Compare the Ford Ranger Against the Chevrolet Colorado

Check Out How Ford Ranger is Already Besting the Chevrolet Competition in Manteca, CA

The rivalry among mid-size pickups is heating up, and nowhere is it more pronounced than between the latest Ford Ranger and the new Chevrolet Colorado. Ours, a reboot from a "Built Ford Tough" tradition calling back to 2011, returns for the 2019 model year in the tradition of the class-leading, full-size Ford F-150 pickup. Theirs, a 2004 successor to the celebrated compact Chevrolet S-10 truck, makes for quite a contender, too. But compare them, and you'll see it's the new Ranger that pulls ahead.

2019 Ford Ranger vs. 2019 Chevy Colorado

Power and Performance

• Standard 270-horsepower, 2.3-liter EcoBoost® engine
• 270 horsepower backed by 310 pound-feet of torque -- a best-in-class rating
• Class-exclusive ten-speed auto transmission
• Rear-wheel-drive (4x2) or four-wheel-drive (4x4) drivetrain
• Max payload support: 1,860 pounds in SuperCab 4x2 builds; max towing support: 7,500 pounds -- both capabilities at the top of the class
• Available Terrain Management System and locking rear differential
• Standard Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking
• Optional 8-inch SYNC® 3 infotainment system with Waze crowd-sourced navigation support, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility for smartphone connection, Ford+Alexa capability, and available Wi-Fi access via FordPass Connect

2019 Ford Ranger might offer fewer options, appearing in only XL, XLT and Lariat trims, but the workhorse abilities of its one engine easily breeze past all three of the competition's. Colorado and its 2.5-liter I4 put out just 200 horsepower and 191 pound-feet; its 3.6-liter V6 can put out 308 horsepower, but with less push, at 275 pound-feet, and you have to graduate to a costly 2.8-liter Turbo-Diesel to get 369 pound-feet. Even then, the last dishes just 186 horsepower. Plus, Colorado can only haul up to 1,574 pounds, tow only 3,500 at base with its 2.5-liter engine, and only up to 7,000 with its V6. Towing up to 7,700 pounds requires that extra diesel investment.

• Standard 200-horsepower, 2.5-liter in-line four-cylinder engine capable of 191 pound-feet of torque
• Available 308-horsepower, 3.6-liter V6 gas engine and turbocharged 186-horsepower, 2.8-liter diesel engine
• Eight-speed auto transmission
• Max payload support: 1,574 pounds; max towing support: 3,500 pounds with a 2.5-liter I4, up to 7,000 pounds with a V6, up to 7,700 pounds with diesel
• Optional locking differentials both front and rear
• Available Safety Package available on LT models with a forward collision alert system, lane departure warning, and rear park assistance
• 7- or 8-inch Chevrolet Infotainment 3 system options, available navigation, Apple and Android smartphone compatibility, and 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot support

Chevrolet Colorado and its base, WT, LT, Z71, and ZR2 options offers more in the way of trim levels, not to mention a few extra engine options. However, customizing makes it a bit pricier than Ford Ranger. Additionally, you have to pay out a little more to get similar safety features standard in Colorado. Plus, it's plain to see that Ranger that has more security options overall, too. A Lane-Keeping System with lane-keeping assist and departure warnings, reverse sensing, and a class-exclusive Blind Spot Information System with trailer coverage come standard on XLT and Lariat, while the latter also gets standard Adaptive Cruise Control. These, 2019 Colorado can't match.

If you're eager to see more of how the new Ford Ranger outperforms the rest, visit us here at Phil Waterford's Manteca Ford, 555 North Main Street in Manteca, CA. Your test drive's just around the corner!