Help Deciding which Truck - TRD Pro or Canyon AEV

[Wutangz_Taco]

Hey, all. New to the forum. Don’t flame me for this thread. I live in the mountains of Colorado surrounded by amazing and difficult forest service roads available to access camping, hiking, and recreating.

A few years back we bought a F-150 Raptor 3rd Gen and it has been great. Our circumstances have changed, however, and I now find myself in a situation where the Raptor is just too big for many of these roads.
Circumstances changed meaning we moved to the mountains full time. It was an awesome commuter actually!

Due to this, I started a search for a new truck and basically narrowed it down to the two choices in the thread title. I don’t love the Ford and never have, though the ride quality and 35s of the Raptor are awesome. We have a ‘16 4Runner TRD Pro that is bulletproof and this led me to look for a Tacoma. I could be swayed to a trail hunter, but like the look of the Pro and hate the high air intake and its noise. The Canyon has 35s, real rock rails, and high quality skids making it hopefully bullet proof off road.

After some internet searching, I managed to find a Pro allocation unspoken for at MSRP at a dealership close to my childhood home. That is being built this week or next. Today, however, I found a Canyon AEV optioned as I wanted within 3 hours of my current home (Pro would be 1000 miles away and I would make a trip out of it to see family, etc.). The Canyon will be on the lot in a week. The final numbers are basically identical on each deal.

What do I do? I leaned Toyota for reliability reputationally and via personal experience, but the capability of the AEV edition means I’m pretty much set out of the box.
Curious where others would lean, noting this is a Tacoma forum. Would love any thoughts. TIA.

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[diablo2112]

Does resale matter? Tacoma all day on that account.

 

[Wutangz_Taco]

Does resale matter? Tacoma all day on that account.

Maybe - I’m hoping this is the last vehicle purchase for me for 10 years or so. So….take that as you will. With GMs reputation for reliability historically, I’ve worried about that a lot. Our 4Runner is at 140k miles and could go another 140k. It’s my wife’s and she wants a Bronco or maybe Land Cruiser when the time comes.

 

[Delirious]

I traded in a 2023 Colorado Z 71 for my Tacoma off-road and I'm not looking back. I only had about 7000 miles on it. I hated that truck and I hated the way certain things operate on it. For instance, you have to use the touchscreen to work the headlights And other menus that should've been operated by button.
I lost $10,000 in the value of that truck less than a year.
I did not like my 2016 Trd pro because of the way that engine and transmission was when those back then. But this new design is awesome and I love this truck and I'll never go back again. I had a 2022 Colorado was OK with the V6 but I hated the color cause it was blue. I've been through Three Rangers 1921 and 22 and all three were lemons. I'm Tacoma for life. I'm not proofreading this because I speak my text so if anything screwed up try phonetics. Good luck in your decision

 

[Wutangz_Taco]

I traded in a 2023 Colorado Z 71 for my Tacoma off-road and I'm not looking back. I only had about 7000 miles on it. I hated that truck and I hated the way certain things operate on it. For instance, you have to use the touchscreen to work the headlights And other menus that should've been operated by button.
I lost $10,000 in the value of that truck less than a year.
I did not like my 2016 Trd pro because of the way that engine and transmission was when those back then. But this new design is awesome and I love this truck and I'll never go back again. I had a 2022 Colorado was OK with the V6 but I hated the color cause it was blue. I've been through Three Rangers 1921 and 22 and all three were lemons. I'm Tacoma for life. I'm not proofreading this because I speak my text so if anything screwed up try phonetics. Good luck in your decision

Thanks. This is exactly the kind of input I’m hoping for.

 

[AlexT]

I needed a truck last September before the Tacomas hit the lots and pulled the trigger on a standard Colorado ZR2, expecting to trade it in after a year or two. I’ve really fallen in love with it over my 12k miles of ownership and it has handled everything so well, including commuting, road trips, towing, and off-roading. In your case, both options are premium trucks with all the features, you can’t really go wrong either way. The Canyon has more off-road hardware but if the TRD pro meets your needs and desires then it’s a bit of a moot point. The canyon is nearing the end of its second model year with a lot of the launch bugs worked out already while the Tacoma is still early in this new generation.

