2015 Colorado Vs. 2014 Tacoma: Side by Side
Not only did the 2015 Chevrolet Colorado call out its main competition — the 2014 Toyota Tacoma — during its debut at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show, but many of its design cues are ripe for comparison as well. Both trucks look to be about the same height and length (at least in the four-door, short-bed versions), but there are some design distinctions. And from what we've seen from crawling underneath both, there's likely to be a pretty good weight difference as well.
We don't have a lot of details about specifications for the Colorado's different wheelbase and cab configurations, and we know Toyota is planning on a big redesign of the Tacoma in the near future, but we'd guess these two trucks will be battling for years to come. And from the way the Toyota and Nissan design and engineering teams were poring over the new GM midsize, there are likely to be some revisions and updates on both the Tacoma and Frontier in the near future.
Although we have no word how different or similar the new GMC Canyon will be to the Colorado, we're hearing many of the separation strategies that were in play for the Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra half-tons will work in similar ways with the smaller pickups. Does that mean a Denali Canyon or All Terrain package? We don't know, but if GM gets the right feedback, there's no reason there can't be a premium-priced midsize pickup.
Comments
Sorry Toysa. You loose this round.
Nice Work General Motors
Wow. I knew they looked alike, but I did not realize they were that similar.
@PUTC
The Asian automakers continue to lead in key product development areas. The Chevy truck so prominent in recent reports appears (as noted in the headline here) to be shadowing Toyota's Tacoma in some not so subtle ways. Unfortunately for GM, the Tacoma's been sold in this form for almost ten years.
Can GM really be that far behind. Sadly, the answer is yes, at least when we're talking about midsize pickups.
The previous Colorado was already old news when it hit the market. GM designers and their partners at Isuzu had been toiling away on that little gem for almost eight years by the time it hit the markets.
Detriot's awful record for achieving Time to Market goals is really grim and seems to be just as bad today as ten years ago. The Koreans are eating their lunch. I fully expect to see a Kia midsize pickup soon.
A diesel in a truck that size is the real game changer. I wouldn't be surprised to see a combined real-world 25 MPG, ever thing else is just gravy.
What I don't like about the seemless front end is if the bumper gets a ding the entire front end including the sides need to be replaced as it is one piece with no seams.
The interior of the Colorado looks much better than the Taco.
Looks good. Too bad the diesel is delayed for 2016.
Looks like one size up on tires won't fit again. Just one size up for Pete's sake. Need 33's. That's the trouble with those square wheel wells.
Sorry that was nitpicky. I really do like the looks of this truck so far. Just want a bit of room in the wheel wells and that duramax already. Great point also on the front bumper. So much for an aftermarket winch bumper.
To me this comparison makes the new colorado seem so much less exciting. The diesel will be interesting when it finally comes, but that sure seems like a long time from now. I'm definitely more of a chevy fan than toyota, but the tacoma is a rock solid little truck. I actually like the looks of the tacoma better. Is there anything the new colorado will offer that is going to be much better/different than the current tacoma?(other than the diesel). I have a feeling the colorado is going to be a dud. It won't be easy to win over the tacoma drivers and I don't see them attracting many new people to the segment.
Are you guys really serious with this article? You couldn't have been bothered to run a tape measure off the rear diffs of both? Up the styleside? Between the wheel wells?
You "crawled underneath both" but couldn't be bothered to take some pictures? Or at least describe the major differences to us?
(sung to the tune of YMCA by the Village People)
They have everything for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the boys ...
It's fun to buy a G.M.C.
It's fun to drive a G.M.C.
You can get yourself a GMC Canyon, you can have an upper trim level,
You can get a Denali or premium priced small pickup...
You don't need Chevelot
G.M.C.....just buy the G.M.C.
GMC has every trim level for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the GMC boys...
"Does that mean a Denali Canyon or All Terrain package? We don't know, but if GM gets the right feedback, there's no reason there can't be a premium-priced midsize pickup."
Only GM gets the premium trims. Chevy is the work truck. If an upper trim option doesn't get used every day, it doesn't belong on a Chevy truck. Save the premium packages and options for the G.M.C. Canyon.
Good point Lou, also the article compares two truck and only one of them can be purchased now and the chebby keeps getting accolades for it's diesel but that's not till 2016.
Worthless article.
Why not just post the pics side by side and say, "Hey look, these trucks are almost identical. One has been on sale for years and the other will be all new sometime next year!"
GMC has every trim level for you men to enjoy,
You can hang out with all the GMC boys...
