Nissan's Bold Bet Against GM's Turbo Colorado Is Starting to Pay Off

In the midsize truck world, Chevrolet's Colorado refresh made waves by swapping its V6 for a turbocharged four-cylinder and simplifying its lineup. Sales climbed, and many expected rivals to follow suit. Nissan, however, went the opposite direction with the 2025 Frontier, keeping a naturally aspirated V6.

Early results looked shaky, but by mid-2026, that choice is looking smarter.

7-liter turbo four-cylinder. It also cut body styles down to a single crew cab with a short box. For 2025, Chevrolet simplified further, giving every Colorado a high-output TurboMax engine with 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic. The truck can tow up to 7,700 pounds and comes with large digital displays.

Chevrolet sold 107,867 Colorados in 2025, up about 10% from the prior year. GMC added 36,477 Canyons, bringing the combined GM total to 144,344 units.

8-liter V6 with a nine-speed automatic. That engine also makes 310 horsepower but only 281 lb-ft of torque, a notable disadvantage. 3-inch touchscreen on higher trims. Towing capacity is 7,150 pounds.

3% from 2024. 7% jump, and the momentum continued into 2026. 9% increase over the same period in 2025. 7% in that half to 47,693, leaving Nissan just 4,592 units behind. Nissan also moved past the Ranger into third place.

The resurgence isn't proof buyers prefer a V6 over a turbo. Factors like inventory, financing, regional availability, and advertising could all play a role. Nissan also expanded its US operations, and strong reception for the Rogue and Pathfinder may have helped. Still, the numbers show Nissan didn't need to copy GM to gain ground.

Even a specialty version, the 2026 Frontier PRO-4X R by Roush, kept the stock V6 without modification. It added a two-inch lift, Öhlins dampers, revised control arms, and all-terrain tires for $4,395 over the base PRO-4X, bringing the price to $47,960. However, that model faced a recall of 1,217 trucks due to potentially missing cotter pins and improperly tightened suspension or steering fasteners, leading to a "Do Not Drive" warning.

That issue is unrelated to the powertrain but prevents the Roush from being a clean victory lap.

In the mainstream market, the success belongs to the broader, less expensive Frontier range. Nissan hasn't matched the Tacoma's record sales, and GM still holds an edge when combining Colorado and Canyon numbers. But the Frontier's V6 delivers strong real-world torque, and Nissan's decision to stay different is proving valid without needing to dominate the segment.