2025 Chevy Colorado vs Ford Ranger: The Smart Buy Is Obvious
We love pickup trucks here, and we know that you do too. Otherwise, why would you be here reading a proverbial cage match between the 2025 Chevy Colorado vs 2025 Ford Ranger to determine which is right for you? We have put together an excellent comparison that directly shows how one truck’s highlights can quickly become a detriment for its competitors.
There’s much to discuss, so why don’t we jump right into it?
Saving Money Has Never Felt This Good
Before we go further, let’s get one thing out of the way: the 2025 Chevy Colorado has a starting MSRP of $31,900, while the Ranger starts at $33,350.[a]
Immediately, the Colorado’s lower price makes it more appealing on the surface for budget-conscious shoppers. However, it only gets better from there. Although the Ranger can output more strength than the Colorado, it doesn’t start that way, instead costing a premium for a higher-tier Ranger trim. Let’s look into these base engines further.
The 2025 Colorado and Ranger each come standard with turbocharged 4-cylinder engines. However, Chevy’s midsize pickup comes with a larger 2.7L engine, instead of 2.3L, like what you get with the base Ranger.
The size differences between these two engines work in the Colorado’s favor, with an output of 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque against the Ranger’s 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. This gives the Colorado 15% more horsepower and 39% greater torque output in its base configuration over the Ranger’s standard specs.
Additionally, the base Colorado has a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lbs, which is better than the Ranger’s 7,500 lbs.
Manufacturers and the Precipice of Tech
You’ve likely noticed that manufacturers have been embracing technology in exciting ways over the past decade. Where basic AM/FM radios and CD players once lay are now occupied by infotainment centers with large touch screens, faster processors, and better graphics capabilities that give you more to do than just listen to music.
Infotainment centers opened the floodgates for yet another layer of competition, with many manufacturers tackling it differently. That doesn’t always mean that bigger is better. However, large infotainment centers are eye-catching and more versatile if a manufacturer knows how to properly utilize its screen real estate.
Chevy comes in swinging with a standard 11.3-inch infotainment center across the Colorado’s trim lineup. The Ranger comes standard with a 10-inch screen, though unfortunately, it doesn’t look good for Ford’s midsize truck. What do we mean by this? The 2025 Ranger has an available 12-inch infotainment center with tech that even rivals what Chevy offers. So what’s the problem?
The Ranger’s 12-inch infotainment center is available on everything other than the base trim, but you have to pay extra to get this feature on some trims. Meanwhile, you get the 11.3-inch infotainment center on the more affordable base Colorado, with an MSRP of only $31,900.[a]
You won’t see many publications mentioning this, but you’re more likely to find the Chevy Colorado’s infotainment center more intuitive and easy to view at a glance. But why is this? It’s because the Colorado’s infotainment center is displayed in a wider aspect ratio, while the Ranger’s infotainment center prioritizes height. This portrait-mode style orientation is more exacerbated with the 12-inch screen, but ultimately, it gives the 10-inch SYNC 4A infotainment center much to be desired.
The Colorado’s infotainment center’s wider aspect ratio means it can use its screen real estate to its advantage, like displaying more map data at once. Let’s now dive deeper into integrated software because if not for it, these screens are nothing more than glorified radios.
The Best of Both Worlds
The best way to explain what you get with the 2025 Colorado over the 2025 Ranger is the best of both worlds. This sounds a bit cliché, so why don’t we elaborate?
The 2025 Colorado and 2025 Ranger have features you’d hope to find, including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, turning your infotainment center into what we like to describe as an extension of your phone. Many of you reading this likely have Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, wireless or otherwise. This means that it’s nothing new for a lot of drivers. So, if the last generation was about the advent of Apple and Android phones and how they communicate with the vehicles we drive, then this generation is all about Google Built-In.
“Google Built-In” is a phrase you should expect to see more prominently in the future. But what does it mean? Google Built-In is essentially a Google-developed operating system the infotainment center runs on, featuring the highlights and quality-of-life amenities regularly reserved for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. This means that you have access to a dedicated app store with your favorite music and navigation apps without connecting your phone.
You may think this is a feature designed to assist people without smartphones—and while that’s not entirely untrue, Google Built-In is here to give you modern-day computer functionality without requiring an external source—your smartphone.
Having Google Built-In is nothing but beneficial for Colorado drivers because it’s an exception, not the rule. What do we mean by this? As we mentioned earlier, the Colorado has wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto despite having a Google Built-In infotainment center standard with each trim. You truly get the best of both worlds with the Colorado.
You may wonder why the Ranger doesn’t have Google Built-In if it’s supposedly life-changing technology. Does it not have it because it’s a fad and ultimately will lose popularity, and Ford sees this a mile away? No, because Ford is already embracing Google Built-In on other models, with the 2025 Ford Explorer being the debut model to include its functionality—the 2025 Ranger simply missed out, that’s all. However, that shouldn’t be your problem, should it? Future Ranger models will certainly have the feature built in, so you should buy the truck developed by the manufacturer who had the foresight to include it this year.
With a brand new 2025 Chevy Colorado, you get Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, and Google Built-In all living harmoniously within one large infotainment center that still costs less than even the base-level Ranger.
The Choice is Clear
The 2025 Chevy Colorado is like a Grand Slam compared to the 2025 Ford Ranger. Not only does Chevy’s midsize truck have better base-level performance and tech, but it also has a lower cost. Meanwhile, the Ranger, while it can be transformed into a hearty competitor, instantly loses the battle once you see how much more money it’ll cost you (you’ll spend thousands of dollars more, even if you’re only looking for an upgraded infotainment center).
Chevy has outdone themselves with the 2025 Colorado, and we suspect this momentum will carry this year’s truck to the finish line with impressive sales numbers and positive reception from fans and critics alike. There’s no better way to put it: you deserve to be behind the wheel of a 2025 Colorado more than a 2025 Ranger because it’s the better truck, hands down.
You can find this model and more when you visit our team at DePaula Chevrolet.
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