Get can get a Denali
You can get All Terrain
You buy whatever premium package you feel
It's fun to drive a G. M. C.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CS9OO0S5w2k
GUTS
GLORY
F-150 NGV
TAKING OUT G.M.C CANYON IN 2015
NEW GUCCI EDITION ECOBOOST COMING IN 2016
September 2004 is when current generation of Tacoma began production in United States. At NUMMI which was joint venture between GM and Toyota.
If 2015 Chevrolet Coloado is not 10 years better than Tacoma then GM should be ashamed.
The Tacoma is not exactly 10 years old.
Tacoma had a facelift in 2009.
Refresh in 2012: new front end and interior.
2013 added touch screen.
The global Colorado trashed the Taco equivalent in the global shootout a year ago.
Those are the two best trucks I have ever seen! If only I could off-load my Ford Tempo on some poor sap.
Cant figure out which one is UGLIER !
Colorado
Tacoma
Ridgeline
Frontier
UGLIEST TRUCKS AROUND !
UGLY STICK RUNAMUCK !!!!!!
THESE SMALL TRUCKS ARE ALL AESTHETICALLY MISALIGNED !!
DOMESTIC FULLSIZE TRUCKS HAVE NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT...WITH THESE CLOWN TRUCKS ROLLING AROND !
@ James
The entire front is not one big piece. There is a joint from the lower outside headlight to the wheel well. It is just hard to see in this red at a distance. Look at the pics under the "Colorado First Look" article and it is clearly visible in a closeup photo. A ding to the front bumper will not require changing the entire front end sheetmetal and bumper together in one piece.
I see it now. Thank you.
http://blogs.cars.com/.a/6a00d83451b3c669e2019b015b6c54970c-pi
The only similarities between the two are form the side, and just the cab, as the front and rear on the taco are so over styled! and the tear drop in the wind wheel openings are cartoonish to say the least also on the taco, where the Chevy has just plain ol simple design to get the job done, and this time? GM has knocked it outa the park, and with a more modern powertrain than the ten year old design in the taco? not to mention a diesel? and sure to be better mpg! Good Job GM!!!
I don't see why this Colorado has to be 10 years better than the Tacoma and I don't know how you would define 10 years better either. The last Colorado came out around the same time as the current Taco.
Considering Tacoma only changed the interior, touch screen and front end in 10 years, it will be pretty easy for the Colorado to be "10 years" better than the Tacoma and much more.
I'd say there are about 20 in small truck years worth of changes here.
@Ty
"The global Colorado trashed the Taco equivalent in the global shootout a year ago."
But is nowhere to be seen in the sales. The Hilux is at the top, followed by Navara and the Triton. The Ranger is currently 8th and the both the Mazda and Isuzu Dmax are both moving up the sales chart.
@papaJim The new Hilux will be the basis of the new Tacoma. The North American version will be a 'Lifestyle vehicle", not a work vehicle like the current Tacoma and the new Colorado.
@papjim should have been "Lifestyle vehicles like the Tacoma and Chevrolet Colorado"
@Robert Ryan,
The globals small trucks are the real "lifestyle" vehicles and are a joke. They are overrated on purpose because they need to be a stop gap between the Medium Duty trucks and nobody cares about safety in Brazil.
You gotta copy the best
Was really hoping the Colorado would actually look like the Silverado... the front end (grill/headlights) and back door/window really kills the look.
@Tyler
Actually, the globals have lead in a few areas that might surprise you.
1. Safety - 5 star ENCAP/ANCAP.
2. 8spd auto.
3. FE and operating costs.
Your pickups are great, but don't look at the older US style midsizers as a comparison to ours.
This Chev Colorado will outperform the Taco off road and probably most any other pickup you have, especially when the 2.8 diesel comes out. Maybe a Raptor on a flat out desert race will be quicker.
That's not to say full size trucks don't perform well for what they were designed for.
The globals are being used as SUVs, like most of your 1/2 ton full size trucks. So as life style vehicles, the globals and full size trucks are used for both applicatons, a car with a balcony.
We actually still have a healthy single cab market and you guys are slowly deleting this style of truck, so I would assume the US half ton pickup is more advanced as a lifestyle vehicle.
Our midsizers probably have a slightly larger 'work truck' usage rate than in the US.
We also sell a very large percentage of our pickups as 4x4 (approx. 75%). So you can see we do use them for camping, fishing, hunting, off roading, etc.
Diesels reign supreme for this style of use.
