2026 Chevy Colorado vs 2026 Toyota Tacoma
In the midsize truck segment, the battle is heating up between the Chevy Colorado, and the Toyota Tacoma. With both models bringing something to the table, we'll take a closer look at what you can get from both models to see which is the best for you.
Key takeaways
- When it comes to the best midsize truck 2026, we think that title belongs to the Colorado.
- If you're a weekend handyman looking for the best option, then you'll want the Colorado as it comes with 1,200 more pounds on the towing capacity.
- The Colorado comes with less trims, making it more accessible than the Tacoma.
Are the 2026 Colorado out yet?
Yes, the Colorado is out! When looking at the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado, you'll find that it is basically a carryover from the year prior. While this may seem like a bad thing, we think that it is actually a strength because Chevy is proud, and happy with where the Colorado is at. In turn, giving you a great vehicle without feeling like you're missing out.
Colorados come at a starting price of $34,495 on the LT trims. The other trims that you can find are Custom starting at $35,865, LT starting at $38,095, Trail Boss starting at $42,595, Z71 starting at $46,695, and the ZR2 starting at $52,795. The trim that you should look for from this lineup is the Trail Boss "as it delivers almost as much mud-flinging fun as the high-riding ZR2 but for less" as per Car and Driver. You'll find that it comes with 32-inch all-terrain tires and fender flares that make it look tough, and it offers more suspension travel than lesser trims.
Moving to the Tacoma lineup, things get a bit more confusing. It comes with 11 trims, there's such a thing as too many options, and we think that the Toyota suffers from that. The available trims are the SR starting at $32,245, SR5 starting at $36,335, TRD PreRunner starting at $38,835, TRD Sport starting at $40,115, TRD Off-Road starting at $42,515, TRD Sport -FORCE MAX starting at $47,035, TRD Off-Road i-FORCE MAX starting at $47,335, Limited starting at $53,745, Limited i-FORCE MAX starting at $57,070, Trailhunter starting at $63,450, and the TRD Pro $65,145.
Is the 2026 Colorado a good truck?
Yes, the Colorado is a good truck, especially in terms of towing capacity. Colorado is the better of the two, especially when considering it is a truck. While the Tacoma does its best with its towing capacity being 6,500-pounds, it still falls short. The Colorado comes along with a max tow rating of 7,700-pounds.
We'll take a closer look at the engines in a table below so you can see which is the best of the two.
| Engine | Horsepower | Torque | Towing Capacity | MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colorado 2.7L I4 | 310 | 430 | 7,700 | 21 |
| Tacoma 2.4L I4 | 228 | 243 | 6,500 | 23 |
| Tacoma 2.4L I4 i-Force | 278 | 317 | 6,500 | 23 |
As you can see, the Colorado does miss out on some mileage, but the towing capacity makes up for it in our opinion.
Which truck is better, Tacoma or Colorado?
The Chevrolet Colorado is the better of the two. We compared the two directly, and the Colorado is just leaps and bounds better than the Tacoma. While the Tacoma does come out swinging, the Colorado has the edge in some key areas. It wins with the towing capacity, as well as having a lower price point on the high-end. When paired with the sheer amount of trims on the Tacoma, it gets to be too much, fast. Stop by Banner Chevrolet to find the perfect Colorado for your needs.
