Pick a fight: Ford Ranger Raptor vs. Chevrolet Colorado High Country Storm

Here we have two American giants slugging it out to see who’ll be the king who tames unruly off-road conditions and the one with the most features to take on any terrain.

We put these two very capable pickup trucks side by side and you go see for yourself which truck you’ll spend your buck on.

Let’s start with the exterior. Both give off a very aggressive and mean demeanor as souped-up versions of their model line.

The Ford Ranger Raptor comes with flared fenders front and rear. It sits on 33-inch all-terrain tires, has the F-150 Raptor’s grille with the F-O-R-D spelled out on top of the black mesh, and “Raptor” decals on both sides.

The Chevrolet Colorado High Country Storm looks best in that orange hue with the black decal on the hood and along the rear door panel. It comes with a very robust black sports bar that straddles the rear and 18-inch black alloy wheels.

Powering the Raptor is a 2.0-liter Bi-Turbo diesel engine that sends 210hp and 500Nm of torque to a 10-speed automatic transmission.

Under the hood of the High Country Storm is Chevrolet’s 2.8-liter Duramax engine with 200hp and 500Nm of torque. It is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with active select manual mode.

The Raptor’s suspension is where it gets a major edge. It uses aluminum double wishbone with Fox Racing Shox Internal Bypass Dampers and anti-roll bar in front, and coilovers with Fox Racing Shox Internal Bypass Reservoir Dampers and Watts link in the rear.

On the High Country Storm is an independent, double wishbone with coil springs and gas shock absorbers in front and an axle suspension with leaf springs in the rear.

Inside the Raptor is soft leather from the dashboard all the way to the steering wheel, and the seats are a combo of leather and some type of felt, which Ford calls “Raptor Accent.” It has Lightning Blue stitching that makes a great contrast to the cabin’s interior as well. Other amenities include an eight-inch touchscreen and six speakers, Bluetooth, two USB ports, a GPS system, rearview camera, and a 230V inverter.

The High Country Storm’s cabin comes with a combo of Jet Black and Dark Ash leather which reflects the color of the interior panel and center console as well. It has an eight-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, a premium seven-speaker system, auto glare-adjusting rearview mirror, a reverse vision camera, cruise control, and even front and rear park assist using eight sensors between the front and rear bumpers.

Safety and driver-assistance features of the Raptor include Pre-collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, Lane Keeping Aid, Driver Alert System, Terrain Management System with six modes (Normal, Sport, Grass/Gravel, Mud/Sand, Rock, and Baja), Electronic Stability Control including Roll-over Mitigation, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Traction Control, Hill Descent Control, Hill Start Assist, six airbags (driver, passenger, side, and curtain), parking sensors, a rear view camera, a volumetric burglar alarm system, and child seat Isofix anchorage points.

The High Country Storm’s safety and driver-assistance features are driver and passenger SRS airbags, side door impact beams, Anti-lock Braking System, Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Brake Assist, Hill Start Assist, Hill Descent Control, Electronic Stability Control, Front Collision Alert, Lane Departure Warning, Trailer Sway Control, anti-theft alarm system, and an engine immobilizer.

It's a very close match-up as both are so well endowed. Both have the looks to match capability and cabin niceties to enhance the driving experience The Raptor gets an edge with the suspension but the bigger engine of the Colorado, based on my test, can get you a little over a kilometer more per liter at 8.1kpl in pure city driving.

The real decision is up to you as both are clearly up to par with what it take to be a great off-road vehicle. It will all boil down to personal preference and taste to determine if you’ll be in the Ford Ranger Raptor or the Chevrolet Colorado High Country Storm in your next off-road adventure.

Photos from Chevrolet and Ford