Which Truck Rules Off-Road? Ranger Raptor vs. Tacoma TRD Pro vs. Colorado ZR2 Bison (2024)

Great off-road trips often begin with an air-down session. It's the time to prepare for what's ahead, take stock of the vehicle, and (inevitably) fight the valve stems. I and my fellow R&T staffers found ourselves alone in a sandy lot across from Michigan's Silver Lake State Park for this pre-wheeling ritual. We mounted our safety flags anticipating a largely empty park. Looking at the sheetmetal at our disposal only further drove the pace. Here were the three greatest factory off-road trucks to ever grace the mid-size segment. No time to waste, there was a serious grudge match that needed settling by sundown.

Ford rocked the off-road truck market with the 2010 F-150 Raptor. In the decade and a half since that Baja-brawler 4x4 arrived, full-size trucks have swollen further in size, capability, and price. That left many, well, intimidated. The massive full-sizers were just ... Too. Damned. Much. Truck.

So, the mid-size segment was reborn, and new off-road capable models have followed. And while there have long been options for the die-hard wheelers, the current model year brings much better battle implements. The Blue Oval has finally delivered a Ranger Raptor for North America, borrowing liberally from the big Raptor's proven formula. Chevrolet's Colorado ZR2 Bison got its first major refresh for 2024 and is more capable than ever. And Toyota's segment darling Tacoma is challenging the speedy Americans with a fortified TRD Pro that incorporates an engorged hybrid powertrain. The truck wars rage on.

The Test

The Silver Lake Sand Dunes are a mainstay of gearhead summer life in Michigan, with 450 acres of sand and water set aside for off-road vehicle bashing. The dunes are home to all sorts of ORVs, including 4x4s, dirt bikes, sand rails, and side-by-sides. Plus here it was, perfect weather. A rare moment in the Mitten.

On our way out to the lakeside dunes, we also took the three trucks through a narrow, wet, single-track 13.8-mile wooded trail to test their abilities in a totally different environment. The trail, which we located using the OnX Off-Road app, had a number of large mud holes and tight turns. Across the more technical sections, it's a trail that would be uncomfortably tight in a full-size pickup. For these trucks, the bases were covered.

Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

Chevrolet sticks to its tried-and-true Multimatic DSSV suspension setup paired with massive Goodyears for the latest ZR2. The dampers have been moved outward with this new generation, giving the truck improved ground clearance and better wheel control off-road. Chevrolet has also paired that spring setup with new Multimatic Jounce Control dampers in the rear. When combined with those tall 35-inch tires, the ride is even better than that in the Toyota. It doesn't even feel as if the ZR2 is geared for off-roading from behind the wheel; assuming the driver ignores the all-encompassing spare tire carrier in the rearview mirror. That says a lot, given that the truck has the most ground clearance of the group at 12.2 inches, as well as segment-leading approach, departure, and breakover angles of 38.2 degrees, 26.0 degrees, and 26.9 degrees.

The talents of those Multimatic dampers—using stable, precise spool valves in place of deflection discs of other shocks—mean it's easy to forget that the basic rear suspension design is leaf springs. A design that was current on 19th-century prairie schooner wagons.

In the real world, it is hard to ignore that the Bison is down nearly 100 hp on the Ranger. The ZR2 turns just 310 hp and 430 lb-ft out of its turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder. The powertrain is ultimately sufficient and well tuned for off-road use but lacks much of the fun you get with the other two. The shifter-mounted buttons aren't an ideal way to control the eight-speed gearbox in each of the many drive modes. It would be fascinating to drive a Colorado ZR2 that has enough power to properly rival the Raptor. The Bison's character centers around its a well-sorted everyday character that kicks ass when the pavement ends. It's not as flamboyant in its approach as the others, but it's got it all where it counts. Whether that's what is wanted from a range-topper is a different question.

