A Midsize Truck Battle: The 2024 Chevy Colorado vs the 2024 Honda Ridgeline

Trucks are in a vehicle class of their own, which is defined by the millions of truck enthusiasts across the country who get behind the wheel of them every day. As great as they can be, it’s much harder to find a hatchback enthusiast than it is to find a truck fanatic. It’s because trucks are so multidimensional; they’re uniquely designed for practical capability, offer some of the most exciting thrills when it comes to off-roading and performance, and often lead the vehicle market in terms of style and technology. There are a lot of great trucks out there, no doubt, but not all of the options on the market hold equal status. It can be tempting to assume that a more expensive truck is automatically better, but that is not always the case, and sometimes you’d be shocked at just how untrue that assumption is. Sometimes, though, two trucks seem to be in a similar class and have similar levels of popularity, making it hard to tell which one is actually better.

Let’s look at an example: 2024 Chevy Colorado vs 2024 Honda Ridgeline. These two have a similar place within the automotive ecosystem, as neither of them is as ubiquitous as the F-150, the Silverado, or the Ram 1500. But, the Colorado has really made a name for itself (as we will soon uncover). While many drivers stand by Honda as a brand, it’s important to put aside any personal brand allegiances and look at the facts. So, let’s see how the Colorado and the Ridgeline really compare. We’ll use two important criteria when it comes to discerning the capability of a truck: performance and design. If you’ve got a brand preference, let’s check that at the door for now. You can come back and pick it up again when we’re done, but the journey will be far better if you look at it objectively.

Which Model Offers the Best Performance?

Trucks are made to perform. It doesn’t matter how cool a truck looks; if it can’t perform, it can’t fulfill its purpose. Therefore, the first thing you really want to examine when considering a truck is its engine. Many people jump right to looking at the specs themselves, and those do indicate performance capability, but it’s really important that you first understand what you are getting yourself into in terms of the engine.

The 2024 Ridgeline gives you a V6 engine. We’ll save you the details, but if you’re unfamiliar, a V6 engine offers a more compact engine at a lower weight while still offering strong performance. That’s definitely an attractive offer on a truck, and the engine is capable of delivering up to 280 horsepower and 262 pounds-feet of torque. While the V6 is a great trucking engine thanks to its efficiency, it is the only engine the 2024 Ridgeline offers across all of its trim levels.

The 2024 Colorado offers two engine options: a 2.7-liter Turbo engine, standard on its LT and WT trims, and a 2.7-liter TurboMax engine, standard on its Z71, ZR2, and TrailBoss trims (all of which are off-road-specific trims). Though the engine names are similar, there’s actually quite a difference in terms of performance capability. The 2.7-liter Turbo engine (not TurboMax) can deliver up to 237 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, making it comparable to the Ridgeline’s V6 engine and even giving the Ridgeline a bit of an advantage. But, the 2.7-liter TurboMax engine takes things up by several notches, offering 310 hp and 430 pounds-feet of torque.

Of course, towing is a huge part of a trucker’s life as well, and the Ridgeline offers up to 5,000 pounds of towing capability. No doubt that is an impressive amount, but when you compare it to the Colorado’s max amount of 7,700 pounds (with the TurboMax engine), you start to wonder where the competition comes from. An almost 3,000-lb advantage seems like a bit of a no-brainer.

With the Colorado’s specifically-crafted trim packages and unique model options, like the ZR2, which is a transformed Colorado finely crafted for fierce off-roading, the Colorado can tailor itself to your specific trucking habits while delivering engineering and specs that simply don’t compare to the Ridgeline.

A Closer Look at Design

Design is an important factor when it comes to comparing trucks. You don’t need to be a fashion-oriented person for design to matter; design is always relevant when it comes to trucks because the architecture determines how functional the truck can be on a day-to-day basis.

The Ridgeline is designed just as sturdy as you’d hope any truck would be with unibody construction, and it offers MacPherson Strut front suspension and Multi-Link rear suspension. All of that remains true across all trim levels. The TrailSport trim does offer the addition of off-road-tuned suspension, so that’s a plus! With 18-inch wheels as the foundation, the Ridgeline can compete with other trucks in its class. Dual exhaust outlets and a high bumper allow for off-road clearance space, making the Ridgeline fit for the trails.

The Colorado, however, has some tricks up its sleeve that may surprise you. The truck lays a strong foundation, and when it comes to durability, the Colorado has a clear advantage. Whether a driver is a self-proclaimed off-roader or not, it’s highly important to consider that the Colorado has made off-roading its focus. As a result, it has refined the art of durability. With the ZR2 Bison model offering tires up to 35-inches (just under double the amount of the Ridgeline) and 12.2-inch ground clearance (that’s a best-in-class spec), the Colorado is not messing around—it can attack anything; with 5 boron steel skid plates (another best-in-class spec), the Colorado will be shielded against anything that could come between it and its performance.

The Colorado’s bed is also one of the most innovative, impressive beds you’ll see in a midsize truck. The available StowFlex tailgate (that’s a first-in-class offering) provides a lockable storage compartment built into the tailgate itself before you even get to the bed. Whether it’s recreational items or work tools, truckers have easy access to their items without having to venture all the way into the bed. While the Colorado offers 8 standard tie-downs, it also offers a best-in-class record (there seems to be a theme here) of 17 tie-downs. That is incredible for a mid-size truck!

Of course, when it comes to bed design, cargo volume is an important factor. The Ridgeline offers a bed cargo volume of 33.9 cubic feet, while the Colorado offers a cargo volume of 41.9 feet. We’ll let those numbers speak for themselves. Facts speak louder than arguments. So, we’ll let you consider what you’ve just read.

More Than Just a Midsize Pickup

The Ridgeline is a good truck. We won’t deny that. But the objective facts do prove that the Colorado has an advantage. We didn’t want to say it before because we wanted to give the Ridgeline its fair chance, but the Colorado is actually the most-awarded pickup truck of 2024. As Edmund’s pick for the 2024 “Top Rated Truck” and MotorTrend’s “Truck of the Year” for 2024, the Colorado has really proved itself; those are not easy titles to get. The fact that it’s gone to a midsize truck is impressive, but the thing about the Colorado is that it doesn’t use its midsize body as an excuse for offering midsize capability. If you’re looking for a midsize truck that can offer exceptional capability, there’s no question between the two: the Colorado is the way to go.