 

[TalkingTaco444]

The pro is almost just as much set out of the box. There’s a lot of crap on the AEV I find personally useless, while the Toyota has both the off-road aftermarket add ons as well as some really cool tech

I vote the Pro

 

[Wutangz_Taco]

I needed a truck last September before the Tacomas hit the lots and pulled the trigger on a standard Colorado ZR2, expecting to trade it in after a year or two. I’ve really fallen in love with it over my 12k miles of ownership and it has handled everything so well, including commuting, road trips, towing, and off-roading. In your case, both options are premium trucks with all the features, you can’t really go wrong either way. The Canyon has more off-road hardware but if the TRD pro meets your needs and desires then it’s a bit of a moot point. The canyon is nearing the end of its second model year with a lot of the launch bugs worked out already while the Tacoma is still early in this new generation.

I agree. I don’t think I can go wrong and I’m super lucky to be in the position to make this decision. Thanks.

 

[Wutangz_Taco]

The pro is almost just as much set out of the box. There’s a lot of crap on the AEV I find personally useless, while the Toyota has both the off-road aftermarket add ons as well as some really cool tech

I vote the Pro

Appreciate the vote. Ha ha.

Seriously though, I agree on the tech in the Taco. I wish GM had put a digital rearview on the editions with the spare in the bed.

 

[Lando]

I can’t speak for GM smaller trucks but the full sizes are legendary. I’ve had a Yukon I sold at 250,000 miles and it ran like a clock when I sold it. Only major issue it had was a transfer case replacement with a used one.
Had a Sierra and Silverado go to 180,000+ miles when sold, no major issues.

I’m pretty sure my first Toyota (Tacoma Gen4) will be awesome too. The current issues I read on here I believe are isolated and rare.

 

[Wutangz_Taco]

I can’t speak for GM smaller trucks but the full sizes are legendary. I’ve had a Yukon I sold at 250,000 miles and it ran like a clock when I sold it. Only major issue it had was a transfer case replacement with a used one.
Had a Sierra and Silverado go to 180,000+ miles when sold, no major issues.

I’m pretty sure my first Toyota (Tacoma Gen4) will be awesome too. The current issues I read on here I believe are isolated and rare.

This is also super helpful experiential. I see these posts on tacos running 300k, but not so many GM vehicles.

 

[OlafTheNork]

Check Chevy to see if the 2025 Colorado is a redesign of the 23/24 model. Also check Consumer Reports ($11/mo. online subscription - cxl any time) for the comparative ratings. CR should have the 24 Colo ratings and might now have the 24 Taco ratings. I've heard the 23/24 Colorados have thin roofs and many cases where the roofs dent in car washes that have a blower that travels over the hood/roof/trunk. Check online for the references. Also be sure to manage your privacy settings on GM and Toyota services and think-through whether you need to pay for any of them. With a cell phone tethered to the Taco USB-C data port (IMO) you don't need any additional paid-for services.

 

[Old Man]

I’ll kept short. I ordered a 2024 Colorado ZR2 because it had great lines. I told the dealer I’ll need to drive it when it comes in to see what it actually had to offer from ride, power, etc. I had time during the order/delivery process to do a deep dive into everything, good, bad or indifferent. Truck came in, dealer called and I shot down and took it out for a 35-mile test drive. When I got back, I handed the keys over to the sales rep and said “no thank you…” My personal issues ran around ride (unstable and sloppy), power (non-responsive, always screaming like a pissed off sewing machine and sloppy shifting). Additionally, the Colorado/Canyon are known for very bad fit and finish which the ZR2 had… windshield cowling was a half inch off and wouldn’t connect to its counterparts. Fender flares protruded from body 3/16” – 1/4" and would not clip in.

One of the main issues that bothered me the most was the GM 2.7L, 4-cly has cylinder deactivation which means there will be times you’re cruising down the road on two cylinders. Also, has direct injection which is known to cause carbon build-up. Yes, the Tacoma also utilizes direct injection but it’s combined with port injection which burns off the carbon. That being said, I did buy a Taco and have no regrets. It’s twice the truck in all ways… and actually, a better-looking truck. Either way, good luck on your choice…

 

[Ruissimo]

That being said, I did buy a Taco and have no regrets. It’s twice the truck in all ways… and actually, a better-looking truck. Either way, good luck on your choice…

That's interesting. My neighbor's is a beauty, and I would say they're very comparable trucks in terms of looks. I like them both. But I'm going with Toyota, so.

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