Chevy Goes Straight After Tacoma TRD Pro With Colorado ZR2 Chart

[Gorehamj]

John Goreham
Contributing Writer, GM-Trucks.com
1-25-2017

Today, those Chevy fans (like me) who have signed up for updates on the awesome new Colorado ZR2 were e-mailed a chart highlighting the many advantages the ZR2 enjoys over the TRD Pro. On paper, it seems like a no brainer.

- The TRD pro uses a C-section frame, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 is fully boxed.

- The TRD Pro is offered in a V6 gas engine only. ZR2 offers a more powerful V6 or a diesel

- GM's Infotainment and connectivity are great. TRD Pro's is so two-thousand and late.

 

 

The TRD Pro looks pretty old-fashioned and basic compared to the new ZR2. Normally, this is a clever way to show how a new vehicle rocks and how an older design is fading away. However, in pickup trucks, particularly those that are specifically designed for off-road fun, "old-fashioned and basic" are considered benefits by many fans, as the surge in Nissan Frontier sales has proven. Chevy has us convinced, but the infographic smooths over the fact the TRD Pro can come with a stick shift and the ZR2 cannot. Toyota also wins the V6-with-automatic fuel economy comparison.

 

What say you, GM-trucks.com faithful? Is a stick shift a throwback nobody wants in a fun off-road truck?

[newdude]

Do you want to know what is funny about that comparison chart? The original release of that in the sales playbook (similar chart, but less fancy looking) included the new Raptor in there as well. No joke. Colorado wasn't far off actually for towing at 1000lbs less (6000lbs for the Raptor). Colorado had the diesel advantage. Suspension travel was less, and hp+torque (obviously) were less.

[barry G]

the real value is torque on the manual/auto argument.

gm has it so far over the top, keeping up with direct gearing and 100 ft lbs less is nothing to get perturbed over.

 

I do not like boxed frames, c-rails have a flex and extremely easy to fix when men act like men and break the wimpy trucks.

 

I'll get over it some day.

Tractor trailers at 120k pounds are still C-rails.. I think pickup trucks are getting away from higher grade springy stuff, the box is a tell tale sign.

 

zr2 diesel all the way for me. I will never do v6.

I would even put up with the frame that is going to bust suspension parts more than a C-rail does.

[Gorehamj]

Funny you should say that barry G. I was at the Toyota Tacoma media launch a couple years ago and the engineer that walked us through the truck's features. He said the C-channel was an advantage off-road. I though it was just BS, but I have heard that a few more times since from owners and fans.

[mookdoc6]

Motor Trend truck of the year 2years in a row! The ZR2 just flat absolutely owns the TACOMA! End of Story! with a Duramax? Unreal.....awesome truck!

[KARNUT]

Not me V6 all the way, just read a car and driver review on the 17 GM mid sized a real rocket. I'll be buying in the next two years.

[Colossus]

If they are so awesome.. they will sell quite well. But they won't.

[Jsdirt]

Truth be told, I think that Tacoma pic above looks 100x better than the Colorado. I like the look of the grille area.

[Daryl Z71]

Truth be told, I think that Tacoma pic above looks 100x better than the Colorado. I like the look of the grille area.

I don't like the front bumper on the ZR2, but everything else looks good to me.

[Colossus]

That can be fixed with an aftermarket bumper. Like a Ranch Hand.

[Swimmer8366]

I'm tthe worst person on get in on this. I dislike both but if I had to choose I think I would go with the Colorado because it is a diesel and just cut the front end off and go full custom hood grill bumper the head lights everything

 

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[NoProblem]

Hard to believe anyone would want a truck with a model name of TRD.

[truckofwinandawesome]

Hard to believe anyone would want a truck with a model name of TRD.

 

that is because TRD is actually an acronym for Toyota's in house performance brand; Toyota Racing Development. its pretty much the equivalent to Chevrolet Performance, Ford's Special Vehicle Team (shortened to SVT) and Chrysler's Street and Racing Technology (shortened to SRT) brand.

[RhinoGuy]

Good job, GM! it only took what, 10 years to compete with the competition?

 

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[Colossus]

Not really. The Colorado has only been out what.. 2 years now? The 1st gen was too small to be in the same class as the Taco.