BUYING A TRUCK FOR YOUR BUSINESS: THE CHEVY COLORADO VS SILVERADO

Business owners looking for good fleet vehicles look to Chevy when they need quality trucks at great prices for a startup, small, medium-sized, or large business. However, specific Chevy trucks are designed for very specific purposes. Some are designed for towing, while others are designed for deliveries, and others are better at payload or utility work.

If you’ve been looking for a quality selection of commercial trucks for sale but you’re still trying to iron out the difference between the Chevy Colorado and Chevy Silverado, we’ve got some information below related to their size differences, towing capacity, payload capacity, fuel economy and more. This way, the next time you visit Richard Lucas Chevrolet looking for quality commercial trucks for sale, you will know exactly what you need for your business.

The Midsize Chevy Colorado

Highlights:

• Great fuel economy
• Rear-Wheel Drive
• Four-Wheel Drive
• Versatile
• Economical

The Chevy Colorado is a midsize pickup. It’s designed to be easier to maneuver, smaller to handle on the road, and great for when you need a smaller vehicle to get in and out of busy areas with ease. The Colorado also has great fuel economy. The 2022 model can get 20 miles per gallon in the city and up to 30 miles per gallon on the highway in a rear-wheel drive configuration when paired with the 2.8-liter Duramax 4-cylinder turbo-diesel.

Performance/Tow Ratings: For towing and payload capacity, you can expect the Colorado to top out its towing at 7,700 lbs. It has a max payload rating of 1,550 lbs. You can also get the Colorado with three different engines and two different transmission combinations, including a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder that delivers 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque, a 3.6-liter V6 that manages 306 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, and the 2.8-liter Duramax 4-cylinder that does 181 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. You can get the Colorado in either 6-speed or 8-speed automatic transmission.

Cab/Bed Configurations: There are two different cab formats for the Colorado, which include the Extended Cab with two doors or the Crew Cab with four doors. The Colorado can also be configured with two different bed sizes, which include a Short Box or a Long Box. The Short Box offers you 61.7 inches of length, while the Long Box affords you up to 74 inches of cargo capacity in the rear bed. The Colorado is also available as a fleet truck in three trim formats, including the WT, LT, and Z71.

The Full-Size Chevy Silverado

Highlights:

• Light-Duty
• Heavy-Duty
• High Towing Capacity
• High Payload Capacity
• Single Rear-Wheel Drive
• Dual Rear-Wheel Drive
• Four-Wheel Drive

The Chevy Silverado is the full-size sibling of the Colorado. When it comes to trucks for a business, the Silverado offers a lot of different options, including single or dual rear-wheel drive, as well as light-duty and heavy-duty variants. You can also get the Silverado in a chassis cab variant in case you need to upfit the truck for specific business purposes.

Performance Specs: With the 2022 Silverado 1500, you have access to four powertrains, including the 2.7-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder at 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. The 5.3-liter EcoTec3 V8 delivers 355 hp and 383 lb-ft of torque, while the 6.2-0liter EcoTec3 V8 manages 420 hp and 460 lb-ft torque. Finally, the 3.0-liter turbocharged Duramax 6-cylinder manages 277 hp and 460 lb-ft of torque.

The Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD are available with two powertrains, including the 6.6-liter V8 that produces 401 hp at 464 lb-ft of torque and the 6.6-liter Duramax turbocharged V8 diesel engine that makes 445 hp at 910 lb-ft of torque. The 4500 HD, 5500 HD, and 6500 HD Chassis Cab iterations of the Silverado also come equipped standard with the 6.6-liter Duramax.

Cab/Bed Configurations: You can get the Silverado in three cab formats, including a Regular Cab with two doors, a Double Cab, or a Crew Cab with four doors. The Silverado is also available in three bed formats, including Short, Standard, and Long. The Regular Cab nets you more bed volume while the Crew Cab nets you more interior cabin space.

