Chevrolet Colorado vs. Silverado: Is Chevy’s Smallest Pickup Better Than Its Half-Ton Truck?

Chevrolet has a long heritage of building pickup trucks, and the American automaker has a diverse range of options to suit different drivers’ needs. The Silverado full-size truck is the most popular Chevy pickup, offered in a wide variety of configurations that can deliver impressive capability on- and off-road. The Colorado midsize truck is Chevy’s entry-level pickup, yet it still has plenty of hard-working potential—and it won MotorTrend’s 2024 Truck of the Year award. Not sure if you should buy the Colorado or Silverado? Let us take you through the most important differences to consider between these legendary Chevrolet pickup trucks.

(Note that this article focuses on the full-size half-ton Chevrolet Silverado 1500, not the heavy-duty Silverado 2500 HD or Silverado 3500 HD. Mentions of the Silverado in this article are specific to the Silverado 1500.)

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Size

The Colorado is a midsize pickup truck, and the Silverado is a full-size truck. Even so, it’s not strictly true that the Colorado is “smaller” than the Silverado. That’s because the Silverado is offered in a variety of cab and bed combinations, whereas for now the Colorado is built in only one configuration. Accordingly, the smallest Silverado is slightly shorter than the Colorado—aside from that model, though, the Silverado is bigger than the Colorado.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Cab and Seat Configurations

Every Chevrolet Colorado has a crew cab that provides seating for five occupants. Chevrolet doesn’t build regular- or double-cab Colorado trucks (at least, not yet).

The Silverado 1500 offers several cab configurations. The regular cab has two doors and a three-across bench, where a small center seat is mounted under a folding center console between the driver and passenger seats. The double cab can be equipped with that same three-across seating arrangement up front, or with two bucket seats and a larger fixed center console, either way paired with small rear doors that give access to a compact three-across bench seat. The crew cab likewise can seat two or three people in the front, while expanding with full-size rear doors and a larger rear bench seat that provides much more space for passengers.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Bed Length

All Colorado models are equipped with the same short-length bed, while the Silverado 1500 offers three bed lengths.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Engines and MPGs

Every Colorado uses a turbocharged 2.7-liter inline four-cylinder engine, offered in two states of tune. Entry-level models have RWD, but most configurations are equipped with 4WD.

The Silverado 1500 offers a wider range of engine choices, including that 310-hp 2.7-liter turbo-four. Again, RWD is standard, but most models have 4WD.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Towing and Payload

Does the Colorado or Silverado work harder? Maximum towing and payload vary depending on the truck’s specification. For the Colorado, trailering capacity tops out at 7,700 pounds, which is achieved by certain models equipped with the TurboMax engine and Trailering package. Meanwhile, the Silverado can tow as much as 13,300 pounds when equipped with the diesel engine and RWD.

Colorado WT and LT models can carry up to 1,684 pounds in their bed, the most payload in the Chevrolet Colorado range. The Silverado 1500 TurboMax has the highest payload rating, at up to 2,260 pounds depending on configuration.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Technology Features

Every version of the Colorado comes equipped with an 11.0-inch gauge cluster display and 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen. The infotainment system is designed by Google and runs some of the tech giant’s most popular apps. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included, as well. In addition to USB-A and USB-C ports, a wireless charging pad is available. An available 10-camera array provides a 360-degree view of the Colorado or focused looks at the trailer hitch or even underneath the body. A six-speaker audio system is standard, and a Bose seven-speaker premium setup is available.

The Silverado 1500 has two entirely different interior configurations that each include different tech features. On entry-level versions, the truck has a 7.0-inch infotainment touchscreen and basic 4.2-inch gauge cluster information display. Meanwhile, midrange and higher-end versions get a much more modern cabin comprising a 12.3-inch gauge cluster display and 13.4-inch infotainment touchscreen. Like the Colorado, the Silverado’s larger screen includes Google apps, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. A Bose audio system, wireless charging pad, head-up display, and 360-degree camera are also among its premium tech offerings.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Active Safety and Driver Assist Features

What’s included depends on specification and packages, but both the Colorado and Silverado can be equipped with driver assist and active safety features including front automatic emergency braking, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot monitoring, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, a following distance indicator, and automatic high-beams. However, only the Silverado can be had with Chevrolet’s Super Cruise hands-free driving technology, which isn’t available on the Colorado.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Trim Levels

For both the Colorado and Silverado, the starting trim level is WT. This specification is equipped with work truck basics like steel wheels, hard-wearing basic black bumpers, cloth seating upholstery, and a minimum of cost-adding technology and driver assist features.

