Compare the2024 Honda RidgelineVS 2024 Chevrolet Colorado

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Payload and Towing
Ergonomics
Recommendations

Safety

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Using vehicle speed sensors and seat sensors, smart airbags in the Ridgeline deploy with different levels of force or don’t deploy at all to help better protect passengers of all sizes in different collisions. The Ridgeline’s side airbags will shut off if a child is leaning against the door. The Colorado’s side airbags don’t have smart features and will always deploy full force.

To provide maximum traction and stability on all roads, All-Wheel Drive is standard on the Ridgeline. But it costs extra on the Colorado.

The Ridgeline has a standard blind spot warning system that uses sensors to alert the driver to objects in the vehicle’s blind spots where the side view mirrors don’t reveal them. A system to reveal vehicles in the Colorado’s blind spot costs extra.

To help make backing out of a parking space safer, the Ridgeline has standard Cross Traffic Monitor, helping the driver avoid collisions. Chevrolet charges extra for Rear Cross Traffic Alert on the Colorado.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Ridgeline uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Colorado uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Ridgeline and the Colorado have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, plastic fuel tanks, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras and available rear parking sensors.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Honda Ridgeline is safer than the Chevrolet Colorado:

	Ridgeline	Colorado
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	104	194
Neck Stress	166 lbs.	330 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	41/39 lbs.	150/71 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	168	293
Chest Compression	.7 inches	.8 inches
Neck Injury Risk	32%	34.9%
Neck Stress	121 lbs.	178 lbs.
Neck Compression	56 lbs.	92 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH, results indicate that the Honda Ridgeline is safer than the Chevrolet Colorado:

	Ridgeline	Colorado
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	93	129
Chest Movement	.6 inches	1.6 inches
Abdominal Force	129 lbs.	186 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Warranty

The Ridgeline’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Colorado’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

Honda pays for scheduled maintenance on the Ridgeline for 2 years or 24,000 miles. Honda will pay for oil changes, tire rotations, air filter replacements, cabin filter replacement, brake fluid replacement, inspections, and any other required maintenance. Chevrolet only pays for the first scheduled maintenance visit on the Colorado.

Reliability

The engine in the Ridgeline has a single overhead cam for simplicity. The engines in the Colorado have dual overhead cams, which add to the number of moving parts and the complexity of the cylinder heads.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Ridgeline’s reliability 25 points higher than the Colorado.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2024 Auto Issue reports that Honda vehicles are more reliable than Chevrolet vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Honda 15 places higher in reliability than Chevrolet.

Engine

The Ridgeline’s 3.5 SOHC V6 produces 43 more horsepower (280 vs. 237) and 2 lbs.-ft. more torque (262 vs. 260) than the Colorado’s standard 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder.

As tested in Motor Trend the Honda Ridgeline is faster than the Chevrolet Colorado (310 HP engine):

	Ridgeline	Colorado
Zero to 60 MPH	6.3 sec	6.9 sec
Quarter Mile	14.8 sec	15.4 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	93.2 MPH	88.1 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Ridgeline gets better fuel mileage than the Colorado 2.7 turbo 4-cylinder 4x4 (18 city/24 hwy vs. 18 city/23 hwy).

The Ridgeline has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Colorado. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

A nine-speed automatic is standard on the Honda Ridgeline, for better acceleration and lower engine speed on the highway. Only an eight-speed automatic is available for the Colorado.

Brakes and Stopping

The Ridgeline stops shorter than the Colorado:

	Ridgeline	Colorado
70 to 0 MPH	181 feet	187 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	125 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Ridgeline’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 60 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Colorado ZR2’s standard 70 series tires.

For better ride, handling and brake cooling the Ridgeline has standard 18-inch wheels. Smaller 17-inch wheels are standard on the Colorado.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Honda Ridgeline has fully independent front and rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The Chevrolet Colorado has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The front and rear suspension of the Ridgeline uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Colorado, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Ridgeline has vehicle speed sensitive variable-assist power steering, for low-effort parking, better control at highway speeds and during hard cornering, and a better feel of the road. The Colorado doesn’t offer variable-assist power steering.

For better handling and stability, the track (width between the wheels) on the Ridgeline is 2.5 inches wider in the front and 2.3 inches wider in the rear than the average track on the Colorado.

