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Tacoma vs Colorado

brainhulk

brainhulk

Diamond Member
I'm just thinking about it right now. But which truck would you guys buy? I'm comparing the Tacoma TRD off road 4x4 vs the Colorado z71 4x4.

I am looking at the 4x4 versions because I used to dabble in rock crawling years ago. My friends have talked about getting back into it. Which one is more capable off road? I realize these are long trucks, so the chance of high centering is a bummer. Is there enough armor underneath to take some scrapes?

My wife complained that the ride was pretty harsh in her brother's 2nd gen Tacoma, are these new models any better? I ask because we may take it on road trips to go snowboarding or camping.

Reliability wise, I think the Taco's have a reputation to be tanks. Is that still the case? Was it the Tacoma that had frames prone to cracking? Or was it the Tundra? How does the new Colorado compare.

Maintenance wise, the only thing that alarmed me was the Tacoma rear drum brakes. Never done drums before, I just heard they were a PITA compared to discs.
 
brainhulk said:
I'm just thinking about it right now. But which truck would you guys buy? I'm comparing the Tacoma TRD off road 4x4 vs the Colorado z71 4x4.

I am looking at the 4x4 versions because I used to dabble in rock crawling years ago. My friends have talked about getting back into it. Which one is more capable off road? I realize these are long trucks, so the chance of high centering is a bummer. Is there enough armor underneath to take some scrapes?

My wife complained that the ride was pretty harsh in her brother's 2nd gen Tacoma, are these new models any better? I ask because we may take it on road trips to go snowboarding or camping.

Reliability wise, I think the Taco's have a reputation to be tanks. Is that still the case? Was it the Tacoma that had frames prone to cracking? Or was it the Tundra? How does the new Colorado compare.

Maintenance wise, the only thing that alarmed me was the Tacoma rear drum brakes. Never done drums before, I just heard they were a PITA compared to discs.
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I prefer the Tacoma just for the reliability factor. IMO and experience Toyota just makes a more reliable vehicle period. The current model is the third generation of the Tacoma.

I have a 2012 Tacoma ( 2nd Gen ) and it is great no issues at all. If however you are going to climb rocks you will probably want to upgrade the body armor at a minimum. The Tacoma's did have rust issues with the frames and have been and still are replacing the effected units. If you do not live in an area with salted and chemical treated roads you will not have any issues. Take care of it in other salty northern areas and you should not have any issues on the newer models.

Rear drum brakes are easy as long as you do one side at a time you have a built in guide. Plus they are better for the rear IMO. Disc Brakes are easier, but drums should last well over 100,000 miles.
 
pcgeek11 said:
I prefer the Tacoma just for the reliability factor. IMO and experience Toyota just makes a more reliable vehicle period. The current model is the third generation of the Tacoma.

I have a 2012 Tacoma ( 2nd Gen ) and it is great no issues at all. If however you are going to climb rocks you will probably want to upgrade the body armor at a minimum. The Tacoma's did have rust issues with the frames and have been and still are replacing the effected units. If you do not live in an area with salted and chemical treated roads you will not have any issues. Take care of it in other salty northern areas and you should not have any issues on the newer models.

Rear drum brakes are easy as long as you do one side at a time you have a built in guide. Plus they are better for the rear IMO. Disc Brakes are easier, but drums should last well over 100,000 miles.
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Thanks for the insight. I'm in California, so good to know I won't have any frame problems.
 
If you're worried about resale the Tacomas do not lose value. I bought a '17 Tacoma TRD sport a few months back and I like it. I had a e92 335 before this...
 
mztykal said:
If you're worried about resale the Tacomas do not lose value. I bought a '17 Tacoma TRD sport a few months back and I like it. I had a e92 335 before this...
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Sure they do. Just....slowly.

If I had $45k for a new truck today I would own a diesel ZR2 - and I am a dedicated Toyota fan. Turbodiesel, factory diff locks, factory rock sliders, and incredible suspension is very hard to argue with.
 
Not having seat height adjustment, even at the highest trim levels, is an automatic deal breaker for me in the Tacoma. It's laughable how much Toyota is milking their die hard Tacoma fans.
 
The only thing that even tempts me with the Chevy is the diesel. Even so I'd go Taco. resale value is just nuts. Plus it's a good truck. No doubt I'd buy the Tacoma.
 
I have a 2017 Tacoma SR5 4x2 myself, got it back in December. Only real complaint I have on it is the ride doesn't feel smooth compared to 2007 F-150 that I got in 2009; and a brand new 1999 GMC 1500. Other things are just minor, why didn't they put that in a $32k truck, gripes.

Living in central Texas, sometimes hilly, sometimes not. I get about 22-23 MPG. Driving to Houston and back to Austin nets me in the 21 range, driving 75 MPH for the most part in hilly areas. I'm happy with the MPG that I get out it, especially compared to the other two trucks mentioned and only a bit less compared to a Dodge Avenger V6 I had.

I would still had bought this truck over Colorado/Canyon.

15626215_10154324239653235_8568755037412304319_o.jpg
 
microAmp said:
I have a 2017 Tacoma SR5 4x2 myself, got it back in December. Only real complaint I have on it is the ride doesn't feel smooth compared to 2007 F-150 that I got in 2009; and a brand new 1999 GMC 1500. Other things are just minor, why didn't they put that in a $32k truck, gripes.

Living in central Texas, sometimes hilly, sometimes not. I get about 22-23 MPG. Driving to Houston and back to Austin nets me in the 21 range, driving 75 MPH for the most part in hilly areas. I'm happy with the MPG that I get out it, especially compared to the other two trucks mentioned and only a bit less compared to a Dodge Avenger V6 I had.

I would still had bought this truck over Colorado/Canyon.