Despite its clear focus on more traditional off-roading, the ZR2 Bison climbed through the park with ease. The Multimatic suspension setup remains the high point of the truck, though the chassis itself was more playful than the Toyota's when the speeds got higher. And while the powertrain isn't as engaging as the Ford or Toyota's, the torque is more than sufficient for the steeper dunes. Much of the experience from inside the ZR2 is similar to lesser Colorados and once again more restrained than the others. The more relaxed personality isn't a point against the ZR2, and it's the easiest truck of the trio to spend the most time in on the trails. The seats aren't as heavily bolstered as the other two but aren't a liability when the fun starts either. I'm willing to bet it outclasses the others over boulders too.

Ford Ranger Raptor

Heavy rains in the days prior had filled many of the large ruts on the wooded trail with several feet of water, the first of which I unceremoniously buried the Raptor in above its 33-inch BFGoodrich KO3 rubber. Thankfully all of these trucks are equipped with extensive underbody armor and multiple recovery hooks, ensuring extraction is possible with minimal damage potential.

After an unpleasantly long soak on my part, the torque of the Colorado and some Maxtrax-supplied recovery gear was able to free the Ford. Early driver error aside, the Ranger proved to be an easy companion on the trail, with a wide range of drive modes and differential configurations to choose from. It's also the easiest of the bunch to see out of, whereas I found myself driving through the front camera in the Tacoma at times. The Fox-rocking Ford doesn't hide its off-road intentions, with a chattery rear end and harsh impacts on Michigan's pockmarked two-lanes. It was the test crew's least favorite truck on road. That's despite the fact that, like the Ranger Raptor, the Tacoma TRD Pro uses coil springs out back in place of the primitive leaf springs used on the previous-generation Tacoma.

While all the new Tacomas get the coil spring tails, only the Raptor is so blessed in the Ranger line.

The Raptor put all of its horsepower to work in Baja mode. Over a decade of building trucks for playing in the sand has honed Ford's craft, with the Ranger being the most enjoyable truck to push around our makeshift drive loop. It doesn't soak up the whoops as nicely as the ZR2 or the Tacoma, but drivers are likely to smash them at higher speeds in the Raptor. The truck wakes up the more it's leaned into and is more than happy to stick its tail out. While mastering the other two comes in short order, the Raptor always has more to discover the harder it's pushed. It's a different animal popping around town, but with an equally busy ride. It notably has the most usable rear seats, however, which is, duh, important if other humans or gear come along for the ride.

FoMoCo has borrowed the Bronco Raptor's twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter EcoBoost V-6 for the Ranger Raptor, but it isn't perfect. The EcoBoost doesn't feel quite as powerful as advertised in its standard drive mode and requires revs to get the most out of it. Ford has tuned the engine to limit drop-off toward the top of the rev range, but this results in a truck that's missing some low-end shove.

Get away from the tarmac and select one of the off-road modes, and the character changes entirely. The engine comes alive on the trails, highlighting Ford's experience. That's particularly true in Baja mode, where the truck delivers every bit of its 405 hp and 430 lb-ft output rating across a wide powerband. This mode for off-road use only utilizes an anti-lag system derived from Ford's GT racing program, which makes a tremendous difference for the high-speed sections. There's an exciting powertrain experience locked in there—it just nowhere to be found on the street.

Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro

I began the journey from Detroit to the dune sea behind the wheel of the TRD Pro, which now sits atop the Tacoma lineup alongside the Trailhunter model. Whereas the new Trailhunter is geared toward rock crawling and overlanding, the TRD Pro is all about speed in the desert. The new 2024 Tacoma, like every full-frame product sold by Toyota or Lexus except the current 4Runner, is based on Toyota's TNGA-F platform. Tundra, Sequoia, Land Cruiser, Lexus GX550, and the next 4Runner all share basic engineering with this Tacoma.

This new platform means that the new Tacoma is longer, wider, and taller than its superseded predecessor, which is instantly apparent behind the wheel. The seating position is more commanding, rivaling full-sizers for street presence. That in mind, the high hood and thick A-pillars make it tricky to place the new truck into tight parking slots or on a craggy trail. Luckily, the 14-inch central touchscreen includes many different camera options to overcome those blind spots.

