4th Gen Tacoma (2024+)

He didn't, the only thing he said about the Chevy regarding the throttle is that he wasn't at 100% when it started downshifting to go up the hill. Makes sense, the Chevy by ratings had 1200lbs more towing capacity left in it.

 

Was he maintaining or accelerating? I thought he was still picking up speed when he said that.

 

Throttle not at a 100% on the Chevy. Was it 90%, 95%? He was was around 4,500rpm, way past max torque. More throttle, more fuel, more rpm. Would have gained about 20hp and lost about 20lb-ft torque, check the hp/tq curves. Not sure that would have made much of a difference.

 

https://www.caranddriver.com/review...ma-trd-off-road-2023-chevy-colorado-zr2-test/

Our truck also has an electronically disconnectable front anti-roll bar, a new $1230 option. This, plus Solar Octane paint ($425), heated front seats ($585), the eight-speed automatic ($1100), and upgraded JBL audio with a 14-inch touchscreen ($845), nudged our truck's $43,295 base price to $47,480 as tested.

For the Colorado, we chose the mighty ZR2 that had impressed us so much on an extended off-road romp across Nevada. This comparison test would have been a mismatch before the wide-track Tacoma appeared. And it still could be, because the ZR2's high-output turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four makes 310 horsepower and a mighty 430 pound-feet. It also has Multimatic spool-valve dampers, electronically lockable front and rear differentials, and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. Its base price of $48,295 is $5000 higher than the Toyota's, but the next rung down in the Colorado lineup is the Z71, which is, with all due respect, a narrow-stance appearance package that would have been overmatched by the newly invigorated Tacoma. The ZR2 model lines up best with the TRD Off-Road. That sounded great until we realized that all we could lay our hands on was a loaded example with an as-tested price of $61,530.

The Colorado has an extra inch of rear legroom that makes the aft compartment less tight, but it's mostly downhill from there. Its driving perch is somewhat upright, while the Tacoma's feels natural—a marked improvement from previous models. The Tacoma's standard seat cloth is nowhere near as nice as, say, a 4Runner's, but that's about the only place where the Chevy has a material advantage. Chevrolet formed the Colorado's cabin from uninspiring stuff draped across an uninteresting landscape that offers little in the way of storage. The Tacoma's environs, on the other hand, are interesting and multilayered and manage to seamlessly include a storage shelf, a handy well near the shifter, and an inclined plane that holds two phones. Even the door pockets are massive—enabled, perhaps, by the cabin's wider dimensions.

Conversely, the Chevy attempts to follow Tesla's lead and save a few pennies on switchgear. Numerous driving controls are confusingly intermixed with infotainment functions in the confines of the ZR2's smaller central touchscreen. Want to reset the trip odometer? That's a few layers deep in the menus. Need to initiate downhill-assist control? Ditto. Turn on the fog lights? Same, and the control is nowhere near the main headlight settings, also buried in the touchscreen.

In pure trucking terms, our TRD Off-Road's 1200-pound payload bests the ZR2's 1084-pound rating. It can tow up to 6300 pounds, while a manual-equipped TRD Off-Road—a thing you can buy—tows 6400 pounds. Meanwhile, the ZR2 is good for 5500 pounds with the Desert Boss package and 6000 pounds without it.

On paper, the ZR2 should have crushed the Tacoma, as its high-output turbo 2.7-liter four makes considerably more horsepower and gobs more torque than the Tacoma...
...we had an excuse ready had the TRD Off-Road been slower: "Of course it is. The ZR2 has 32 extra horsepower and 113 pound-feet more torque.
Turns out, we didn't need to deploy those qualifiers because the TRD Off-Road matched the ZR2 to 60 mph (6.8 seconds), in the quarter-mile (15.2 seconds), from 5 to 60 mph (8.1 seconds), and from 30 to 50 mph (3.9 seconds). Moreover, its quarter-mile trap speed was 92 mph versus the ZR2's 89 mph, and its 4.7-second 50-to-70-mph passing time was seven-tenths quicker.

Despite its eager demeanor, the TRD Off-Road wins big at the pump, where its EPA estimates of 19 mpg city, 23 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined destroy the ZR2's 16-mpg across-the-board (city, highway, and combined) ratings. The Chevy returned 14 mpg on our round trip to Borrego Springs, California; the Toyota averaged 19 mpg. This lopsided result was obvious at gas stops, where the ZR2 typically drank three additional gallons. Even though the Chevy has the larger fuel tank, the Toyota still delivers superior range.