I see tons of lifted/leveled Tacomas that are built for offroad (bumpers, winch, lift/level, wheels, and offroad tires). I see nearly ZERO GM midsize trucks that are even modded. People buy the Taco because it has heritage and it is well known in the offroad scene.
Simply put, the Tacoma has tons and tons of aftermarket support, from gears, to air lockers, to bumpers, to lift kits, and the list goes on and on.
And from my experience, the CVs on the Tacoma (and Toyotas in general) can withstand more angle than the GM CVs. IE, the GM CV boots tend to tear at an lesser angle compared to the Toyota CV boots. So with GM you have to drop the differential down more when you lift the trucks, which reduces ground clearance. Where the Toyota CVs can withstand a steeper CV angle from my personal experience.
@Big Al from Oz
You are a troll and don't belong here. Go get a life.
@Mudmanjw is correct, the front end isn't one piece. GMC has tightened tolerances it improve aerodynamics and hopefully that is a sign of excellent quality. They definitely need a quality product to take on Toyota. The previous Colorado have some of the poorest quality ratings in the industry.
Here is a picture showing the nose clip seam.
http://www.equipmentworld.com/2015-chevy-colorado-reveal-gallery-3/
Here is an interesting picture. The 2015 Colorado with its 2 big brothers:
http://www.equipmentworld.com/2015-chevy-colorado-reveal-gallery-15/
I'd have to say that the Colorado is the best looking truck out of the three.
@ Big Al from Oz: Would I be correct in assuming that in many cases, "your" (meaning Oz and other global markets) pickups might be used as commuter vehicles during the week and only really needed for towing/offroading on the weekends, much like ours?
I do know that reg-cab/8' bed full-sized pickups won't be going anywhere for the time being here in 'Merica. The biggest reason there are no more reg-cab compact/midsize pickups with either a 7' bed (last was the Ranger in 2009 or so?) or even a 6' bed (the reg-cab Tacoma is finally biting the dust) is because for the price of a new midsize, you could buy a slightly-used full-size reg-cab 8' bed that gets _exactly_the_same_gas_mileage, but has better towing and payload capacities. The new CAFE regs were just a nail in the coffin.
The argument I just used doesn't hold true _at_all_ for extended and especially crew cab midsize pickups, since they're, as we've all stated before, more of a weekend-warrior/lifestyle vehicle than anything else. Not that I'm trying to diminish their importance in any way--as a Ford fanboy, I wish the Colorado enough success that Ford reconsiders bringing over the new Ranger.
What's the point of this global GM cheap piece of sh!t when you can get a full size Ram with highways mpgs better than the Tacoma V6. Once the Ecodiesel is released, it will likely get high 20s highway mpg, coming close to whatever the Holden-Chevy Colorado will get.
GUTS
GLORY
NOTHING COMPARES
RAM VS ALL
@Ram vs all or whoever you want to call yourself.
Quit the GUTS GLORY RAM crap, really.
It's getting long in the tooth.
You want to debate, but it has to be on your terms.
Learn to debate with good information, then we might be able to have a decent debate.
Opinions are good, but if they are only your view to support the UAW, then how good are they. Look at what you guys have done to Detroit.
Terror tactics (union tactics) don't work on me.
If PUTC wants the UAW or whatever to control this site I suppose it's their decision.
It's not kids like I've been told by PUTC.
They don't seem to care. So this will go on.
@Uncle Bud. Square wheel wells don't limit wheel size versus round ones. Look at all the Jeep models. Square weel wells can actually improve manueverability of the wheel when off road.
Besides, the square wheel wells (they're actually more of a rounded square than a perfect square) are part of the Chevy truck styling. Should automakers not style their cars anymore... Should every vehicle's grille be perfectly square to be the most efficient at sucking up air? Should every car be designed ONLY for aerodynamics or interior space?
The Dodge Ram used square wheels wells for vast majority of it's existence...
@ Snapdragon McFisticuff
From what I've seen we are using our pickups towing more throughout the week (that's down south). Where I live it's a rarity to see a 2wd pickup. Only Ford and Holden utes are 2wd up here, then their ground clearance makes them good for dirt driveways. But the V8 boi's are the same here as the US, short sighted.
Go back a couple of decades or so ago most pickups we had were single cabs that the husband had as his work truck. It's been like this since I came to Australia.
Now the tradesman is buying LDTs, similar to Izuzu cab overs or a new midsizer towing a large tandem wheel trailer throughout the week and using the pickup on weekends for camping/off roading etc.