Nothing distinguishes this Tacoma from its predecessor like the i-Force Max powertrain. The system combines a turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder with a 48-hp electric motor integrated into the eight-speed automatic transmission. The setup provides a seamless 326 hp and 465 lb-ft of peak torque. That's a gain of 48 hp and 200 lb-ft over last year's model. The segment-leading torque makes the truck more livable on-road and unlocks another level of confidence off-road. Whereas it was necessary to thrash the V6 to tackle obstacles in the last Taco, the new one lugs around with ease. There's not much character, but this powerplant (finally) doesn't feel like a weak point.

The upsizing is further accentuated by the TRD Pro's new suspension that features Fox dampers. The setup includes a suite of bespoke hardware, including TRD-branded aluminum upper control arms, as well as those Fox 2.5-inch dampers at all four corners, with the rear pair carrying piggyback reservoirs. Yes, Ford's high-end off-road trucks also utilize a Fox 2.5 setup with rear piggyback reservoirs. Still, the Ranger Raptor and Tacoma TRD Pro couldn't be more different in on-road character.

The Toyota, though, is damn-near pleasant on longer journeys. Much of the credit for that goes to the new Internal Floating Piston (IFP) rear bump stops from Fox combined with those rear coil springs. Not only is the talkative rear-end behavior eliminated, but on-trail comfort and confidence is improved. Smaller impacts all but wash away, while larger bumps and jumps are sorted without a spine adjustment. It's an impressive feat given the TRD Pro's heavy 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch Goodyear Territory Rugged Terrain meats. Tires that aren't even that noisy when they're spinning at a highway pace.

The TRD Pro isn't as willing to slide through the dunes as the competitors, with a notable addition of some front-end push. The traction control system doesn't seem to be as defeatable as the Ford's either, but the chassis does respond to big lifts and heavy braking. It's plenty quick on the sand, though the fakey engine note could go. All of the controls in the TRD Pro are well-weighted and controlled in the various drive modes, made extremely easy to operate via the knob in the center console. The steering wheel itself also feels the most appropriate for a pickup, despite being on the chunkier side. The equally chunky gear selector does allow for manual shifts, but I found the truck handled the task better than I did in many situations.

Which One Should You Buy?

Off-road fans have never been so lucky. All three of these machines represent genuine improvements on the 4x4 formula, with genuine enthusiast values at the front of the experience. Each truck takes a bit of a different approach, but not one is a disappointing partner off-road. That said, the breadth of the Tacoma's capability was a standout, particularly when it comes to on-road manners. It might not be as outright exciting as the Ford or as comfortable as the Chevrolet, but the new Tacoma is something special. The truck has been the fan favorite in the segment for almost as long as mid-sizers have been around, but now fans have access to a vehicle that lives up to the mystique. Given just how legendary the Tacoma is, that's an impressive feat from Toyota.

The Ranger starts at $57,215 after a $1595 destination charge. Not cheap, but it's a lot of truck, with a lot of power, for a lot less money than the Toyota. And it's absurd to spend the $750 Ford charges for the Raptor decals on the bed. Unless you're 19 and just hit the lotto.

The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 starts at a nose-bleed-high (but modest in this company) $48,695 with a $1595 destination extortion. The Bison Edition brings in a bunch of stuff—much of it AEV branded—that might be better adopted piecemeal in the robust aftermarket by a savvy buyer. Why? Well, the Bison adds a staggering $11,700 to the base ZR2 price. So, be savvy.

As capable as all three of these trucks are, they aren't in any serious way entry-level vehicles. The original old-school Ford Ranger, Chevrolet S-10, and pre-Tacoma Toyota pickup were the sorts of trucks to which first-time buyers could realistically aspire. Even the full Marty McFly–spec Toyota fantasy truck was attainable if Grandma left a generous stipend in her will. But these new top-of-the-line beasts are insanely capable and need adult incomes behind them. Damaging one of the remote sensors or cameras on any of these won't be cheap to fix. And if these trucks are taken off-road, that sort of tech will be vulnerable.

Of course, from the factory, those early examples could never dream of tackling the sort of terrain that you can throw at the current trio. There's a price to pay for all of that performance. It just happens to be steep.