THESE ADULT TONKA TRUCKS ARE FUN, BUT BE READY TO BREAK THE BANK
Mid-sized pickups are more than capable off-road, but practicality takes a big hit
Driving ’s Derek McNaughton and Costa Mouzouris each spent a week testing two trucks. One is a diesel four cylinder with an automatic gearbox, the other is a gasoline-fuelled V-6 with a sixspeed manual. Both wear meaty tires, have suspension kits and offer ground clearance good enough for the great off-roads. Which means both Toyota’s Tacoma TRD Pro and Chevrolet’s Colorado ZR2 are equally capable of climbing rocks or picking their way along a slippery forest trail. But which one deserves the honour of being named Driving’s middleweight champion of Canada?
DM: $58,000 for the Colorado ZR2?! Maybe I’m missing something here, Costa, but nearly $60,000 for a medium-sized truck with off-road chops is a big premium over most any fourby-four crew cab half-ton. The Colorado is also $6,000 more expensive than the historically more reliable and higher resale Toyota. That puts the ZR2 at a disadvantage before the contest starts. Heck, pony up another $8,000 and you’ve bought a Ford Raptor. The Toyota TRD Pro Tacoma is pricey, too, costing $52,000 before tax, which is also crazy given a full-sized Toyota Tundra 4x4 Crew-Max SR5 costs thousands less. Maybe I’m missing the point, but the price tag on both these trucks makes their raison d’être less compelling and gimmicky right out of the gate.
CM: Well, you are paying an additional $4,100 for the 2.8-litre Duramax diesel option; when equipped with the 3.6-L, 308-horsepower V-6, the Colorado ZR2 starts at $46,110 before shipping and dealer fees ($47,600 before taxes). That’s competitive with others in its category. No other vehicle matches the Tacoma in resale value; it is good to know if you’re the original buyer of a Tacoma, you won’t be getting hit as hard when it’s time to sell.
DM: Price and resale aside, don’t even get me started about the placement of the spare tire in the Colorado in the middle of the box, effectively rendering the box useless. I guess that’s ideal if competing in the Baja 1000, but this option is about as silly as it gets. Twice I needed the box and both times the spare was in the way. The tire also limits rear visibility, especially when built up with snow. The roll bar also blocks visibility from the highmounted brake and box lights and the LED lights on the bar didn’t work. We all love off-road components, but the Colorado’s were intrusive and frustrating.
CM: Derek, when it comes to off-road-kitted four-by-fours like the TRD and ZR2, it’s all about appearance; no one really takes them off-road. The spare in the bed makes it look like you’re on your way to a desert rally, even though you’re on the morning commute to the cubicle. You can save $740 by leaving the spare under the truck, though if you’re a serious explorer, you’ll be losing some ground clearance. I, too, found its placement highly impractical, but you have to opt in to get it.
DM: That’s the thing: If people aren’t taking them off-road, they need their truck to be useful on a daily basis. And save the $740 to boot! The Tacoma’s spare is properly tucked away and yet it can still boulder over most barriers while keeping the bed functional, though I’m not a big fan of the Tacoma’s composite gate, which can be slippery. I also wish there were longer bed options for carrying a sled or ATV; both trucks are limited to short beds. CM: Interestingly, you can get the Colorado with a crew cab and a six-foot bed, but not in ZR2 trim. This kind of confirms to me that either of these trucks are more novelty items than practical workhorses. These are adultsized Tonka trucks; if you really want practicality, there are other less-expensive trims to choose from. However, if you are a real off-roader, both of these perform exceptionally well in rough stuff, though I have a preference for the ZR2 with its excellent Multimatic suspension.
DM: For sure, the ZR2 rode way better thanks to those amazing Multimatic shocks and it was much quieter than the TRD Taco. The gold aluminum housings of those shocks, with two spool valves for greater compression, still work for daily use and look cool, too. The Bilsteins on the Taco felt too firm. But don’t “real off-roaders” buy cheaper base trucks and then equip them with high-quality off-road aftermarket parts? I’m still not sold on either of these.
CM: Interesting point. I’ve always liked the Tacoma, but after spending a week in the Colorado and then stepping into the Toyota, the latter felt … dated. The driving position was bolt upright, the steering wheel was too far away, the controls seemed less contemporary and the ride felt choppy in comparison. And the touch screen was way too sensitive, so every time I went for the volume knob I’d inadvertently brush the screen and change some setting.
DM: The touch screen’s sensitivity can be adjusted in the controls, but you’re exactly right about the seating and ride. The Taco rides poorly compared with the ZR2. And the seating position in the Tacoma truly sucks with no ability to raise the seat. I didn’t mind the six-speed manual, but the clutch sure stank any time it was getting worked.