The Chevy Colorado’s Fantastic Standard Features Beat the Competition

Looking at available options and fancy upgrades for a vehicle can be a lot of fun, but these upgrades are often out of reach for many drivers. As fun as the “what if” can be when it comes to what’s available these days, focusing on standard features is often a better way to appreciate what a vehicle has to offer. For example, if we look at the 2026 Chevy Colorado vs 2026 Ford Ranger and focus primarily on what comes standard on each of them, then the remarkable value and incredible features of the Colorado truly come to the forefront. Let’s check out many of the standard features on these two trucks, and you’ll see just what we mean.

Chevy Delivers an Incredible Standard Engine

Even though these are midsize pickups, you still want a powertrain that gets you where you need to go, and that feels terrific as you drive. The 2026 Ford Ranger offers three engines. This seems like a lot to us for a midsize truck, and the standard powertrain ultimately suffers as a result. The Ranger’s standard engine is a 2.3L EcoBoost I-4, making 270 hp and 310 lb-ft of torque. These aren’t bad numbers, by any means, but we can’t help wondering whether Ford has held back this standard engine a bit to make its high-end offerings look better.

With the Chevy Colorado, only one engine is available, a 2.7L TurboMax I-4 making 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, and that’s really all you need. The Colorado’s standard engine offers a significant advantage in horsepower. Looking at the torque, however, makes it clear that the Ranger’s starting engine doesn’t even come close to what the Colorado delivers. To get this kind of torque from the Ranger, Ford fans have to choose an optional V6 engine, which is only offered on the Raptor trim, to match its 430 lb-ft of torque. The Raptor adds more than $20,000 to the price tag, a steep price to match the Colorado’s base engine.

Greater Towing Capabilities

Horsepower and torque aren’t the only things that matter when looking at trucks like these, even though they’re certainly important specs. The muscle that these engines provide needs to translate into the ability to get some work done. We won’t judge if that “work” is pulling a boat behind your truck on the weekend. Big towing potential is what separates trucks from a lot of other vehicles out there, and even midsize pickups should be able to handle some impressive weight.

With its standard engine, the 2026 Ford Ranger offers a maximum towing capacity of 7,500 lbs. The Colorado tops that number at 7,700 lbs. We’ll admit this isn’t a massive difference, but it’s still noteworthy and shows how well Chevy’s engineers understand how to build a truck ready for just about anything.

It’s also worth noting that 7,500 lbs is the maximum towing capacity for the Ranger in general, even with its more powerful optional engines. That powerful V6, which is only available on the Ford Ranger Raptor at a massive price increase, tops out at just 5,500 lbs of towing capacity. While it can match the torque of the Colorado’s standard engine, its capabilities fall way behind. Even the middle engine, a 2.7L EcoBoost V6, only matches the standard engine’s towing ability. Neither of these optional engines, while more powerful, can match the Colorado’s towing capacity.

Fantastic Standard Tech Features in the Colorado

While the Colorado leads in performance with its standard engine and offers greater towing potential than the Ford Ranger, that’s not all it has going for it. The Colorado also offers fantastic standard tech features to enjoy every day. Looking inside the starting WT model, you’ll quickly notice a gorgeous 11.3-inch advanced color LCD infotainment display with Google built-in. This supports wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, plus you get a six-speaker sound system and an impressive 11-inch color Driver Information Center screen.

The Ford Ranger starts with its XL trim, which offers a number of fine standard features, but it falls short of what Chevy offers in numerous ways. Without looking at the Colorado first, the Ranger XL’s standard 10-inch infotainment display and eight-inch cluster display might be quite impressive. But we looked at the Colorado first, so we know that both of these screens are smaller than what Chevy offers. The black vinyl floor covering in the Ranger XL is fine, but the Colorado WT comes with color-keyed carpeted floor covering for an extra touch of style and a more refined feel. Overall, the Ranger XL is decent, but the Colorado gives you more.

Excellent Safety Tech for Your Protection

Safety features might not be at the top of your list when shopping for a midsize truck, but they should definitely be important to you. The Colorado comes with the Chevy Safety Assist package, which includes a Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, and Front Pedestrian and Bicyclist Braking, all standard. You also get Lane Keep Assist with a Lane Departure Warning, plus a Following Distance Indicator included. Even advanced features like Rear Park Assist, Blind Zone Steering Assist, and Rear Cross Traffic Braking are standard on the Colorado WT.

Looking at the Ford Ranger XL, we find some similar standard safety tech, including Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking and Pedestrian Detection. A Lane Keeping Aid is included, along with a Rear View Camera and Post-Collision Braking, just in case. Unfortunately, a Blind Spot Information System, Lane-Keeping System, and Rear Parking Sensors with Reverse Brake Assist are optional extras for the Ranger XL. While it does have some driver-assistance technology, it falls behind the standard features Chevy provides to protect you and your truck.

A Lower Starting Price

So far, we’ve seen numerous ways you get more with the 2026 Chevy Colorado than with the 2026 Ford Ranger when you stick to the standard features and starting models. That might just mean the Colorado costs more, and that’s why you get more. However, the 2026 Chevy Colorado currently starts at $32,400 MSRP, while the 2026 Ford Ranger starts at $33,350 MSRP. You get all of those impressive standard features we’ve looked at today, plus a price tag that starts nearly $1,000 less than Ford’s truck. We’ll let you decide which truck comes out on top with that in mind.

The Chevy Colorado Sets the Standard

As you can see, the 2026 Colorado continues to raise the bar for what we expect from a midsize truck, especially in terms of its standard features. With an incredible engine, big towing capabilities, and stunning features inside, not to mention remarkable safety tech, the Colorado is a joy to drive and ready to help you tackle a wide range of tasks. That’s precisely what we look for in a midsize truck, since we want something that’s perfect as a daily driver and for handling unexpected projects on the weekend, like tailgating. If you’re ready to check out the Colorado and its impressive standard features, not to mention plenty of great available options, then you can see it here at DePaula Chevrolet and discover everything it has to offer.