2024 Ford Ranger Raptor vs. Chevy Colorado ZR2: Baja or Bust!

When Ford first introduced the F-150 Raptor back in 2010, it effectively established the wide-body long-travel factory off-road truck category. In 2015, Toyota cemented the high-speed off-road midsize truck segment with the introduction of its Tacoma TRD Pro. Unlike Ford’s Raptor, which was unchallenged for a decade, Chevy quickly dusted off the ZR2 moniker and brought to life the 2017 Colorado ZR2 as a direct challenger for the ’Yota. When rumors began to swirl about Ford reviving the Ranger, the thought of a Ranger Raptor was only natural.

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Unfortunately, Ford’s idea of a new Ranger for America in 2019 meant bringing over a model that had been on sale globally since 2012. Sure, it received a handful of updates for the market, but it was still long into its life cycle. Adding additional insult, Australia was gifted a pint-sized Raptor by Ford in the same year. For three years we waited. Finally in 2022, when the second-generation Ranger Raptor was unveiled in Australia, Ford offered a glimpse of hope by announcing that a version of the truck would finally make its way to North America. Then we waited two more years.

Finally, after much anticipation, 2024 Ranger Raptor has arrived. In the meantime, however, Chevy has introduced an all-new second generation of its Colorado ZR2. With both trucks closely matched on paper, we gathered them up and headed to the wilds of southern Utah to sort out which was the best off-roader. Unsurprisingly, this proved a difficult task given the excellence on hand.

While we would have loved to include the all-new 2024 Tacoma TRD Pro (and in fact extended the invitation), the truck wasn’t yet available from Toyota.

Suspension by the Numbers

The party piece in both the Colorado ZR2 and Ranger Raptor is each truck’s suspension system. Both pickups utilize an independent front suspension with coilover dampers and a live-axle rear. The Colorado uses steel control arms in front, while the Ranger is fitted with cast aluminum units. In the rear, Chevy opted to give the Colorado leaf springs; Ford chose a more modern multilink arrangement with a Watts link. Both trucks have a track width 3.5 inches beefier than their pavement-oriented siblings’, though the Ranger Raptor’s track measures a touch wider overall at 67.3 inches versus the Colorado ZR2’s at 66.3. These trucks are also the closest to the sun in their clans, with the Ranger Raptor stretching 1.5 inches taller than an XLT and Colorado ZR2 gaining 3 inches over an LT.

Functionally, the additional height and width give the trucks impressive off-road figures. The Colorado ZR2 offers 10.3 inches of front wheel travel and 11.6 inches of rear against the Ranger Raptor’s 10.0 inches of front travel and 11.5 inches of rear. Thanks to its unique high-clearance front bumper, the Colorado ZR2 boasts a 38.6-degree approach angle versus the Ranger Raptor’s 33.0-degree approach. Out back the story is mirrored, with the Ranger’s high-clearance rear bumper giving the truck a 26.4-degree departure angle versus 25.2 degrees for ZR2. Breakover angle is similar for both trucks, at 24.2 degrees for the Ford and 24.6 for the Chevy.

Both trucks come with 33-inch-diameter 285/70R17 off-road tires. The Colorado gets Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT rolling stock, while the new BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3 comes on the Ranger Raptor. As a result, both trucks offer a similar 10.7 inches of minimum ground clearance.

Differences in Damping

Both trucks have high-performance, off-road-oriented dampers, too, although the approaches couldn’t be more different. Since the return of the Colorado ZR2, Chevy has installed Multimatic’s Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers. These shocks operate differently than any others currently on the market.

Conventional dampers work by forcing a piston through a chamber filled with pressurized hydraulic fluid. Orifices in the piston direct fluid flow, while deflecting shims control the rate at which the oil flows. Multimatic DSSV dampers, however, replace the piston and shims with multiple spool valves (in the case of the ZR2, a trio). Each one has a spring-loaded valve that opens and closes at a variable rate depending on the speed of the damper’s shaft. Further, the openings in the spool valve can be adjusted, allowing engineers to make the dampers firmer or softer depending on the amount of force being applied to the valves. The result is a much higher degree of repeatability, predictability, and accuracy when tuning the shock. As a bonus, due to the flow characteristics of spool valves, the shock’s oil viscosity has far less of an effect on performance. This means that as the shocks heat up with extended use, their performance won’t degrade.

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Staying with Raptor tradition, the Ranger Raptor has 2.5-inch-diameter Fox Live Valve internal bypass shocks. Each shock’s compression damping is controlled individually based on input from a bevy of sensors, such as suspension position, monitoring conditions at each wheel. Readings are taken hundreds of times per second, and the damping is rapidly adjusted as necessary. The system also adapts to driving style by taking throttle input, steering angle, and braking effort data into account. Position sensitivity is achieved via bleed ports, and bypass valves located within the shocks’ “ride zone.” As the piston moves up and down, fluid bypasses the valving by transferring around the piston between an inner and outer sleeve.

