2015 Mid-Size Truck Shootout

Float Like a Butterfly … Sting Like a Flying Knee
Mid-size trucks, much like mid-sized boxers, aren’t what they once were. Gone are the days of small, stripped-down cramped trucks. There’s not even a single-cab option available in this segment these days, sheesh. Evolution has dictated that modern mid-size trucks need more all-around versatility, sort of like an MMA fighter. They still might not be as large as half-tons, but there’s no denying these trucks have gotten bigger over time. Regardless, mid-size truck buyers still demand vehicles that can negotiate a tight parking lot, offer a smooth ride on the highway, and still be able to hit the trails with confidence.

During our agility (A.K.A.: handling) testing, our group was universal in its praise of the Colorado’s steering and handling, which Rousseau and Alexander both said was “the least truck-like” of the three test vehicles – and that’s not a bad thing. Its electrically assisted power rack-and-pinion steering is light, direct and precise, and Chevrolet’s engineers obviously worked hard to minimize body roll during hard cornering. It should also be noted that Chevrolet removed the air dam from the Colorado’s front bumper for our test prior to delivery, a tweak we’d suggest to anyone planning to explore beyond smooth fire roads. Chevrolet explained that the air dam can provide up to a 1 mpg improvement in highway fuel economy, but significantly limits front-end ground clearance and should therefore be removed (via 15 bolts) for off-highway use.

The Colorado feels responsive, even precise through paved corners, yet stable, comfortable and predictable on the highway... it goes where you point it more like a car than a truck. The same is true for its off-road feel, as the Chevy’s steering is clearly the most precise of the bunch. Over whoops, off-camber turns and unforeseen bumps in the trail, the Chevy felt unfazed at moderate speeds over moderate terrain when its suspension travel and ground clearance weren’t pushed to the limits.

It’s a different story for the Tacoma, as the T/X Baja Series was clearly designed with off-road use in mind. The Tacoma really shines when the pavement ends. On the highway, there’s a little more of a rough edge to the Tacoma’s ride quality, which is at least in part due to the T/X Baja’s added suspension lift (much like the 2015 Tacoma TRD Pro). On road or off, the Tacoma still isn’t as precise as the Colorado; its steering feel is far more vague. This was much more acceptable when weaving through the brush thanks to its bump-soaking remote-reservoir Bilstein shocks and extra ground clearance. Off-road use is clearly in the Tacoma’s T/X Baja Series DNA.

Whether on the highway or in the dirt, the Nissan was far and away the least refined in its steering input. “Heavy” was the word most often used to describe the Frontier’s tiller. It certainly is less vague than the Toyota’s, but it requires the most input and work to push through a turn. The Nissan’s speed-sensitive power rack-and-pinion steering is more precise than the Toyota’s, but also way heavier than either the Toyota’s or the Chevy’s – it’s gratuitously heavy and frankly, a bit of a pain in the ass. The Nissan offers true middle-of-the-road (or middle-of-the-trail) performance. It isn’t as fun to drive on the street as the Chevy, but it is more dirt-worthy, although not as capable in the dirt as the Toyota. One tester did note a decided lack of creaking and groaning noise from the Nissan on chassis-twisting off-road terrain – a testament to its rigidity.

Socked-Up Suspension
There’s just no question that the Tacoma packs the most punch in the off-road suspension department, even if it is a bit of a ringer. The beefy TRD/Bilstein front coil-overs that come as part of the T/X Baja package offer an additional 1.5 inches of lift over the stock Tacoma shocks, and the gas-charged remote-reservoir Bilstein rear shocks are a cut above the standard Tacoma units as well, offering an additional inch out back. That extra front and rear travel is a big advantage on the trail, where the Tacoma soaks up rough terrain and offers extra bottoming insurance if a section is taken too quickly. As tester Rousseau noted, “Up to a point, the faster you went, the better it worked. Fantastic.”

Ride quality is sacrificed slightly on the highway, as the Tacoma feels stiffer and less compliant than the other two trucks. The trade-off isn’t bad considering just how well this truck performs off-road, then again... you’re paying a pretty penny for that additional upgrade package.

The Frontier’s Pro-4X off-road package does come with upgraded Bilstein shocks, though these are nowhere near the aggressive performance found in the Tacoma’s remote-reservoir Bilstein coil-overs. It doesn’t take much velocity to over-tax the Frontier’s suspension when you up the pace off-road. Rousseau said, “It seems to be the softest of the three trucks over rough terrain, which tells me it could use beefier shocks and sway bars.”

At slower speeds, the Nissan feels just fine in the dirt. Much like the Chevrolet, although it could use some additional ground clearance, as it easily bottoms-out in even lightly whooped trail sections which forces its driver to back-way-off the throttle. On the highway, the Nissan’s on-road comfort is superior to the Toyota’s stiffer ride and about on par with the Chevy’s.

The Colorado’s suspension feels pretty good both on road and off – and is probably the best all-around package of the bunch for typical truck use. The consistent comment heard off-road was that it simply didn’t have enough travel. We’d love to see a more off-road-worthy suspension setup as part of on the Z71 package. Its twin-tube coilover front shocks and two-stage multi-leaf spring and twin-tube rear shocks tackle off-road cruising just fine if you don’t push it.

Rousseau summed up the Chevy’s off-road performance as such: “My only gripe about the Colorado’s suspension is that there simply isn’t enough of it for what I consider to be moderate off-road use—and no, I didn’t try to drive it like BJ Baldwin’s trophy truck over our off-road route.” Pick up the pace and the Colorado’s travel-limited suspension shows its shortcomings. We’re holding out hope that the ZR2 concept truck actually makes it into production.  Otherwise, as Rousseau noted, “Larger-diameter shocks and a lift kit would be right at the top of my mod list if I owned a Colorado.”

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