations. If you're looking for something more affordable, fuel friendly, and still capable, your search will lead you to trucks such as the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado and the 2023 Toyota Tacoma. These midsize trucks are popular but for different reasons.
Toyota
2023 Toyota Tacoma Is the Affordable Choice
The 2023 Toyota Tacoma is the more affordable of these two trucks, starting at around $29,000 for the rear-wheel drive (RWD) Tacoma SR. A four-cylinder engine, automatic transmission, four-passenger access cab, and 6-foot bed are standard.
A V6 is a $2,500 option, the double cab adds one more rear seat and shortens the bed by a foot for $1,000, and you can also get four-wheel drive (4WD) for about the same amount. The top TRD Pro trim only comes in double cab form with the V6 and 4WD for $51,000 with the automatic or $48,000 with the six-speed manual transmission.
Choosing a 2023 Chevy Colorado is simpler. Chevrolet only offers a five-passenger crew cab and short-box configuration, starting around $31,000 for a RWD WT model. Power comes from three versions of the same turbocharged four-cylinder engine found in its full-size Silverado sibling, mated to an automatic transmission. Adding 4WD moves the price closer to about $34,000. The better-equipped four-by-four Z71 model starts at about $42,000, while the off-road-oriented ZR2 is more than $48,000.
Chevrolet
2023 Chevrolet Colorado Offers More Standard Features
In addition to the Tacoma offering more choices in body styles, beds, and powertrain options, the TRD Off-Road and TRD Pro trims come with the unique Multi-Terrain Monitor. It provides views around the truck, with a special mode using cameras set into the side mirrors for close-ups along the sides of the vehicle.
While the Colorado only arrives with a crew cab and short-box layout, the Chevy offers more standard equipment, including a large 8.0-inch driver instrumentation display, an 11.0-inch infotainment screen, and support for wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It even offers features such as a heated steering wheel and ventilated front seats, which aren't available on the Toyota.
The Chevrolet truck can also be configured to tow up to 7,700 pounds, while the Toyota is limited to a maximum of only 6,800 pounds.
The Toyota Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado Go Head to Head in Fuel Economy
In two-wheel drive guise with an automatic transmission, the Tacoma delivers an EPA-estimated 20/23/21 mpg city/highway/combined in both four-cylinder models and 19/24/21 mpg in six-cylinder models.
The EPA-estimate for the 2023 Colorado returns 20/25/22 mpg for the four-cylinder-equipped 2WD Colorado.
All vehicle pricing includes MSRP plus destination charges (set at the time of publication), and will be rounded to the nearest thousand.