Each approach delivers a smooth and compliant highway ride along with the ability to tackle rough off-road terrain with ease. We’ve sung the praises of the Multimatic DSSV dampers since day one. They work phenomenally well across a large variety of off-road terrains and offer quite possibly the best highway ride of any Colorado. Although they can be run hard for days with near zero detriment to performance, the biggest drawback we’ve experienced with the Multimatic dampers is their inability to tame medium to large desert bumps at higher speeds.

A focus of Ford’s Raptor vehicles has always been high-speed desert running, and the Ranger Raptor is no exception. Although the truck’s Fox dampers still deliver great highway dynamics, they shine brightest when blasting across rough and bumpy terrain. On slower-speed tight and technical trails, the Ranger Raptor works fine, albeit with a fair bit of jostle and head toss. The truck really wants you to turn up the speed and intensity. However, the speeds the Ranger Raptor encourages aren’t necessarily safe for the inexperienced.

Off-Road Drive Modes

Both the Ranger Raptor and Colorado ZR2 come equipped with dedicated off-road drive modes. The Colorado ZR2’s are called Off-Road, Terrain, and Baja, and they join Normal and Tow/Haul. These different modes affect throttle mapping and transmission shift points, along with traction and stability control. The Off-Road drive mode is tailored to the broadest spectrum of terrains, and Baja mode gives the truck the most aggressive throttle sensitivity while holding gears far into the rev range. Baja also gives the option for greatly reduced stability control. Digging into the truck’s screen-based menus, you’ll also find the ability to fully deactivate traction control, giving the driver complete control over the truck.

Chevy’s Terrain drive mode is the most intriguing of the bunch; it allows for super-precise slow and technical driving, useful when crawling over large rocks or descending steep hills. It also enables one-pedal driving. When in Terrain mode, the truck will operate its friction brakes and dampen the throttle mapping to essentially mimic two-foot driving. That said, although we’ve found Terrain mode useful, as veteran off-road drivers we’re still not entirely sold on its necessity.

Much like the larger F-150 and Bronco Raptors, the Ranger has Off-Road, Rock Crawl, and Baja modes. These are in addition to the standard Normal, Tow/Haul, Sport, and Slippery settings. Like the ZR2, Ford’s drive modes alter throttle, transmission, and traction control programming. However, Ford takes things further by also allowing the modes to change the truck’s suspension damping, steering feel, ABS tuning, exhaust note, and transfer case settings, too. Additionally, the truck’s steering, suspension, and exhaust can each be altered on the fly with steering-wheel-mounted controls.

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It’s not quite the same as Chevy’s Terrain drive mode, but Ford also offers what it calls Trail Control. Akin to cruise control, Trail Control allows the driver to set a desired speed, and the system will take over both throttle and brake control, allowing the driver to focus just on steering. Unfortunately, we’ve run into situations where the system simply shuts off when it can’t tackle an obstacle, which is less than ideal. Much like Terrain mode, we’re not entirely sold on this system as being functional for anything more than glorified hill descent control.

As mentioned, Chevy takes the Ronco approach of “set it and forget it.” Pick the off-road mode that best suits the terrain and driving style, and drive. Ford’s broader customization options let drivers tailor the vehicle behavior exactly their way. Neither is right or wrong. However, there’s something to be said for the simplicity of Chevy’s approach, which allows you to stay focused on the task at hand rather than continuing to try to dial in the “perfect” setup.

Power to the Ground

When it comes to flat-out power and speed, Ford’s Ranger Raptor heartily takes the win. Its powerful twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine boasts a wicked 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. Paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission and a deep 4.27:1 axle ratio, the 5,389-pound pickup hits 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds and will run through the quarter mile in 14.5 seconds. Although most Ranger Raptor owners aren’t likely to frequent open track days, this power proves quite useful in the real world when passing slower traffic and pulling steep grades, especially in states like Utah where highway speed limits can reach 80 mph.

With less displacement, fewer cylinders, and half the turbochargers it’s no real surprise the Colorado ZR2 doesn't deliver in quite the same way. Its turbocharged 2.7-liter I-4 produces 310 hp and 430 lb-ft, propelling the 463-pound-lighter ZR2 from 0 to 60 in 7.2 seconds. While the most obvious reason for the disparity starts with Ranger’s 95 additional horsepower, Colorado’s eight-speed transmission and 3.42:1 axle ratio do it no favors.

The script flips when it comes to braking and handling. Bringing the Colorado ZR2 to a halt from 60 mph took just 131 feet; the Ranger Raptor required 151. From behind the wheel, the Colorado offers short brake pedal travel with a good amount of resistance and feedback as compared to the Ranger Raptor’s light and long-travel pedal. Nosedive is also very prominent on the Ranger Raptor under full braking, whereas the Colorado ZR2 easily maintains its composure.

Both trucks return an EPA-rated 17 mpg in combined fuel economy; however, the Ranger Raptor requires premium fuel for optimal performance. The Colorado is happy with the cheap stuff.

