Colorado ZR2 Dubbed ‘Cooler’ Than Tacoma TRD Pro
Capability, road manners, efficiency, and good looks make the Colorado ZR2 the best mid-size truck on the market.
We’ve spent more than enough time lamenting about the amazing Chevy Colorado ZR2 in the past, and for good reason. This mid-size maven of off-road trails has proven itself more than capable of competing with trucks far more expensive. And oftentimes, far more ballyhooed. But we aren’t the only ones singing the praises of the Colorado ZR2, of course. In fact, auto tester extraordinaire Doug DeMuro thinks pretty highly of it, too.
The difference between DeMuro’s reviews and most everyone else’s, of course, is the extreme level of detail he delves into with each one. But his verdict for the Colorado ZR2 is actually rather simple. He declares it “a lot cooler than all the other midsize pickups” on the market. Which, as he admits, is a pretty bold claim. But there are a few good reasons why the Colorado ZR2 beats out trucks like the Tacoma TRD Pro.
First up – aggressive styling with a bit of retro flair. “All these off-roader pickups have cool chunky tires, but the Colorado takes things a bit further with a lift kit. And, my personal favorite, a big light bar over the bed that reminds me of cool off-road trucks from the 1980s,” DeMuro said. And then there’s all of that purpose-built off-road kit. “Frankly, between the styling and all the off-road goodies, the entire package is pretty compelling.”
DeMuro found the ZR2’s diesel engine “intriguing” and its 369 lb-ft of torque “shocking” given the truck’s towing capacity and solid fuel mileage. He didn’t personally care for the oil burner’s slow acceleration or noise, however, but admits it’s the obvious choice for those looking to tow a lot. Bottom line? “It looks cool, it has a lot of cool off-roady bits, it’s shockingly capable, it drives well, and it has a fuel-efficient powertrain.” Sounds like the perfect mid-size truck to us!
