On a budget, a used Chevrolet Colorado or Nissan Frontier?
Do you miss the good old days of cheap vans? Welcome to the club! For many buyers, the solution is to turn to smaller or used models.
Of course, the Toyota Tacoma is renowned for being puncture-proof, while the Honda Ridgeline has won several Car Guide mid-size pickup awards in recent years. But there are other options.
The Chevrolet Colorado and the Nissan Frontier come to mind, but which one to choose? To better answer the question, and since we're talking about a limited budget, we're going to focus on their older generations, i.e. the 2015 to 2022 Colorado and the 2005 to 2020 Frontier.
One of the reasons it has lasted so long is its durability and reliability. J.D. Power confirms this. And do you know the story of the American who put over 1.6 million km on his Frontier? That said, for the same year, the Frontier is at a disadvantage compared to its American rival due to its much older design and more rudimentary cab. It also has a smoother ride.
Although it offers several cab and bed formats, as well as a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes, Nissan's truck must also admit defeat in terms of power and capability. Its 4- and 6-cylinder engines (152 and 261 hp) don't come close to matching those of the Colorado (193/200 and 302/308 hp), the latter having offered a fuel-efficient 4-cylinder turbodiesel with 369 lb-ft of torque. For bigger jobs, such as towing heavy loads, the Chevrolet has the edge.
If we look strictly at prices, the Frontier is generally more affordable, both in the basic and the more fully-equipped versions. Among the latter, the Pro-4X does well in off-road driving, but here again, a Colorado ZR2 does better with higher skills. The Frontier also boasts considerably higher fuel consumption and less space on board.
All in all, our top recommendation would be a V6-powered Colorado, especially for a longer-term purchase (resale value included). Reliability is generally good, although several 2016-2017 examples have experienced transmission problems. Whatever your choice, a proper mechanical inspection is a must before you buy.
