Blog Posts

Today’s Buy/Drive/Burn trio was generated by an interesting conversation last week over in TTAC’s Slack room. The recent resurgence in midsize truck offerings has presented buyers with much more choice than just a handful of years ago. Should buyers pursue surety in resale value, comfort, and the newest design? Is it possible not to buy too much truck?

Maybe burning some trucks to the ground will help us answer these questions.

All three trucks today are in four-door and short box configuration, as it’s by far the most popular build combination across the board. If this combination is an emotional trigger for you, stop reading now. Target price today is $35,000.

Honda Ridgeline 

Honda updated its aged Ridgeline model with a new second generation for the 2017 model year. Gone was the dorky Element-like styling as the model donned a Pilot-inspired appearance. Today’s budget nets you a mid-trim Ridgeline Sport AWD at $35,170. Honda’s ubiquitous 3.5-liter V6 powers all Ridgeline models, providing 280 horsepower to all four wheels. A six-speed auto puts the power down, and owners can tow 5,000 pounds.

Chevrolet Colorado

Chevrolet’s Colorado is also in its second generation. In 2015 General Motors resurrected the Colorado nameplate, which had been in limbo since production of the Isuzu-designed first generation came to an end in 2012. Today’s model is the $34,000 short box LT, with a 3.6-liter gasoline engine and four-wheel drive. The selectable system is more flexible than the all-wheel drive Ridgeline, and can send all 308 horsepower to the rear wheels at the owner’s request. The setup in the Colorado allows for a best-in-trio towing capacity of 7,000 pounds.

Toyota Tacoma

With a longer lineage than the other two contenders, the Tacoma’s third generation has been with us since the 2016 model year. Each Tacoma generation typically runs for about a decade, so this one’s still in infancy. Writing a $34,340 check to your Toyota dealer grants access to an SR5 4WD model with a short box and Toyota’s common 3.5-liter V6 (Access Cab model shown above). 278 horsepower is at the low end in our grouping today, but towing capacity is a respectable 6,400 pounds.

Same price, roughly the same size, pretty different appeal. Which one gets the Burn?