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Interior Comfort and Exterior Style 

Both the Ranger Raptor and Colorado ZR2 lean into rugged design. The trucks each have steel bumpers, front bash plates, and recovery points at both ends. The Raptor gains extra credit by offering large tow points in the rear along with a hitch receiver. Rocker protection is standard on both trucks, but the Colorado ZR2 comes with steel rock rails that can easily support the weight of the truck while bashing through boulders. The Raptor’s cast aluminum pieces wouldn’t fare well under the same conditions, but they make better entry steps. Both trucks also rock unique hoods, grilles, fender flares, and lighting elements that help distinguish them from the norm. Subtle Raptor and ZR2 badging is applied throughout these pickups.

Moving inside, Ford has embraced the flagship mentality for its Ranger Raptor, leaving nearly no boxes unchecked. The truck comes with standard power-adjusting, heated, leather seats; sets of tray-style floor liners and carpeted mats; a premium 10-speaker B&O audio system powered by Ford’s Sync 4A with a 12.0-inch center touchscreen; dual-zone climate control; a 360-degree surround view camera system; advanced towing package; and much more.

We were left a bit confused by a few of Ford’s omissions, though, including not offering ventilated front seats or rear A/C vents on a truck designed to explore some of the warmest regions of the earth. Along with the decision to split the HVAC controls between physical buttons and onscreen menus. When it came to off-road functions, we found it hard to understand why the controls for the locking differential were three steps deep in the infotainment system.

Chevy takes a slightly different approach, offering a larger menu of options. The standard interior is upholstered with cloth and Evotex, essentially a soft, leatherlike vinyl material. Leather front seats can be selected and come with heating and ventilation. Technology and convenience packages can be added, along with a long list of factory and dealer add-ons, allowing owners to customize their Colorado exactly to their liking. Rear A/C vents are standard, along with a full row of physical buttons (for items such as the locking differentials) along the instrument panel.

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The Value Proposition

Given the ever-increasing cost of vehicles, we can't look past price. Both the Colorado ZR2 and Ranger Raptor bring an immense level of premium hardware and off-road capability. Ford’s new Ranger Raptor has a base price of $57,065. Being the top Ranger model, Ford has rolled nearly every available option into the deal. Our test truck added a keyless entry keypad ($95), spray-in bedliner ($495), and Raptor decals ($750) for a total of $58,405.

On the other hand, the Chevy starts at just $48,395. That is an $8,670 difference. Of course, Chevy wouldn’t send us just a base truck. The Colorado that arrived was coated in Glacier Blue Metallic paint ($395) and spec’d with all-weather floor liners ($225), a power sunroof ($1,000), the Technology package ($995), and ZR2 Convenience Package III ($1,490). The pair of packages bring items such as adaptive cruise control, surround view cameras, wireless charging, leather seating surfaces, heated and ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and more. All-in, the Colorado ZR2 priced out to $52,455. Which still proved to be $5,950 less than the Ranger Raptor.

But Wait, There’s More

For the (not insignificant) sum of $11,700 buyers can boost their Colorado ZR2’s already prodigious capabilities by adding the Bison package by American Expedition Vehicles.

This upgrade adds stamped steel front and rear bumpers with heavy-duty cast recovery points; hot-stamped boron steel ski plates for the front of the truck, transfer case, fuel tank, and rear differential; and tires upsized to 35 inches in diameter (LT315/70R17) with a full-size spare and vertical bed mount. The tires are mounted to 17-inch beadlock capable carbon flash metallic wheels with AEV center caps, and they live under widened AEV wheel flares. And Multimatic hydraulic jounce control dampers are installed at each corner.

There are also some showy bits, including AEV branded all-weather floor liners, embroidered front headrests, Bison exterior badging and decals, and black door handles.

That may seem like an enormous sum of money, but when comparing the two trucks’ base prices, the Bison package only makes the Colorado ZR2 $3,030 more than the Ranger Raptor. That differential drops to just $1,535 if you add Ford’s beadlock-capable wheels to the Ranger Raptor to be more like for like. From that angle, you get an incredible amount of hardcore off-road content, along with the only midsize truck offered on 35-inch tires, for a minor increase in cost. 

And the Winner Is …

When the dust finally settled, we had our winner. While the 2024 Ranger Raptor has received all the recent attention, we found the Colorado ZR2 to be the most well-rounded midsize off-roader.

We appreciated the Colorado ZR2’s purity of function and simple elegance in execution. Put simply, the truck just works. The Colorado ZR2’s suite of off-road hardware is robust, and its controls are easy to understand and operate. If you want a truck that’s blazing fast in the desert and ready to put on a show, the Ranger Raptor is a fine choice. However, the Chevy Colorado ZR2 offers the best off-road performance across a wide swath of terrains while remaining pleasant to live with every day. And it’s a great value, too. 

2nd Place: 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor

Verdict: The Ranger Raptor does a fantastic job of living up to the Raptor brand that Ford has spent the past 15 years cultivating. It’s fast, loud, and immensely capable in the wilds of Baja. Everything you’d want from a Raptor … except there’s a better option

1st Place: 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Verdict: In a world lacking bargains, the smartly executed Colorado ZR2 has an immense level of easy-to-use off-road hardware and capability at an affordable price.