2023 Chevrolet Colorado vs 2022 Nissan Titan

The 2022 Nissan Titan zeroed in on brand loyalty, taking on the classic trio of Ford, GM, and Dodge, along with the well-regarded Toyota Tundra. Although it joined the full-size pickup arena later than its competitors, the Titan made a solid impression. The Titan's exterior exuded rugged elegance, with defined lines and an expressive front. It avoided unnecessary adornments, opting instead for an imposing stance and seamless fit and finish.

When drivers climbed into the Titan, they were greeted with a clutter-free interior, superior materials, and notable build quality. The cabin boasted plenty of cup and bottle holders alongside expansive dimensions, offering an airy atmosphere. Test vehicles equipped with the optional moonroof package ($1,490) benefited from a dual-panel panoramic moonroof, enhancing the cabin's openness and improving airflow with a power sliding rear window.

In contrast, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss had an off-road ruggedness about it, thanks to its factory suspension lift, box-flared fenders with charcoal gray trim, and a deeply sculpted hood. The Radiant Red Trail Boss pulled off the blacked-out look effortlessly.

The new Colorado's design was striking, maintaining a balanced and expressive look inside and out. Hints of the sporty Camaro could be noted in the dashboard toggle switches and round outboard air vents. However, the base Work Truck (WT) and Trail Boss trims suffered from an overly gray front fascia and interior. The relentlessly gray design and cheap materials sapped initial enthusiasm. Yet, the Trail Boss stood out with its functional front skid plate, unlike the WT. The upper trims (LT, Z71, and ZR2) benefited from body color paint accents and refined cabins.

For the 2022 Nissan Titan, Nissan decided to stick with what worked. Every model featured a robust 5.6-liter gasoline V8 engine paired with a nine-speed automatic transmission. It produced 400 horsepower and 413 pound-feet of torque, delivering a balanced performance with variable valve timing and direct gasoline injection. RWD was standard on the S, SV, and Platinum Reserve models, while 4WD was a given on the Pro-4X off-road model and an option for other trims.

Fuel economy estimates for the Titan’s RWD models were 16 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined. The 4WD models slightly decreased in efficiency to 15 mpg city, 21 mpg highway, and 18 mpg combined, with the Pro-4X dropping further to 15 mpg city, 20 mpg highway, and 17 mpg combined.

Our test truck, a highly equipped Titan Pro-4X, came with additional 4WD capabilities, integrating a two-speed transfer case with high and low ranges. Pro-4X models also featured an electronically locking rear differential, 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires, and Bilstein off-road shocks. Despite its off-road slant and nearly 10 inches of ground clearance, the Titan performed admirably on paved roads, combining a powerful V8 engine and solid handling.

For practical capabilities, the Titan offered impressive towing and hauling features. These included an integrated trailer brake controller, trailer sway control, tow/haul mode with downhill speed control, and a trailer light check system. Titan's maximum towing capacity reached 9,310 pounds, with a payload capacity of 1,710 pounds.

Meanwhile, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado relied on a turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine across its trims. The WT and LT trims produced 237 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 260 pound-feet of torque from 1,200 to 4,000 rpm. More powerful versions in the Trail Boss and Z71 delivered 310 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 391 lb-ft at 2,000 rpm. The Colorado ZR2 upped the torque to 430 lb-ft at 3,000 rpm while maintaining the 310-hp rating.

The Colorado's eight-speed automatic transmission was a standard feature. The Autotrac 4WD system in WT and LT trims featured a single-speed transfer case, while Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2 models added a two-speed transfer case with high and low settings.

The Trail Boss version included a 2-inch suspension lift, with the ZR2 receiving a 3-inch lift and exclusive Multimatic DSSV dampers. Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2 models came with specialized tires suited to their intended terrains.

The Colorado also offered five driving modes: Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road, Terrain, and the exclusive Baja mode for the ZR2. Hill descent control came standard from the Trail Boss trim upwards.

Our Trail Boss test truck showcased its off-road prowess while maintaining a smooth performance on paved roads. Despite its 9.5 inches of ground clearance, it occasionally struck the underbody skid plate. Yet, it handled ruts and rocky surfaces with minimal rear-wheel slip and tackled broken concrete and speed humps on urban streets without complaint.

The Colorado’s fuel economy was a letdown. While it boasted an official EPA rating of 19 mpg, it returned just 17 mpg in real-world tests. Despite a powerful turbo, the Chevy's engine failed to deliver the expected thrust compared to a less powerful Ford Ranger's 2.3-liter EcoBoost.

