For people who want to be in the driver’s seat when they buy their next midsize pickup truck, there really is only one choice when comparing the 2022 Chevy Colorado vs 2022 Honda Ridgeline. While the Ridgeline has a lot to offer, the Honda midsize pickup just doesn’t give as many choices as the Chevy Colorado. While both trucks come in four different trim levels, Chevy gives you more options to customize your midsize pickup truck to better suit your wants and needs. In addition, the 2022 Chevy Colorado has a significantly lower base MSRP than the 2022 Honda Ridgeline. The Colorado starts at only $25,200, over $10,000 less than the $36,890 base MSRP on the 2022 Honda Ridgeline.
While common sense would dictate that getting more options would require paying extra, this is not the case with respect to these two pickups. Chevy gives you more engine, cab, and cargo box options with the 2022 Colorado than Honda does with the 2022 Ridgeline. Furthermore, as we shall see, the Colorado provides you with better overall performance than the Ridgeline when it comes to trailering, payload capacity, and fuel economy. With this in mind, let’s see why the Colorado represents a better value for a midsize pickup than the Ridgeline.
More Powertrain and Drivetrain Options
The 2022 Honda Ridgeline comes with one standard powertrain on all models. This is a 3.5-liter V6 gas engine paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission featuring shift-by-wire and paddle shifters. This V6 engine utilizes direct fuel injection to produce 280 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 262 lb-ft of torque at 4,700 rpm. Honda has arranged the 24 valves on this engine in a single overhead camshaft configuration. Also, every 2022 Honda Ridgeline comes standard with an intelligent variable torque management all-wheel drive system.
In contrast, Chevy offers the 2022 Colorado with three different powertrain options. As a result, you can choose which engine and transmission provide the performance you desire on your Colorado. The base engine is a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder gas engine paired with a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission. This cast aluminum engine block with cast aluminum cylinder heads uses high-pressure direct fuel injection with electronic throttle control to provide 200 horsepower at 6,300 rpm and 191 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. The engine has a dual overhead camshaft (DOHC) configuration to provide more efficient performance than the single overhead camshaft design on the larger V6 engine on the Ridgeline.
The second of the three engine options on the 2022 Colorado is a 3.6-liter V6 gas engine paired with a Hydra-Matic eight-speed automatic transmission. This also features a cast aluminum engine block with cast aluminum cylinder heads like the smaller 2.5-liter I-4 and also has a DOHC configuration. This V6 utilizes high-pressure direct fuel injection with electronic throttle control to produce 308 horsepower at 6,800 rpm and 275 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. This far exceeds the performance found on the Ridgeline’s standard engine.
Chevy also offers drivers the option of a diesel engine on its midsize pickup truck. This is a 2.8-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel I-4, which comes equipped with a Hydra-Matic six-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the other two engines on the Chevy Colorado, the Duramax Turbo-Diesel features a cast-iron engine block with cast aluminum cylinder heads, although it is also a DOHC design. This engine uses common rail direct fuel injection to produce 181 horsepower at 3,400 rpm and 369 lb-ft of torque at 2,000 rpm. This ability to give you maximum output at low revs is a hallmark of a turbo-diesel engine.
The 2022 Chevy Colorado gives you the choice of whether to have rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive on your midsize truck, except for the ZR2 trim, which is standard four-wheel drive. Choosing rear-wheel drive will improve your Colorado’s fuel economy and boost its trailering capacity, while four-wheel drive will give you maximum traction and road grip. This is especially helpful if you have to deal with extreme weather. Also, by giving you the option of four-wheel drive, Chevy allows you to take your Colorado for off-road adventures, something that the all-wheel drive system on the Honda Ridgeline cannot always handle.
As you can see, Chevy lets you choose the engine and drivetrain you want on your Colorado, something you don’t get on the Honda Ridgeline. What’s more, each of these engines gives you something you don’t get with the Ridgeline’s standard engine: the ability to decide what level of performance best serves your needs.
Better Towing Power
Sometimes, you need a midsize truck that can give you the ability to tow heavy trailers. With the 2022 Honda Ridgeline, you can tow up to 5,000 pounds. This is easily exceeded if you choose to go with a 2022 Chevy Colorado with either the 3.6-liter V6 or Duramax Turbo-Diesel engine. The Colorado with a 3.6-liter V6 can tow up to 7,000 pounds, while the same truck with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel is the king of the hill when it comes to trailering, with a best-in-class 7,700-pound maximum towing capacity.
Better Fuel Economy
With gas prices spiking across the country, fuel economy has become an even more important factor than ever before when deciding on a midsize pickup truck. With that in mind, each of the three engines on the 2022 Chevy Colorado meets or exceeds the fuel economy numbers on the 2022 Honda Ridgeline.
The Ridgeline, with its standard powertrain and drivetrain, provides an estimated 18 miles per gallon in the city, 24 miles per gallon on the highway, and a combined 21 miles per gallon. This is almost identical to the fuel economy numbers on the Colorado with the available 3.6-liter V6 gas engine, falling just 1 mile per gallon short of the Chevy when it comes to highway fuel economy.
If you want better fuel economy, you can choose the 2021 Colorado with the base 2.5-liter I-4 gas engine or the optional Duramax Turbo-Diesel. The Colorado with the I-4 engine will give you 19 miles per gallon in city driving, 25 miles per gallon on the highway, and a combined 22 miles per gallon. The Duramax Turbo-Diesel is the champion once again with 20 miles per gallon in the city, an exceptional 30 miles per gallon on the highway, and 23 miles per gallon combined. Clearly, if you want to spend more time driving your truck and less time at the pump, then your best choice is a 2022 Colorado with either the 2.5-liter I-4 engine or the Duramax Turbo-Diesel.
More Cargo Space
A major reason many folks buy a pickup truck is to carry cargo in the bed. That feature sets the truck apart from other vehicles, like an SUV, but the Ridgeline is more SUV than truck in many ways. The 2022 Honda Ridgeline comes with a standard cargo box that has 33.9 cubic feet of space for your things.
Chevrolet understands that not everyone has the same payload needs, and there are those who’d prefer a shorter bed to improve overall performance while still having enough room for their things. This is why the 2022 Colorado comes with either a short or long box. However, whichever one you choose, you are going to get more payload space than on the Ridgeline. The Colorado long box has a spacious 49.9 cubic feet of cargo room, while the short box gives you 41.3 cubic feet of cargo space, which is actually more than 7 cubic feet larger than on the Ridgeline. If you want to use your midsize pickup to move things, then there is only one choice, and that is the 2022 Chevy Colorado.
A Choice of Cabs
Every 2022 Honda Ridgeline comes with a standard crew cab. This is great if you find yourself needing all that space for up to 5 passengers. However, a crew cab is heavier than an extended cab with its tighter backseat. This extra weight is a big reason why the Ridgeline can’t compare to the Colorado when it comes to towing. The 2022 Colorado gives you a choice of a crew cab or extended cab on all models. As a result, you can configure your Colorado to suit your passenger needs, something that you can’t do on the one-size-fits-all approach of the 2022 Ridgeline.
More Options and Improved Performance on the Colorado
The 2022 Chevy Colorado not only provides superior performance to the 2022 Honda Ridgeline, but also gives you many more options. You get to choose the engine and drivetrain that best serves your needs. You get to pick a cab and cargo box design that fits your purposes. What’s more, Chevy gives you these options while charging you less for your truck than Honda does for its Ridgeline midsize pickup. So, why pay more when you can get the truck you want with the capabilities you need by buying a 2022 Chevy Colorado?
