Which Midsize Truck is for You: The 2024 Chevy Colorado or Nissan Frontier?

The current midsize truck landscape is in an excellent spot. With a host of popular midsize trucks annually updated by some of the world’s most beloved automotive brands, there’s never been a better time to get behind the wheel of an exceptional vehicle. You owe it to yourself to buy the right truck. The problem is that it doesn’t begin to explain which truck is worth your hard-earned dollars. Today, we’re focusing on two heavy hitters and settling this year’s matchup, the 2024 Chevy Colorado versus the 2024 Nissan Frontier, once and for all. We’re confident that when you examine these two standout midsize models, you’ll want to check out the Chevy Colorado for sale. Keep reading, and we’ll explain why the Colorado is the superior midsize truck.

The Battle of the Engines

Chevy and Nissan’s take on powertrains are vastly different between the 2024 Colorado and Frontier. The 2024 Frontier has a 3.8L V6 engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission on each trim, ultimately limiting performance on the higher-tier trims. The V6 engine under the 2024 Frontier’s hood performs well, with 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque complemented by decent maximum towing and payload capacities of 6,640 lbs and 1,620 lbs, respectively. It’s impressive in a vacuum because the Colorado’s powertrain is far more efficient than Nissan’s, with the potential for greater performance.

The 2024 Colorado is available with two powertrain configurations. Both configurations utilize an 8-speed automatic transmission with an acceleration profile that is not unlike Nissan’s truck, regardless of the extra gear. Under the hood of the base model 2024 Colorado trucks, a turbocharged 2.7L I-4 engine sets the stage, and an available TurboMax variant provides drivers with terrific performance.

Starting with the 2024 Colorado’s base engine produces 237 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, with a maximum towing capacity of 3,500 lbs. The performance differential is more understandable given that the 2024 Colorado has a lower starting price than the Frontier. However, that doesn’t mean the base Colorado engine doesn’t have advantages over the Frontier’s. For example, Four-wheel drive fuel economy ratings are identical, but if we’re discussing the rear-wheel drive variants of both trucks, the Colorado’s base engine is more fuel-efficient.

The 2024 Colorado’s base engine has EPA-estimated ratings of 20 MPG in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 22 MPG combined. These ratings outpace the Frontier’s base fuel ratings of 18 MPG in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 21 MPG combined. The payload capacity of the 2024 Colorado is higher than the 2024 Frontier regardless of powertrain, with support for up to 1,684 lbs. What about the alternative powertrain?

If your 2024 Colorado has the TurboMax equivalent of the turbocharged 2.7L I-4 engine under the hood, performance is uplifted to a matching 310 hp but an exceptional boost to 430 lb-ft of torque. Between the 2024 Colorado and Frontier at their best, the Colorado produces a 53% greater torque output, and that’s without mentioning the increase in towing performance, with Chevy’s midsize truck supporting a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lbs—a 16% increase over Nissan’s truck.

What Are the Size Differences?

Cargo space is an area both the 2024 Colorado and Frontier do well at, but the situation is unique. For example, the Frontier has a higher maximum capacity with its longer bed, which is great, but the standard-length bed costs more. This poses a problem for those who want the shorter bed, whether it’s because they want a less lengthy truck or, more commonly, have a family who may regularly come along for the ride. The long bed that comes standard with the 2024 Frontier has the benefit of cargo space owing to its 6.1-ft long size. However, the interior becomes more condensed in the back, meaning rear-row passengers have an uncomfortable time.

The 2024 Frontier’s regular-length bed is 5-ft long—shorter than the 2024 Colorado’s standard 5.2-ft long bed. Obtaining the shorter bed for your Frontier is done by purchasing a crew cab model, with the king cab models providing the long bed. The Frontier’s regular-length bed has 40.1 cu.ft. of cargo space, reduced to 39.6 cu.ft. with a spray-in bedliner, while the Colorado’s bed gives you 41.9 cu.ft. of cargo space to work with.

Paying extra to reduce the bed size in favor of a more comfortable interior is strange, considering the Colorado is already the more cost-effective truck. The 2024 Colorado has a starting MSRP of $29,800 over the Frontier’s starting price of $30,510.^[a] How does the cab size affect interior measurements? If you buy the most cost-effective 2024 Frontier, which is the S trim with the King Cab, the interior has 26.2 inches of rear legroom—considerably less than the 34.7 inches in the base Colorado. Even if your 2024 Frontier has the crew cab, it’ll still have less rear-row legroom, as it caps out at 33.2 inches.

The 2024 Chevy Colorado has better ground clearance than the 2024 Frontier, both on the minimum and maximum ends. For example, the Frontier’s ground clearance varies depending on the configuration, with the S providing 7.8 inches, the PRO-X with 8.4 inches, and the PRO-4X with 8.6 inches. The 2024 Colorado’s ground clearance measurements vary too, but you’ll always have at least 7.9 inches of ground clearance with your truck—upgraded to 9.51 inches on trims like the WT, Z71, and ZR2, and maxing out at class-leading 12.2 inches.

A Modern Truck for a Modern Audience

The 2024 Chevy Colorado and 2024 Nissan Frontier are both trucks of the times, but that doesn’t mean they’re identical. Modern trucks built for modern audiences mean that technology is great across the board. However, the 2024 Colorado is the better-equipped truck. Not only on the base level, but even when the Frontier gives its all with its top-end configuration, the Colorado squeezes ahead.

The 2024 Frontier’s base model has an 8-inch infotainment center with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Frontier also comes standard with a 7-inch multi-function information display on the dashboard, with no available upgrade. An available 9-inch infotainment center adds on-board navigation and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Every 2024 Colorado trim comes with an 11.3-inch infotainment center with Google built-in, but that doesn’t stop it from including wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

An 11-inch Driver Information Center comes standard with each 2024 Colorado trim, providing a far larger screen for your vehicle’s gauges. Each truck has available premium audio systems from two separate vendors. Nissan offers a Fender audio system in higher-end Frontier models, and Chevy offers a Bose audio solution. With so many connectivity features, the 2024 Colorado and Frontier both supply a modern truck experience, but there’s no denying Chevy’s midsize truck has better features at a cheaper price.

The 2024 Chevy Colorado Offers More for Less

If you’re spending your hard-earned money on any truck this year, you should buy a 2024 Chevy Colorado. When stacked against the 2024 Nissan Frontier, the decision becomes clearer as the differences become hard to miss, especially since the better features come standard on the more cost-effective truck. The Frontier is a bit of an anomaly, given the large gap in base-level features between it and the Colorado. We believe there’s no excuse for such a lackluster showing, especially in tech, in the current year, and the 2024 Colorado serves to remind us all that your dollar goes a long way in the current-day automotive market, so long as you buy Chevy’s truck and steer clear away from Nissan’s.