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| 430 lb-ft | Torque | 281 lb-ft |
| 7,700 lbs | Towing | 6,640 lbs |
| 11.3 in | Screen Size | 9 in |
There was a time when trucks were primarily the vehicle of choice for farmers and folks in trades who needed something that could help them get their jobs done. These days, however, many of us enjoy everything a truck has to offer as a daily driver, providing us with a comfortable and reliable ride that also has terrific functionality to make a wide range of tasks easier. With that in mind, we love midsize trucks for exactly this kind of situation; full-size trucks are great, but a lot of people do not need such a large vehicle for daily use. Choosing the right midsize truck can be tricky, however, which is why it helps to look at just one or two at a time and see what they offer.
If we consider the 2024 Chevy Colorado vs 2024 Nissan Frontier, for example, we can quickly see that Chevy comes through with a superior midsize truck. Looking at the engines, the Nissan Frontier has a completely respectable 3.8L V6 with 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. This is a fine engine, but it cannot hope to keep up with the 2.7L TurboMax engine available for the 2024 Chevy Colorado, which offers 310 hp and an incredible 430 lb-ft of torque. That is an incredible amount of power for a midsize truck and ensures you have a great time on the road each day. It also gives the Colorado 7,700 lbs of maximum towing capability, which is perfect for getting some work done or hauling a boat to the lake for the weekend.
While the horsepower of the Nissan Frontier's engine is impressive, the significantly lower torque can affect your daily drive and is part of why the Frontier can only handle about 6,600 lbs of maximum towing. This might not be the end of the world for some drivers, but it is a notable difference that can certainly matter if you are looking to get the most from your midsize truck. Not only that, but Nissan drops the ball a bit with interior features in the Frontier, offering a standard eight-inch infotainment display, a seven-inch driver display, and other amenities that are fine but not exceptional. By comparison, the pair of 11-inch screens you get in any 2024 Colorado puts those displays to shame and you can get other great features like heated and ventilated front seats, wireless charging, and more.
No matter what kind of vehicle you are interested in, you need to look at its engine and the kind of performance it delivers. That said, we think this is even more vital when it comes to a truck since you want it to be able to do a lot more than simply get you through your daily commute. You need the power of an impressive engine to be able to count on your truck to get you where you need to go and handle anything you throw at it. This is something that Chevy understands and you can see it with all of their trucks including the versatile Colorado and the wide range of tasks it is built to perform.
Nissan also knows how to make impressive engines, and while the powertrain in the 2024 Frontier is good, it could be better. One of the biggest issues is that only a single engine is offered for the Frontier, so while this means that the standard engine is quite good, it also means there is no room for upgraded power. Standard in the 2024 Nissan Frontier is a 3.8L V6 engine that offers 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque, which is paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. This is a fine engine and that horsepower is quite good; the big drawback is the fairly tepid torque amount that ends up holding it back. This is where a second option would be beneficial and provide greater performance and capabilities.
With the 2024 Chevy Colorado, you get the benefit of two engines that let you choose the kind of power you want, including much greater torque than Nissan offers. The starting engine in the Colorado is a 2.7L Turbo that provides 237 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque; while this falls behind what Nissan provides, you can see that the torque is almost at the same level. But if you go with the available TurboMax engine for the Colorado, then you get 310 hp and a massive 430 lb-ft of torque. This is a huge boost to power, and the Frontier cannot hope to keep up with the Colorado without offering a second engine. While we admit that the standard engine for the Frontier is quite good, the lack of options gives Chevy a big advantage here.
A great truck can do a lot more than get you to work each day or pick up your kids from school; any vehicle can do those things, but a pickup truck represents a lot more. The towing power you get with a truck and the room for cargo that the bed provides is perfect for a wide range of tasks. Even if you never plan on loading up your truck bed with lumber or hauling a trailer full of drywall behind it, you should still get a pickup with plenty of power. From piling bags of soil and plants in the bed for a weekend gardening project to taking a boat to the lake on a sunny Sunday morning, the right truck can help you do more.
In terms of towing, the Chevy Colorado comes through with a lot more capability, though it is worth remembering that this is in part due to the impressive power provided by its available TurboMax engine. The Nissan Frontier, with its only available engine, can pull up to 6,640 lbs behind it; this is pretty good considering how much less torque it offers than the Colorado's TurboMax engine. Speaking of which, this available engine gives the Colorado a tow rating of up to 7,700 lbs—substantially more than the Frontier can manage.
When it comes to payload, the difference between these two trucks is surprisingly minimal, though Chevy's pickup still comes out on top. The Nissan Frontier tops out at 1,620 lbs of maximum payload while the Colorado can handle up to 1,684 lbs of weight loaded onto it. That is a pretty small difference, but it is still noteworthy because it shows the Colorado has been engineered to get more stuff done; plus, when you put camping supplies and coolers into the back of your truck for the weekend, every extra bit of weight can matter.
The tech features you can find on trucks these days are better than ever and on the same level as what is available on high-end SUVs and cars—but not every model is equal. Looking at the 2024 Nissan Frontier, it comes with a standard seven-inch Advanced Drive Assist Display and an eight-inch NissanConnect Infotainment screen. These are both fine but nothing special, and the only available upgrade is a nine-inch NissanConnect screen that is better but still not what we would consider remarkable. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto integration is standard, but wireless connectivity only comes with the larger infotainment screen. A four-speaker sound system is standard, along with basic air conditioning, remote keyless entry, and manually adjustable seats; heated front seats and steering wheel are available.
Looking at the 2024 Chevy Colorado, we see a lot more for you to enjoy both in terms of standard features and what is available. The starting Colorado model comes with a gorgeous 11.3-inch infotainment display with Google built-in and support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. You also get a second 11-inch screen for the Driver Information Center, which you can personalize and choose from multiple themes, providing you with the information you need on a stunning display. These displays are much bigger than what Nissan offers, plus a six-speaker sound system is standard. Available tech features include heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, wireless charging, and much more for you to enjoy.
Although there is nothing wrong with the Nissan Frontier and it is a fine truck in its own right, one good look at the Chevy Colorado quickly makes it clear that the Frontier is lacking in some key ways. Nissan offers less power, lower capabilities, and interior features that cannot match the refined sophistication and impressive technology that Chevy brings to the road. We did not even get into other great things about the Chevy Colorado like its remarkable ZR2 off-road trim level and the ZR2 Bison special edition with 35-inch tires and more than 12 inches of ground clearance, which is incredible for a midsize truck. No matter what you are looking for in a pickup like this, the Chevy Colorado can deliver and here at DePaula Chevrolet we are ready to help you find everything you need.
Finding the perfect pickup with the features you want is not always easy and you have so many options available to you that things can quickly feel overwhelming. But with one of our friendly and knowledgeable salespeople by your side, it is easy to look at everything on offer to you, eliminate what will not work, and focus on the right vehicles with the features you need. We make shopping for your next truck easy, plus with our certified service center and Chevy parts department we are here to help you keep your pickup in amazing condition and running great for many years ahead. Call or come visit us at DePaula Chevrolet today to learn more about the Colorado and the rest of the Chevy lineup—and then drive away in the perfect truck.
*Images, fuel economy, and other stats, may reflect higher trim levels, options, or features that may result in a higher cost from the starting MSRP.
MSRP excludes tax, license, registration, additional options, and possible destination charges. Dealers set own prices.