Both the Colorado and Silverado are available in LT trim, slightly nicer than the WT model. Upgrades on the LT trim include alloy wheels, body-color door handles, leather-wrapped steering wheel, keyless entry, push-button start, and rear-seat USB ports. On Silverado, LT is the first trim equipped with the newer interior that includes larger infotainment and gauge cluster displays.

The Custom trim level is available on the Silverado only. It gets aesthetic changes such as 20-inch alloy wheels, body-color bumpers, and tinted windows. However, the Silverado Custom also comes with functional features including a damped tailgate, LED bed lighting, rear-window defogger, theft alarm system, and trailer preparation including a hitch and wiring connector.

On the Silverado, the RST trim equips the truck with a relatively road-oriented feature set, such as blacked-out exterior badges, body-color bumpers, and LED exterior lighting.

The Silverado can be had in two relatively upscale trim levels. The LTZ model shows off plenty of exterior chrome details on the bumpers and mirror caps. It also gets a power-operated tailgate. Inside, the Silverado LTZ gains heated and ventilated front seats, Bose premium audio, and a wireless charging pad. Above that is the High Country trim, which gets 20-inch wheels, built-in side steps, chrome recovery hooks, and a power-sliding rear window. The cabin is upholstered with perforated leather and gets heated rear seats. The Silverado High Country also gains driver assist features like adaptive cruise control.

Different off-road-oriented trim levels are offered on both trucks. The Trail Boss is a stand-alone trim level for the Colorado but an add-on for the Silverado LT and Custom. Either way, Trail Boss spec adds 18-inch black-painted wheels wrapped in all-terrain tires, and a 2-inch suspension lift.

On the Colorado, Z71 is a distinct trim level, which adds items like all-terrain tires, upgraded LED headlights and taillights, red-painted recovery hooks, and amenities like cruise control and power-adjustable side mirrors. On the Silverado, the Z71 package adds all-terrain tires, underbody skidplates, hill descent control, dual-outlet exhaust, and a spray-in bedliner. At the top of the off-road range for both trucks is the ZR2 model, which have stronger skidplates, large off-road tires, and excellent spool valve suspension dampers from Multimatic. Both ZR2 models can be further equipped with the Bison package, adding more skidplates, high-clearance bumpers, and on the Colorado, larger tires on beadlock-capable wheels.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Price

Pricing for the Chevrolet Colorado starts at approximately $31,500 for the bare-bones WT trim with RWD. The equivalent stripped-down, steel-wheel-shod, white-painted Silverado work truck starts at closer to $39,000.

The most expensive Chevrolet Colorado is the ZR2 model, which starts at slightly less than $49,000. Choosing the ZR2 Bison package raises the price to about $61,000, which somehow still seems like a bargain. Likewise, the most expensive Chevrolet Silverado is the ZR2 equipped with the 6.2-liter gasoline V-8 engine, which costs approximately $74,000 to start. The Bison package offered on the Silverado ZR2 takes the price to over $82,000.

Numerous configurations for the Colorado and Silverado are available between the low and high prices of these entry-level and range-topping models.

You Should Buy the Chevrolet Colorado If...

The Colorado is better than the Silverado for buyers who are price-conscious, given that the Colorado is generally less expensive—although a high-end Colorado could be more expensive than an entry-level Silverado. However, the Colorado midsize truck is smaller than essentially every Silverado configuration, so it’s a better choice for drivers who don’t want to deal with maneuvering and parking a full-size truck every day. That comparatively small size is also beneficial for the Colorado’s off-road capability, as it can fit through trail obstacles more easily. In most forms, the Colorado is more fuel-efficient than the Silverado, too. Furthermore, this generation of the Colorado won MotorTrend’s Truck of the Year award, which the Silverado on sale now hasn’t.

You Should Buy the Chevrolet Silverado If...

The Silverado is better than the Colorado for drivers seeking more work-ready truck capability. The Silverado offers a variety of body configurations, including a double cab that provides more passenger space than the Colorado’s. Even the short bed for the Silverado is longer and wider than the Colorado’s standard bed. Towing and hauling potential are also higher in the Silverado. Diesel die-hards and those vehement for a V-8 won’t find those engines in the Colorado, only the Silverado. The Silverado can be had with digital displays that are larger than those in the Colorado, even if the software behind them functions equally as well. Drivers seeking a luxury truck will prefer the more spacious and better-equipped versions of the Silverado over the Colorado—the optional Super Cruise system adds to that impression, too.

Chevrolet Colorado vs. Chevrolet Silverado: Main Differences

• Size
• Cab configurations
• Bed dimensions
• Engines and MPGs
• Towing and hauling
• Digital displays
• Self-driving technology
• Trim levels
• Price