The 2022 Nissan Titan offered two body styles: the King Cab and the Crew Cab, both providing two rows of seating. The Titan S base models came with a 40/20/40-split-folding front bench seat. When folded, the middle '20' section served as an armrest—complete with cupholders and concealed storage. Higher trims featured dual power-adjustable bucket seats separated by a center console.

Access to the King Cab's tight 24.8 inches of second-row legroom was through rear-hinged clamshell doors. The Crew Cab offered a more comfortable 38.5 inches of legroom with full, independently operable front-hinged doors. A flat-floor function with tie-down hooks and storage boxes enhanced the Crew Cab's usability at the expense of bed length.

King Cab models featured a 78.7-inch bed, while the Crew Cab offered a 67-inch bed. Both shared a 139.8-inch wheelbase and a total length of 228.2 inches. The Titan didn’t offer a long bed, so carrying large items required tie-downs or a fixed bed extender.

On the contrary, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss seated four comfortably, though a fifth passenger in the middle back seat wasn’t advisable unless they were small children. The test truck's standard cloth upholstery tended to attract pet hair. Convenience Package II lent it an eight-way power driver’s seat with lumber support but lacked a height adjuster for the front passenger seat.

In terms of comfort, wider occupants might find the front seats somewhat snug. However, rear-seat passengers had enough legroom, aided by soft-padded front seatbacks. Rear air conditioning vents were standard on all but WT trims, proving a boon in hot weather testing.

Storage space in the Trail Boss was notably limited, with small door trays, a useful tray ahead of the shifter, a sizable glove compartment, and a narrow armrest storage bin. Nevertheless, cupholders were abundant, outnumbering seat belts.

The Trail Boss's 41.9 cubic-foot cargo bed measured just over five feet (61.7 inches). Thanks to the Convenience Package II, it had an EZ-Lift and Lower tailgate with Chevy's new StowFlex storage panel, offering a 45-inch wide and 4-inch deep compartment. The Mid-Position tailgate feature helped carry long items partially raised, supporting up to 500 pounds.

The 2022 Nissan Titan integrated Nissan's latest infotainment system with an 8-inch display screen standard and a 9-inch touchscreen as an upgrade. It featured Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, a WiFi hotspot, NissanConnect, Bluetooth hands-free connectivity, audio streaming, and a hands-free text-messaging assistant. The standard audio system included a six-speaker setup with satellite radio capability and MP3/WMA playback. The upgraded audio system was a 12-speaker Fender-branded unit with a subwoofer. Built-in navigation was available as an upgrade on SV models and came standard with Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve trims.

Conversely, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado came outfitted with digital instrumentation and an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring Google Built-in technology. The base Colorado WT also benefited from these features. The instrumentation displayed on an 8-inch screen, except for the Colorado ZR2, which had an 11-inch screen. Google Assistant offered natural voice recognition, Google Maps provided updated navigation, and various apps were accessible through Google Play. The system supported Bluetooth, wireless Apple CarPlay, wireless Android Auto, SiriusXM radio, OnStar, Chevrolet connected services, and a WiFi hotspot.

Wireless charging was available, and a six-speaker stereo was standard, with a seven-speaker Bose audio system for the Colorado ZR2. Real-time off-roading data could be displayed via the infotainment screen or digital instrumentation. This high-tech interface, however, required some acclimation due to occasional unexpected responses from Google Assistant.

The 2022 Nissan Titan placed a high priority on safety, with the Nissan Safety Shield 360 standard. It included automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, blind-spot warning, rear cross-traffic alert, lane-departure warning, high-beam assist, and rear automatic braking. Intelligent forward collision warning also came standard. Eight standard airbags covered dual-stage front, driver and front-passenger knee, roof-mounted curtain side-impact, and front seat-mounted side-impact.

The Titan received top “Good” ratings from IIHS except for the “small overlap front: passenger-side” crash test, where it earned an “Acceptable” rating. It received “Superior” ratings for front crash prevention. Halogen reflector headlights on S and SV trims received a “Poor” rating, while LED headlights on Pro-4X and Platinum Reserve were unrated. NHTSA had not provided crash-test ratings for the 2022 Titan, though the 2020 model received four out of five stars for overall safety.

The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado also featured an impressive array of safety measures. It included OnStar's SOS emergency calling and automatic crash notification, a Teen Driver system, and a Buckle to Drive function. Standard Chevy Safety Assist comprised forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assist, and automatic high beams.

Optional ADAS featured adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring with active steering assist, rear cross-traffic and pedestrian alert with automatic braking, and rear parking sensors. However, the forward-collision warning system proved overly sensitive and prone to false alerts unless adjusted correctly.