I think the concept that has some baffled on this site is the fact that we use our midsizers for everything you use your 1/2 tons for and then we get a little more out of them because of their load capacity, which verges at the bottom end of your HDs.
But you haven't been getting your midsizers the same as ours. Why would Chev put out a global Colorado, even with the nice looking redesign body?
It would take sales away from the Silverado. Ford more or less stated the same about the Ranger. But I hope sooner or later consumers will demand better midsizers in the US. Maybe this Colorado might be the impetus to start getting our standard of midsizer.
Our beds on work trucks aren't tubs, they generally are 6'4" x 8' flat beds. Contrary to what some claim this is much easier to use than a standard pickup back.
In response to the comment on vehicle sales in Australia we do have a large market per capita, larger than the US at the moment. Our annual sales numbers are about 1.2 million a year and our rate of vehicle ownership per 1 000 is similar to the US. Actually the Canadian's have a much lower ownership rate of vehicles, about 640 per 1 000 and us and the US are around the 750 per 1 000.
The increase in pickup sales in the US can also be seen globally. Over the last several years our pickups have increased in sales by 72%. Even the UK with a small pickup market has seen growth in pickup sales.
I think this has a lot to do with the manufacturers trying to make all pickups more acceptable as a daily driver. They aren't viewed as much a truck now as they used to be.
Globally pickups, SUVs and CUVs are increasing market share. This is in Europe as well as most any country. The pickup phenomenom isn't just in the US or NA.
@The fake Big Al from Oz
Quit the crap, really.
It's getting long in the tooth.
You want to debate, but it has to be on your terms.
Learn to debate with good information, then we might be able to have a decent debate.
Opinions are good, but if they are only your view to support the UAW, then how good are they. Look at what you guys have done to Detroit.
Terror tactics (union tactics) don't work on me.
If PUTC wants the UAW or whatever to control this site I suppose it's their decision.
It's not kids like I've been told by PUTC.
They don't seem to care. So this will go on.
Who keeps stealing my name? Neither of the 3 Big Al from Oz who have posted are really me. Please grow up and stop using my name. It's obvious that you are not really me because none of the trolls here possess my superior logical reasoning abilities.
Who keeps stealing my name? Neither of the 3 Big Al from Oz who have posted are really me. Please grow up and stop using my name. It's obvious that you are not really me because none of the trolls here possess my superior logical reasoning abilities.
@sandman4X4
I have nothing against most of you guys.
But you all sat back and let me be attacked and multi posted and not one of you stood up to the fools causing the disruption. Now defend them?
When I defend myself against them you reject what I say?
No, be a little more consistent with your critisism.
TRX4 Tom is an aggresive fool, dominating. Hemi V8 posts crap and DenverMike is a lying troll. From what I can gather they seem to be one.
I do know this site is supposed to be a forum.
I will lay off of the fools, but I do expect you guys to offer support.
Or just sit back like what has been going on and it will continue until they they are caught out.
There is also more going on than meets the eye.
All my posts on pickuptrucks.com have been from a nuetral point of view. Many of my posts relate trucks on the market here in Australia with trucks sold in the U.S.; and this is often misconstrued as cultural bias or Anti-Americanism. A little more respect is all I ask for.
All my posts on pickuptrucks.com have been from a nuetral point of view.
Posted by: Big Al from Oz | Nov 23, 2013 12:24:05 AM
@Big Al from Oz
That simply isn't true. We constantly see you're anti UAW rants and propaganda, so to say you have a neutral point of view is a lie. You are quite entitled to your opinion, but if you are going to post inflammatory statements don't go on to ask for respect.
Like you, I don't see eye to eye with the UAW, but you have to realize that the vast majority of pickups sold in the U.S. are made my the Big 3, therefore, many of the people making them belong to the UAW. Unions have their place and you must learn to accept that. If you don't like UAW, then don't buy or discuss American trucks. You're only shooting yourself in the foot if you make such statements as you make and then try to have a reasonable debate with everyone here. It just isn't going to happen.
I'm not saying any of this to attack or put you down, I just want you to realize what you do to get everyone so upset. It's no wonder that posters are stealing you name and disrespecting you. If you want respect from people, you have to demand it. That doesn't happen by what you post, it mainly is related to what you don't post(ie not responding to trolls).
So what differences were spotted underneath? And which one seems to come out ahead where? If you had to pick one truck to travel the globe in, based on what you witnessed underneath, which would you choose?
@The truck guy
Which comment are you referring to?
The last comment I made was to @ Snapdragon McFisticuff.
The PUTC troll is at it. Well, what can one do.
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