The Ridgeline Sport handles at .80 G’s, while the Colorado ZR2 pulls only .72 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Ridgeline Black Edition executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 1.5 seconds quicker than the Colorado ZR2 (27.7 seconds @ .62 average G’s vs. 29.2 seconds @ .57 average G’s).

Chassis

The Ridgeline is 3 inches shorter than the Colorado Trail Boss, making the Ridgeline easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Ridgeline 4x4 is 8 inches shorter in height than the Colorado, making the Ridgeline much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Ridgeline’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Colorado doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

The Ridgeline uses computer-generated active noise cancellation to help remove annoying noise and vibration from the passenger compartment, especially at low frequencies. The Colorado doesn’t offer active noise cancellation.

Passenger Space

The Ridgeline has 4.4 inches more front hip room, 4.6 inches more front shoulder room, .5 inches more rear headroom, 2 inches more rear legroom, 3.5 inches more rear hip room and 5.4 inches more rear shoulder room than the Colorado.

Cargo Capacity

The Ridgeline’s cargo box is larger than the Colorado’s in every dimension:

	Ridgeline	Colorado
Length (short/long)	64”	61.7”
Max Width	60”	58.8”
Min Width	50”	45.5”
Height	16.9”	n/a

A standard locking glovebox (which can’t be accessed with the valet key) keeps your small valuables safer in the Ridgeline. The Colorado doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Payload and Towing

The Ridgeline’s standard towing capacity is much higher than the Colorado’s (5000 vs. 3500 pounds).

The Ridgeline has a higher standard payload capacity than the Colorado (1583 vs. 1490 lbs.).

Ergonomics

The Ridgeline’s front power windows open or close with one touch of the switches, making it more convenient at drive-up windows and toll booths, or when talking with someone outside of the car. The Colorado’s standard power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully. The Colorado LT/Trail Boss/Z71/ZR2’s front passenger window doesn’t close automatically.

If the windows are left open on the Ridgeline the driver can close them all at the outside door handle. On a hot day the driver can lower the windows at the outside door handle or from a distance using the keyless remote. The driver of the Colorado can only close the windows from inside the vehicle, with the ignition on.

The Ridgeline’s LED headlights produce a whiter, brighter light (up to 3x) using five times less power than the Colorado’s standard halogen headlights. LED lights also light instantly and last over twenty times longer than halogen.

When the Ridgeline RTL-E/Black Edition is put in reverse, both rearview mirrors tilt from their original position. This gives the driver a better view of the curb during parallel parking maneuvers. Shifting out of reverse puts the mirrors into their original positions. The Colorado’s mirrors don’t automatically adjust for backing.

Both the Ridgeline and the Colorado offer available heated front seats. The Ridgeline Black Edition also has standard heated rear seats to keep those passengers extremely comfortable in the winter. Heated rear seats aren’t available in the Colorado.

The Ridgeline has a standard center folding armrest for the rear passengers. A center armrest helps make rear passengers more comfortable and it can provide a boundary between children. The Colorado WT/Trail Boss doesn’t offer a rear seat center armrest.

The Ridgeline has a standard dual zone air conditioning allows the driver and front passenger to choose two completely different temperatures so people with different temperature preferences won’t have to compromise. This makes both the driver and front passenger as comfortable as possible. Dual zone air conditioning costs extra on the Colorado and isn’t available on the Colorado WT/Trail Boss.

The Ridgeline’s standard automatic temperature control maintains the temperature you set, automatically controlling fan speed, vents and temperature to maintain a consistent, comfortable environment. The Colorado WT/Trail Boss doesn’t offer automatic air conditioning.

Both the Ridgeline and the Colorado offer rear vents. For greater rear passenger comfort, the Ridgeline has standard rear air conditioning vents to keep rear occupants cool in summer or warm in winter. The Colorado doesn’t offer rear air conditioning vents, only heat vents.

To quickly and conveniently keep personal devices charged without cables tangling and wearing out, the Honda Ridgeline has a standard wireless phone charging system (Qi) in the center console. Wireless charging costs extra on the Colorado and isn’t available on the Colorado WT/Trail Boss.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® recommends the Honda Ridgeline, based on reliability, safety and performance.

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