If you run a business with multiple employees that have to share trucks, a Crew Cab is a great option that offers seating for up to six people. The bed sizes vary between the light-duty Silverado and HD variants. The Silverado 1500 Short Bed features 69.92 inches of length, the Standard Bed is 79.44 inches, and the Long Bed offers 98.18 inches of cargo length. The Silverado 2500 HD and 3500 HD are available with Long and Standard Beds. The Standard Bed for the Silverado HD is 82.25 inches and the Long Bed is 98.27 inches long.

Towing/Payload Ratings: The Silverado’s towing capacity scales are based on the light-duty or heavy-duty series. At the top end of the towing capacity, the Silverado 1500 manages 13,300 lbs and a payload rating of 2,270 lbs. The Silverado 2500 HD can tow up to 18,510 lbs with a max payload rating of 3,979 lbs, while the Silverado 3500 HD nets you a max tow rating of 36,000 lbs and a payload rating of 7,442 lbs. For the Silverado HD Chassis Cab, the towing/payload ratings will be based on the upfit configuration.

The Colorado Is Best for Business: Deliveries, Transport, Utility

The Chevy Colorado is great for various business needs, either as a compact delivery truck, a transportation vehicle, or for utility purposes. You can utilize the GM Fleet tools to get the most out of the Colorado as a work truck for managing on-site projects, whether it’s for carrying tools, equipment, or moving/hauling materials. The towing capacity also makes it a great choice for those who need to tow smaller equipment like lawn maintenance, electrical tools, or plumbing utilities.

The versatility and affordability of the Colorado are really its biggest selling points. You can get a lot done for a little, and due to the great fuel economy and easy handling, it makes it more than capable for businesses in need of easy-to-handle trucks for their operations while working on a strict budget. As a transport and delivery truck, you really can’t go wrong with the Colorado, especially with the ability to outfit the bed with the kind of bespoke functionality you need for your business.

The Silverado Is Best for Business: Towing, Payload, Plowing

With the Silverado’s ability to scale up to heavy-duty tasks, it makes it very attractive for businesses that need a few trucks or a fleet of trucks for large-scale projects. Whether it be towing multiple vehicles, trailering lots of livestock, moving heavy equipment, or hauling wide loads, the Silverado’s versatility in the work-related fields makes it a great all-around pick for businesses that know what kind of work needs to be done and need a truck that can handle that workload.

Even though the Silverado may cost more than the Colorado, you do get more scalability in the workload, which is something to consider. If you run a snow-plowing business and are looking for commercial trucks for sale to handle heavy snow loads, you can easily have a series of Silverado trucks outfitted with plowing equipment for the task. If you run a delivery service that requires several tons of goods to and from a destination, you can upfit the Silverado Chassis Cab to fit your delivery needs. If you frequently tow vehicles to and from destinations, you can have a Silverado HD equipped with a 5th wheel or gooseneck to trailer vehicles with ease.

The benefit of the Silverado and Silverado HD is that you can have them customized for big or small projects alike. If you have the budget for the Silverado and need a fleet for your business, there is always an option available to have the Silverado tailored for your needs. The high towing/payload capacities and versatility of upfitting the Chassis Cab mean you have a truck designed to tackle whatever you can throw at it.

Silverado vs Colorado for Your Business

Both the Silverado and Colorado come with the standard accouterments of safety suites, infotainment, and trailering tech. Whether it be parking assistance, Apple CarPlay or Android Auto integration, or voice-activated commands for easy navigation and feature utilization, both trucks are fully equipped for the task. You’ll get all of the standard equipment for your business no matter which truck you opt to go with.

Where they vary is based on size, need, and costs. If you need something fuel efficient, small, easy to handle, and available in a large variety for multiple drivers at a low price, the Colorado makes the most sense. If you need something larger or heavier for rigorous or laborious tasks, the Silverado offers the tools and upfitting capabilities for the task. The Colorado would probably be the better option for smaller startup businesses in need of pickup trucks, whereas the Silverado may be better for more established outfits. However, it all depends on the availability of the commercial trucks for sale in your area, your budget, and the scale of your business operations. But think of it as starting small with the Colorado and working big with the Silverado.