Head to Head

It's tough being a pickup truck these days. Not only does it have to be ready to take on heavy loads and cover high mileages, these trucks also have to be comfortable and come equipped with the latest features most would expect in SUVs and executive sedans. Fortunately, we are in an era where these workhorses can deliver heavy-duty capabilities with car-like creature comforts.

The Toyota Hilux has long been a trusted name in the pickup segment. With almost 50 years of history behind the venerable nameplate, it comes as no surprise that the Hilux is one of the country's best-selling pickups. Stepping up to the challenge is the Chevrolet Colorado, a relative newcomer in the Philippines. It may be fresh-faced but the Colorado packs numbers that may give the establishment a bit of a scare.

The pickup truck segment shows no signs of slowing down as this week's head to head pits the Toyota Hilux and the Chevrolet Colorado.

We first take a look under the hood of the Chevrolet Colorado. Chevrolet's entry in the segment is available in two engine options. First is a 2.5 liter Duramax turbodiesel with 163 PS and 380 Nm of torque. Move up the range and the Colorado packs an uprated 2.8 liter Duramax turbodiesel. In this spec, it packs 200 PS and 500 Nm of torque, putting it to the top of its class.

In the Toyota Hilux, it two is available in two engine specifications with the 2.4 liter D4-D turbodiesel powering the 4x2 models and the more bigger 2.8 liter D4-D turbodiesel under the hood of the 4x4 variants. The 2.4 liter engine has an output of 150 PS and 400 Nm of torque while the 2.8 liter mill has 177 PS and 450 Nm of torque. Both pickups have intercoolers, variable geometry turbochargers and direct injection.

Both these pickups are available with six-speed manuals or six-speed automatic transmissions. As for their 4WD systems, the Hilux has a shift-on-the-fly 4WD system that will let the driver engage 4WD high while on the move. The Hilux also comes with an automatic front differential and a built-in differential lock for the rear. The Colorado employs a similar system with a limited slip differential being standard even on the 2WD models.

Another similarity between these two pickups are their suspension set ups. Both ride on independent multi-link suspension in front withl live axle and leaf springs at the rear. This suspension system helps both these trucks offer a payload of about 1 ton.

Inside, the Colorado offers a gray on tan interior with leather trim on the steering wheel and seats. It also offers an 8-bit multi-information display between the dials. In the Colorado, it shows average speed, constant and average fuel economy, fuel usage, engine clock and eco-meter. In the Hilux, leather seating is unavailable but gets a solid black treatment throughout the cabin. The Hilux is equipped with Toyota's Optitron gauges along with a multi-information display which shows an elapsed travel timer, average speed, eco-assist meter, constant and average fuel economy and various settings and vehicle message display.

The Toyota Hilux is equipped with a 6.5 inch touchscreen with DVD, tuner, Bluetooth, MP3, USB and auxiliary input. Sound is then relayed through a six speaker audio system. In the Colorado, it gets a MyLink 7in touchscreen multimedia system. It supports smartphone-iPod-iPhone interconnectivity, internet browsing support, audio/video USB, audio/video AUX, and Bluetooth Voice. As for their base models, the come standard with 2-DIN head units.

When it comes to size, the Chevrolet Colorado is the longest pickup in its class. The large dimensions are then complemented by this pickup's squared-off styling and bold, signature Chevrolet split grill. As for the Hilux, its styling is evolutionary and was given a more aggressive look with wider headlights, integrated fender flares and bold chrome grill. As for its cargo box, it features the longest bed in its segment.

On to safety equipment, the Toyota Hilux can be equipped with seven airbags with driver, passenger, side, curtain and knee airbags. Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution is standard while traction control, stability control, hill start assist and reverse sensors are available in the top-spec models. In the Colorado, Anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, as well as dual front airbags are standard across the lineup. Mid to top of the line models benefit from reverse sensors, reverse camera plus a tire pressure monitoring system.

The Chevrolet Colorado is available in five variants and each can be specified with manual or automatic transmissions. These are the 2.5 liter LT 4x2 (M/T only), 2.8 liter LT 4x2, 2.8 liter LTZ 4x4, 2.8 liter LTZ Tracker 4x4 and 2.8 liter LTZ Tracker Pro 4x4. Meanwhile, the Hilux comes in three trim levels, namely the 2.4 J, 2.4 E, 2.4 G and 2.8 G 4x4. Only the G models are available with an automatic transmission.