15626215_10154324239653235_8568755037412304319_o.jpg
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I know aesthetics aren't terribly important, but I think the modern Tacomas have the best shade of blue out there. I don't see many, but every time I do I think "damn, that's a nice looking truck"
 
MuchTooSexy said:
http://www.motortrend.com/news/auto...t-colorado-zr2-vs-2017-toyota-tacoma-trd-pro/

perhaps not enough to persuade a taco diehard, but the zr2 is really worth a look. especially the diesel.
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I'm reading through that and looking at the pics... I'm like hmm, the chevy don't seem too bad. the front bumper means business, the diesel is cool. Then they say the chevy has leather seats and shows the interior....... good lord do GM interiors suck. don't care how good the rest of the truck is, no way I'm spending time in a fisher price play pen @ 35 grand.... did I say 35 grand, I meant 45 grand (starting at 41k)

I bet the diesel is awesome... just like the LS engine is awesome. someone somewhere said, if only GM could make the rest of the car as good as the engine. Sadly they don't, won't, or cant.....
 
You shouldn't be comparing the Z71 to the TRD Pro, you should be comparing the Zr2 to the TRD Pro, in which... The ZR2 destroys the Tacoma buy a texas mile.
 
Personally I would rather push a Tacoma than drive a GM of any type. I did hear that the ZR2 comes with a heated tailgate so your hands stay warm when pushing it in the winter. LOL
 
Tacoma will have much better aftermarket support out of the gate. Tacos are a tested design and just work. That being said, I'd take the ZR2 any day over any factory taco if I was going to use it off-road frequently (and wasn't going to build it myself).

No height adjustment on the taco seats kills it for me (I'm 6'4"). That being said, I do love the taco. I just wish they would put some more power in them.
 
Wuzup101 said:
Tacoma will have much better aftermarket support out of the gate. Tacos are a tested design and just work. That being said, I'd take the ZR2 any day over any factory taco if I was going to use it off-road frequently (and wasn't going to build it myself).

No height adjustment on the taco seats kills it for me (I'm 6'4"). That being said, I do love the taco. I just wish they would put some more power in them.
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The beauty of the ZR2 is that you don't really need aftermarket. It has a high clearance front bumper, rock sliders, front/rear lockers, and excellent suspension. It's basically set up perfectly to do what I do with a truck offroad.

If someone wants to mod the shit out of something, a new truck isn't what they should be looking at. I'm going to be sad watching people replace the ZR2's suspension with shitty aftermarket lifts...
 
jlee said:
The beauty of the ZR2 is that you don't really need aftermarket. It has a high clearance front bumper, rock sliders, front/rear lockers, and excellent suspension. It's basically set up perfectly to do what I do with a truck offroad.

If someone wants to mod the shit out of something, a new truck isn't what they should be looking at. I'm going to be sad watching people replace the ZR2's suspension with shitty aftermarket lifts...
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looks like someone agrees:
http://truckyeah.jalopnik.com/please-dont-put-a-lift-kit-on-your-chevy-colorado-zr2-1795181142
 
My parents are getting a tacoma. Prices are insane on those trucks. Even used they don't lose their value much.

At that price point I would get a larger truck like the Tundra. I can't talk my parents out of the Tacoma no matter how hard i try. I think they look great but man are they overpriced. Looking for the Ford Ranger to disrupt the market a little bit. The Honda Ridgeline is the truck to have according to Consumer Reports but no one buys them.
 
drbrock said:
My parents are getting a tacoma. Prices are insane on those trucks. Even used they don't lose their value much.

At that price point I would get a larger truck like the Tundra. I can't talk my parents out of the Tacoma no matter how hard i try. I think they look great but man are they overpriced. Looking for the Ford Ranger to disrupt the market a little bit. The Honda Ridgeline is the truck to have according to Consumer Reports but no one buys them.
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I see more Ridgelines than any other truck around here. But then, Vermont is a strange place.
 
Funny different regions have different tastes. South Florida is all Tacomas 60% and Colorado 30%. Pool guys and mobile car washes buy them up. I have maybe seen two or three Ridgelines since the new revamp.

Parents said the Honda is way more comfortable but they want a "real truck" to carry their groceries. I think the original Ridgeline ruined its reputation as far as toughness is concerned.

We have a Nissan Titan to tow the heavy stuff. So a truck is really just for appearance sake for the parents. People hate on the Titan but I like it more than my girlfriend's Tundra.
 
Had a 2005 Tacoma TRD off-road many years ago. I loved it, but objectively it wasn't that great:

1) Ride was not great...even for a truck
2) Transmission was terrible (manual)
3) interior did not not hold up well at all
4) Got terrible gas mileage
5) engine had tone revved too much for torque
6) had rust on body after just 5 years of ownership (with regular washing, etc). I also had a rust problem on my rear tailgate on our recent 2013 4Runner...seemed like a manuf defect just on the tailgate as it did not show up anywhere else).

I don't know enough about the Colorado to pick outright, but that Diesel engine would be tempting. We have a diesel in our Audi Q7. It fits a truck/SUV very well. The immediate torque is exactly what a heavy truck/SUV needs and the mileage is amazing (we're averaging over 25mpg with a 5400lb vehicle traveling in the mountains). I wouldn't buy a diesel for a car, but in a truck/SUV...it really fits well.
 
drbrock said:
My parents are getting a tacoma. Prices are insane on those trucks. Even used they don't lose their value much.

At that price point I would get a larger truck like the Tundra. I can't talk my parents out of the Tacoma no matter how hard i try. I think they look great but man are they overpriced. Looking for the Ford Ranger to disrupt the market a little bit. The Honda Ridgeline is the truck to have according to Consumer Reports but no one buys them.
Click to expand...


Well, the Ridgeline isn't exactly a real truck IMO. Aren't they still unibody?
 
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