Chevy Colorado vs Nissan Frontier: Which Is Better Value in 2023?

We’ve been there––you want a pickup truck, but which one do you buy? This question has only become more complex as trucks have evolved significantly, even in the past twenty or so years. However, since the dawn of the automotive industry, people have sought out versatility. For example, before the introduction of motor vehicles, what did you do if you needed to transport or haul cargo? You would get a wagon regularly drawing its power from two to four horses in front. If you are a truck driver in the year 2023, you might have been a wagon driver in the 1800s. Today, you’re presented with a plethora of available pickup trucks, but you should consider shopping with Blossom Chevrolet to find a Chevy Colorado for sale.

The new Colorado is Chevy’s best take on a midsize pickup truck. It harnesses plenty of power in its base form and even more so with some of the optional upgrades. Today, we’ll be bringing another truck into the picture and deciding if it’s good enough to warrant purchasing it over the Colorado. The other truck is the 2023 Nissan Frontier, which is a direct competitor to the Colorado. Chevy and Nissan are no strangers to competition, especially against one another. These 2023 midsize trucks highlight the strengths and weaknesses of their respective manufacturers, but there’s one that stands out from the other.

Pricing and Trims

If we’re basing the comparison between the 2023 Colorado and Frontier on pricing, things get a bit dicey. The 2023 Colorado has an MSRP of $29,200, while the 2023 Frontier starts at $29,370.^[a] Most comparisons you can make between two vehicles rarely show a difference so minuscule. This may complicate things, but as we’ll discuss, the pricing doesn’t dictate which truck is the better purchase and there are plenty of other differences between these two models.

Both vehicles have an impressive selection of trim levels, including the WT, LT, Trail Boss, Z71, and ZR2 for the Colorado, while the Frontier comes in the S, SV, Midnight Edition, PRO-X, and PRO-4X trims. There’s a generous spread of features littered across the combined ten trim levels. If you’re looking to go off-roading, you can expect both trucks to provide what you need on higher-tier trim levels like the Frontier’s PRO-X and PRO-4X trims or the Colorado’s Z71 and ZR2 trims. Ultimately, the Colorado can be the pricier vehicle when fully customized. Still, as we’ll soon discuss, this isn’t a detriment but rather an opportunity for Chevy to spread the Colorado’s wings further than the competition.

Nissan Has a Trick up Its Sleeve

Before we get into the meat and potatoes of performance, it’s worth mentioning Nissan’s trick up its sleeve, or ace in the hole, if you will. You see, the base 2023 Frontier engine is a relatively powerful 3.8L V6 engine that provides an impressive 310 hp and 281 lb-ft of torque. The 3.8L V6 engine is more powerful than the base turbocharged 2.7L I-4 engine in the 2023 Colorado in regards to horsepower, torque, and towing capacity. However, the turbocharged engine in the Colorado has a trick of its own: excellent fuel efficiency. The Colorado also has a higher payload capacity of 1,684 lbs over the 1,610 lbs on the Frontier––not a large difference, but worth noting nonetheless.

The 2022 Colorado utilized a different base powertrain as new options became available with the 2023 model, but even then, the EPA-estimated ratings were better than what we currently have with the 2023 Frontier, with its 18 MPG in the city and 22 MPG on the highway. The numbers are even better in the new 2023 Frontier owing to its standard turbocharged engine lineup. In fact, the new 2.7L is rated for 20 MPG in the city and 25 MPG on the highway.

The Colorado Takes the Lead

Aside from the base-level engine for the Frontier providing better performance than the base Colorado, that’s the extent of the Frontier’s benefits. If you purchase the 2023 Frontier, you’re unable to swap the V6 engine out for anything––one and done is the name of the game with the Frontier’s powertrain. The 2023 Colorado, on the other hand, offers two more engine options based on the same turbocharged 2.7L I-4 that comes standard: a Turbo Plus engine and a High-Output variant. Both optional engine upgrades provide better performance than the Frontier, including torque output and towing capacity.

If you opt for the 2.7L Turbo Plus engine, you’ll get 310 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque, which is nearly 40% more torque than the Frontier provides. Even better is the 2.7L Turbo High-Output which raises the torque output once again, this time to 430 lb-ft––about 53% more than the Frontier allows. Both variations of this 2.7L turbocharged engine sport a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 lbs, which is 15% more than the Frontier. That 15% matters because every pound counts when discussing towing. When coupled with the better payload capacity from Chevy, it’s a no-brainer. The Colorado can be customized to be a far more versatile and performant truck than the Frontier could ever hope to be.

Another point worth mentioning, which can be seen as both a positive and somewhat of a negative for the Colorado, is its one available bed size. By default, the Colorado comes with a 5.2-foot bed, which provides 41.9 cu.ft. of space. That’s larger than the 5.0-foot bed the Frontier comes standard with. Unfortunately, the downside is the 2023 Frontier can be equipped with a 6.1-foot bed, and there’s no comparable option for the Colorado. This won’t matter to many drivers, though, and there’s still one more advantage to discuss with the Colorado: tech.

Inside the 2023 Colorado, the new infotainment center includes a massive 11.3-inch screen that will likely be bigger than any truck you’re upgrading from. It’s a phenomenal system, especially since it is standard in the base Colorado trim. Within this infotainment center, you’ll find the standard allotment of features from Bluetooth to wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto present and accounted for. The bigger screen makes these apps more enjoyable to use, and the text is easier to read––especially compared to the eight-inch screen that comes standard with the 2023 Frontier. Even the available nine-inch infotainment center for the Frontier doesn’t hold a candle to the vast screen size of the Colorado’s multimedia center.

The Verdict

The thing about most comparisons is that both vehicles often compare to each other nicely, but there’s a large disconnect between the Colorado and Frontier that’s hard not to notice. The Colorado is a vastly better midsize truck than the Frontier in many ways. If you can put up with slightly lesser base-level performance or you’re willing to spend some extra money to get a far more robust experience than the Frontier, the Colorado is a no-brainer. We love the Colorado here at Blossom Chevrolet, and we know you will too, so visit us today, and let us hand you a set of keys to your next best friend.

^[a]MSRP may change without notice. See dealer for complete details.