2023 Toyota Tacoma vs. Chevy Colorado: There Is Still a Big Question Mark for Chevy
Before you buy a new truck, you’ll likely have deal-breaker considerations in mind. For most truck owners, performance, capability, reliability, and affordability play key roles in their decision-making. But in a recent review comparing the 2023 Toyota Tacoma vs. Chevy Colorado, there’s going to be one big question mark still looming.
U.S. News weighs in on the pros and cons for both trucks, assigning rankings and values to each category you’ll look to before buying. And while the Toyota Tacoma might initially appear to fall behind the Chevy Colorado, that one unknown could still sway how you determine which new pickup to take home.
Critic reviews and rankings for the Toyota Tacoma vs. Chevy Colorado
:”2023 Toyota Tacoma | Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
It’s important to know that if you’ve narrowed your truck choices down to the 2023 Toyota Tacoma and the 2023 Chevy Colorado, you won’t be disappointed with either pickup. Both are great truck options, and U.S. News has plenty of praise. However, in the overall rank, the Tacoma comes in ninth while the Colorado comes in second, suggesting the Colorado may be the better buy.
Comparing these two pickups on performance, the Chevy Colorado’s 8.2 out of 10 beats the Toyota Tacoma’s 6.6. Interior quality is a victory for the Colorado, with a score of seven. The Tacoma only earns 5.8 for the interior.
Safety ratings are still out for both trucks for now. However, both come with a decent suite of standard safety features you’d expect 2023 models to have.
The U.S. News review team gives a thumbs down to the Toyota Tacoma for having a weak base engine, limited back row space, and a less-than-smooth ride quality. The team’s only real hesitation with the Chevy Colorado is its limited cab and bed combination and mediocre interior. But before you rush out to buy a Colorado, there’s still one sizable question mark for Chevy in this evaluation.
Where the Chevy Colorado leaves questions
The 2023 Chevy Colorado may outperform the 2023 Toyota Tacoma in this review. It’s still rather affordable, with a starting MSRP of $29,200, comparable to Tacoma’s $28,580 entry-level price tag. Unfortunately for Chevy, there isn’t a reliability rating included for now. And that could be a deal-breaker for truck-buying consumers who rely heavily on ownership experience and reliability over the life of the truck.
Consumer Reports leaves a blank on the new Colorado’s reliability, too. The team expects the truck’s reliability to be “less than other new cars.” And this unknown estimation can only be based on previous Colorado ownership experiences and Chevrolet’s overall brand history.
Why this could be detrimental for the Chevy Colorado
The redesigned 2023 Chevy Colorado is turning heads and gaining in popularity. But it won’t hold a candle to the reliability reputation of the Toyota Tacoma. So while the Colorado seems to out-rank the Tacoma in other categories, reliability concerns could prevent consumers from buying the Colorado at the high rate Chevy hopes they do.
Most consumers place a high value on reliability ratings. Since more people drive their trucks longer and are keenly aware of the cost of ownership, unknown reliability could sway buyers to consider other pickups.
Ultimately, you’ll have to decide which features and categories are most important to you in a new truck. If performance, interior quality, and overall critic rankings matter, the 2023 Chevy Colorado is going to be your top pick. However, if you emphasize reliability, the Colorado presents an unknown you might not be able to risk, making the 2023 Toyota Tacoma the better value proposition.