 

So on pavement the Taco wins. Wonder how it does off road?

 

Went and read the article...looks like they think the TRD OR is better than the ZR2

And the Winner Is...
We were so impressed when the ZR2 first came out that we doubted Toyota could pull ahead again, but the new Tacoma proves that it absolutely has. The 2024 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off-Road is the clear winner here. It's also on a different plane of existence from the aged truck it replaces. It goes about its business with enthusiasm in terms of powertrain response and handling, and it's quite capable off-road. Its interior is smart and easy to live with, and it's more entertaining to drive on your way to the dirt.
With respect to the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, this result came as a surprise. Not only have we been consistently amazed by the new ZR2, but its list of advantages seemed long. We fretted about a crushing victory, a bad pairing that would provoke angry letters. But the inconvenience of the Chevy's interior stands in stark contrast to the Tacoma's, and its playful off-road nature and theoretically more powerful motor don't show up on pavement. None of this changes the fact that it's a solid off-road truck, but it's now clear there is room for improvement.

 

Wow that is very surprising, if they feel this way about the normal TRD OR then imagine how the Pro/Trailhunters are going to do.

 

Despite the lower step-in height, the Tacoma has more ground clearance—11.0 inches compared with the ZR2's 10.7 inches. (and the ZR2 has 1" taller tires)

Away from the test track, the ZR2 doesn't feel like it has an underhood advantage. In fact, it exhibits less gumption and willingness to respond to various throttle proddings. At best, this could be a minor plus when tiptoeing over rocks, where the ZR2 offered a wee bit more delicate control. Mostly, though, the Tacoma's turbo 2.4- liter always felt more ready, willing, and able. Its transmission in the default setting was more eager to downshift and keep the party going than the ZR2's was in Baja mode.

 

Wait for those videos for the trail hunter from that Overland group. You can tell that thing is goimg to rock offroad

 

Ouch. Didn't think it would be so one-sided. Hoped it would be the opposite for my upcoming bidding war. Hoped all the Colorado buyers would continue down that path like the Ford Ranger folks back in the day.

But wait, what if Toyota paid off that writer? That is what is happening. I don't believe this guy at all.

 

It really sounds like a Z71 would have been a better match in the comparison than a Bison lol. Gonna go ahead and concede all the off road stuff since the Bison got taken to school. But talking about towing, payload, EPA mileage, braking, and 0-60 & Qtr. mi. times, all would have been better with a Z71 vs. the Bison. The Z71 exceeds or matches the Taco in most of those areas as well.

 

I've seen several vids say this same thing, that there is obviously a power difference but the Tacoma feels really good when driving it and is just better tuned.

Excited to test one for myself

 

Well that escalated quickly.

 

This is much better! I believe:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDyBfHfrkU0

 

That’s pretty crazy. Is there actually enough space to turn the steering wheel?

 

So you disagree with their assessment? "the next rung down in the Colorado lineup is the Z71, which is, with all due respect, a narrow-stance appearance package that would have been overmatched by the newly invigorated Tacoma."

The Z71 doesn't have the multimatic suspension, front locker, or standard skid plates - so it would have done even worse offroad.

The Z71 gets 17/21 vs 19/23 and the TFL video showed that the Tacoma was just as capable at towing.

Not a Bison with 35s, it was a '23 Desert Boss. Did the 32.6 tires vs 31.6 kill the 0-60 and 1/4 times?

 

Did you watch that video? Not only is there no Tacoma in it, I don't think they even said the word Tacoma. They spent all their time comparing the Colorado to the Canyon.

 

Oops. I still believe. Those yellow seatbelts are a deal breaker tho. Gotta be a mod fer that.

 

I would take what all these writers say with a grain of salt. Many of them seem to have agendas or get kickbacks. Plus many reviewers aren’t even truck people.

 

Yeah I disagree on their assessment when talking about some of the on road features and capabilities when comparing a Bison to a Z71. Like towing, payload, Mileage and braking. Which they then compared to the Tacoma. AND THE TACO OBLITERATED THE BISON.

I never argued about the off-road stuff, so you're just talking to yourself there.

And yeah, I think 33" MT is gonna hurt your 0-60, qtr mi. times and braking when compared to a 265 SL AT that comes on a Z71.

I mean I got from the article if I have 62k to spend on an offroader, I buy the Taco and pocket 15k...

"in most of those areas" does not mean all.