Yahoo Autos Ford Ranger vs Chevy Colorado: 2024 Comparison
Midsize trucks have never been better. They’ve also never been newer at the same time, as three of the best sellers have been completely redesigned within two years of each other (four if you count the Colorado’s GMC Canyon twin). In this comparison of specs and impressions from Autoblog reviews, we look at the 2024 Ford Ranger and 2024 Chevrolet Colorado, including their performance off-road versions, the Ranger Raptor and Colorado ZR2.
Ultimately, which one of these midsize trucks is better for you probably comes down to personal need – are you looking for a work truck, a smaller and more maneuverable daily driver than a full-sizer, or a bad-ass, gorge-jumping off-road truck? Maybe something in between? Whatever the answer, there’s a decent chance the Ranger will be a better choice for one while the Colorado is better for another. It can also come down to your budget or how much equipment you’re looking for.
We take a look at various attributes below to see which of the Colorado and Ranger might be better suited to different priorities and preferences.
Which is more powerful?
Winner: Ford
The Ranger’s standard 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder produces 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. The Colorado Work Truck and LT trims have a 2.7-liter turbo-four good for 237 hp and 260 lb-ft. If you’re looking at lower trim level trucks, the Ranger has a big advantage. The Trail Boss and Z71 “high-output” version of the 2.7-liter cranks things up considerably to 310 hp and 391 lb-ft. The ZR2 produces 430 lb-ft. That’s obviously a considerable advantage over the Ford, but the Ranger will soon be available with a 2.7-liter turbo V6 good for 315 hp and 400 lb-ft of torque. We didn’t know which trim levels this will be offered with or how much it will cost at the time of this writing, especially relative the high-output Chevy trim levels.
Ultimately, then, this is a hard one to answer, but considering Chevy has no real answer for the Ranger Raptor’s 3.0-liter turbo V6 (405 hp, 430 lb-ft), we’re giving this one to Ford on the whole.
Which gets better fuel economy?
Winner: Ford
The Ranger’s standard 2.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder returns 22 mpg combined regardless of whether you get a rear- or four-wheel-drive truck. Opting for the 2.7-liter turbo V6 lowers fuel economy to 20 mpg combined. The Colorado’s standard 2.7-liter turbo-four manages 21 mpg combined with RWD and 20 mpg combined with 4WD. Its high-output 2.7-liter engine upgrade lowers fuel economy to 19 mpg combined (4WD only) or 16 mpg with the ZR2. Even the Ranger Raptor achieves 17, so advantage Ford across the board.
Which tows more?
Winner: Colorado
The Ranger’s max tow rating is 7,500 pounds, regardless of engine and drivetrain. The Colorado is 7,700 pounds, so it eeks this one out.
Which has a nicer interior?
Winner: Ranger
In terms of design, we would probably say the Colorado has the more attractive interior. That’s especially the case in upper trims that add padded simulated leather to interior surfaces and colorful contrasting stitching. That said, the Ranger has more consistent materials quality throughout its trim level lineup. There is a much bigger difference between the hard plastics found in a Colorado LT and the ritzier trappings in a Z71. Of course, if you really want a nice truck interior, checking out the Colorado’s GMC Canyon sibling is a good idea, especially the Denali.
Which has better infotainment technology?
Winner: Tie
This is really hard because both trucks have impressive touchscreen infotainment systems. Every Colorado has an 11.3-inch landscape-oriented touchscreen running a user-friendly interface with Google Built-in software that runs Google Maps and offers up additional apps from the Google Play Store. That’s in addition to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Ranger has two touchscreen size options, 10- and 12-inches, both of which are portrait-oriented. It’s actually a bit difficult to tell them apart. We like that you can split the screen between a new, square-orientation Apple recently devised for CarPlay along with an additional native Ford menu screen. We’re going to call this one a tie, because both Ford and Chevy systems are quite good, and it would really come down to personal preference.
