Colorado Z71 vs. Tacoma TRD: Off-Road Shootout
Despite one glaring technological disadvantage, the Colorado Z71 holds its own in tough conditions.
For several years, America decided to exit the mid-size truck market, deeming it doomed. But Toyota and Nissan never wavered, and instead continued to sell the heck out of these smaller pickups. But Chevy returned to the segment stronger than ever with the Colorado. And to do battle with the off-road prepped Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, they rolled out a fantastic, high-tech toy in the form of the Colorado ZR2. But for those who don’t want to spend the extra coin for a hardcore off-roader, a cheaper alternative exists in the Colorado Z71.
The Colorado Z71, like the regular TRD, doesn’t get the press that its more expensive, more hardcore brother enjoys. So it was refreshing to see this video from The Drivers Seat pop up recently comparing the two. Not just on paved roads, mind you. But rather in proper off-road conditions like sandy beaches and a rocky trail. Even better, they kick things off by purposely getting stuck in deep sand.
In these kinds of conditions, the Tacoma has a bit of a technological edge. Engaging both trucks in 4Hi and 4Lo, neither is capable of getting out of the deep sand under its own power. But the Toyota also comes equipped with crawl control, which enables it to escape without a tow.
Coming into the rock crawling test, the Tacoma holds a few edges as well. With one-inch more ground clearance and a greater angle of approach, it seems like the early favorite. TDS did remove the plastic air dam from the Colorado Z71 to make it more of a fair comparison. As a result, the Chevy managed to clear both rock obstacles in 4Lo. The Tacoma, on the other hand, couldn’t do it without engaging crawl control.
So, while the Colorado Z71 might not come equipped with virtually autonomous off-road wizardry, in this case, it didn’t need it. Unless you decided to purposely get yourself stuck in deep sand, that is!
