How the 2024 Chevy Colorado Beats the 2024 Nissan Frontier as the Superior Midsize Pickup

When most Americans think of a pickup truck, they picture a full-size truck like the Chevy Silverado or Ford F-150. But that kind of truck just isn’t right for everyone. Midsize models aren’t just more affordable: their smaller size can also come in handy in all kinds of situations, from navigating twisty trails on off-road adventures to maneuvering in crowded parking lots on weekly errand runs. If you’re looking for a capable and convenient midsize truck, you have plenty of options to choose from, but they aren’t all created equal.

For instance, let’s compare two popular options: 2024 Chevy Colorado vs 2024 Nissan Frontier. While they have very similar exterior dimensions and offer many of the same features, from outlets and lights in the bed to driver assistance features to keep you safe on the road, there’s also plenty that sets them apart. Today, we’re going to take a tour around and inside these trucks to see how they compare from a variety of angles.

A Look Under the Hood

At first glance, you might think that the Frontier would win in the battle of the engines since it’s packing a V6 instead of an I-4. But a closer look at the details tells a different story. While the Colorado’s base engine might be less powerful than the Frontier’s, it also allows the Colorado to have a more affordable starting price on lower trims. If you’re willing to pay extra for more power, then Chevy has an option that packs more power into fewer cylinders compared to the Frontier’s single powertrain.

Let’s take a look at the specs of Nissan’s sole powertrain and compare them to the TurboMax I-4 available on the Colorado. The Frontier’s engine produces up to 310 horsepower and 281 lb-ft of torque. It allows the truck to haul up to 1,620 lbs of payload and tow up to 6,640 lbs when properly equipped. The Colorado’s TurboMax powertrain delivers the same 310 hp but has 1.5x the torque at 430 lb-ft. That allows it to haul slightly more payload, with a max of 1,684 lbs, and tow over 1,000 extra lbs, with a max of 7,700 lbs. Clearly, this is the most powerful and useful powertrain offered on either truck.

The Colorado Offers Better Tech Enhancements

These days, drivers expect their trucks to have brains as well as brawn. Good tech features not only help you stay connected and entertained while on the road, but they can also come in handy during the exact situations you’re looking for a truck to handle. Camera angles, safety warnings, and other features can help you stay safe when towing a large trailer down the highway, maneuver on obstacle-laden off-road trails, and park in tight spots at campsites and worksites alike.

To give you the best view possible of the camera views, diagnostics, and other features you need to succeed, the 2024 Colorado comes standard across all trims with an 11.3-inch central touchscreen and an 11-inch driver information center behind the wheel. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto also come standard, so you can use your navigation app of choice and stay in touch with friends, clients, and anyone else you might need to reach on the go.

By contrast, the Frontier comes standard with an 8-inch touchscreen and a 7-inch digital instrument cluster. Even on higher trims, the touchscreen only goes as big as nine inches, and that 7-inch display behind the wheel is as big as it gets. Lower trims of the Frontier only offer wired smartphone connectivity, so if your charging cable gets damaged or lost while you’re working a big job, you won’t be able to use Apple CarPlay and Android Auto until you replace it.

Which Offers the More Versatile Truck Bed?

The open cargo bed is an essential factor for a truck, so let’s take a look at what each of these models give you to work with. Both have options like spray-on bed liners to protect from wear and tear and adjustable tie-down cleats to make it easy to secure cargo of any shape and size. Both also come standard with a bumper that can be used as a step to help you climb up into the bed: the Frontier’s is a normal design that’s simply designed to be strong enough to support the weight of a person while the Colorado has a unique design with a gap in the corner that lets you get a good foothold to get up and in.

But while the Frontier stops after the basics, the Colorado has no shortage of unique touches that make the bed more useful for work and recreation alike. The mid-position tailgate lets you transport extra-long items securely, especially when paired with a best-in-class 17 available tie-downs for you to work with. The tailgate is also useful when the truck is parked and acting as a workstation, with a measuring tool molded right into the surface, along with a few cupholders to help you stay hydrated while you work. The available StowFlex Tailgate gives you even more storage options. This feature adds a lockable compartment to the tailgate, which is a great spot for tools that are too valuable to trust in an open cargo bed or emergency equipment that you don’t want getting lost in the shuffle.

The Colorado Has More Off-Road Options

Both trucks have rugged trims designed for off-road action. The Frontier PRO-X adds Bilstein shock absorbers and all-terrain tires, while the PRO-4X goes further, also including an electronic locking rear differential and extra underbody skid plates. That certainly covers the basics, but it’s not exactly impressive for a top-tier off-road trim. It’s pretty similar to the Colorado Trail Boss, which has all-terrain tires, a 2-inch factory lift, and an automatic locking rear differential. But with Chevy, that’s just the beginning—you can climb the trim ladder for even more purpose-built equipment.

The Colorado ZR2 comes standard with the PowerMax engine, giving it significantly more torque than the Frontier. It also features a high-performance suspension system with a 3-inch factory lift, segment-exclusive Multimatic DSSV dampers for a smooth ride over rough terrain, front and rear locking differentials, and all-terrain tires. It also adds an exclusive Baja mode to the Colorado’s selectable drive mode system, letting you change vehicle settings on the fly to have the optimal set-up from towing, tackling off-road terrain, or cruising over open sand. The ZR2 Bison ups the ante even more with heavy-duty front and rear bumpers, beadlock-capable wheels, wheel arch flares, front and rear jounce control dampers, extra underbody protection, and a 4.5-inch factory lift.

The Colorado is the Right Choice All-Around

Any way you slice it, the Colorado is the superior pick. It offers more choices and power under the hood, has a wider variety of useful features for the cargo bed, has a more modern and convenient interior, and gives you a much better range of off-road trims. No matter what features on a truck are your top priorities; the Colorado is almost certainly going to work better for your needs than the Frontier. There’s a reason that this iconic model was named MotorTrend Truck of the Year for 2024: it’s a well-rounded pickup that’s perfect for hard work, recreation, and everything in between.