The Best Running Boards for the Chevy Colorado: 5 Picks Compared

The Tyger Rider wins Best Overall because it gets the fundamentals right on a truck people actually drive daily: a solid bolt-on mount, a finish that survives weather, and a warranty that outlasts the loan. Among the fixed steps we compared for the Colorado, its aggregated owner rating is the strongest, with repeat praise for how cleanly the brackets line up with the factory mounting points.

What separates it from the cheaper AUTOSAVER88 boards is hardware quality and backing. Tyger covers the Rider with a limited lifetime warranty, while most import boards in this class state a short window or nothing at all. The rubber step pads sit proud of the 3.5 in oval bar, so boots find a defined landing spot even caked in mud.

The main limitation is width. A 3.5 in bar is a step assist, not a platform. If you lift a toddler into a car seat every morning, or your dog hesitates on narrow footing, the 6 in flat boards from COMNOVA or AUTOSAVER88 give more surface to stand on. Fitment is also strict: this part number covers the crew cab, so extended cab owners need to look elsewhere.

Installation is a standard no-drill job, though owner feedback suggests hanging every bracket loosely first, then torquing once the bars sit level along the rocker.

This is a research-based recommendation drawn from listing fitment data, published specs and aggregated reviews rather than hands-on testing. Buy the Rider if you want the safest all-around choice for a Colorado crew cab. Step up to the AMP Research PowerStep if you want a step that disappears when the doors close, or the YZONA two-stair boards if your truck is leveled or lifted.

The COMNOVA 6 in boards win Best for Families because they answer the one question a parent asks about running boards: is there enough surface for a small foot to land on with confidence. A 6 in flat board gives that, where the Tyger Rider’s 3.5 in bar does not, and it does so at a mainstream price with the largest owner review base of any pick in this guide.

The draw here is width and reach. Standing on the full platform while buckling a car seat is comfortable, and a dog that balks at narrow nerf bars will usually step onto a flat board without coaxing. The aluminum construction also means the board itself will not rust, an advantage over the powder coated steel used on the Tyger and YZONA picks in salt country.

The trade-offs come from the format, not the brand. A fixed wide board sits at rocker height permanently, so it costs ground clearance and takes the first hit on rocks or steep driveways. If your Colorado is a trail truck, the YZONA two-stair boards or the retracting AMP PowerStep protect clearance in ways a fixed board cannot. Aluminum is also softer than steel, so a heavy load dropped on the edge can dent it.

Install is genuinely easy, one of the simpler bolt-on jobs here, with brackets that hang on factory points and no drilling.

This is a research-based pick assembled from fitment data, specs and aggregated owner reviews rather than hands-on testing. Choose the COMNOVA if a wide, dependable step for family duty is the priority. Choose the Tyger Rider for a longer warranty, or the AUTOSAVER88 boards to save money on a similar flat platform.

The AUTOSAVER88 boards win Best Budget because they hit the lowest price in this guide while still giving the wide flat platform most Colorado owners actually want. Where cutting cost usually means dropping to a narrow bar, these keep the full 6 in board and the rust-free aluminum that the pricier COMNOVA set also uses.

The value case is straightforward. You get a wide step surface with a molded nonslip tread and a no-drill bolt-on install, at a price well under the Tyger and COMNOVA picks. Aluminum means the boards will not rust, which matters more on the Colorado than badge prestige does, especially for trucks that see winter roads or coastal air.

The compromises are real but predictable at this price. The warranty is three years rather than the Tyger’s lifetime coverage, and the aluminum is lighter gauge, so the board flexes a little more underfoot than the heavier COMNOVA. The owner review base is also smaller, so there is less aggregated feedback to lean on than with the top two picks, which is why this lands as the value choice rather than the outright winner.

Installation is one of the easier jobs here, hanging on factory points with hand tools and no cutting.

This is a research-based recommendation built from listing specs, fitment data and aggregated reviews rather than hands-on testing. Buy the AUTOSAVER88 boards if price is the deciding factor and you still want a wide aluminum step. Step up to the COMNOVA for a longer track record and heavier board, or the Tyger Rider for lifetime warranty coverage.

The AMP Research PowerStep wins Best Premium because it solves problems no fixed board can. When a door opens, a full-length lit step swings down lower than any bar or board in this guide sits, which is the difference between a boost and a real stair for shorter riders. When the doors close, it retracts flush against the rocker, so the Colorado keeps its ground clearance and its factory profile.

That combination is why it stands apart from the fixed picks. The Tyger Rider and COMNOVA boards hang at rocker height forever, trading clearance for a permanent step. The PowerStep gives the lower step position when you need it and takes it away when you do not, and it adds LED lighting for the footwell at night. The plug-and-play harness means no cutting into factory wiring, and AMP backs the system with a 5-year or 60,000-mile warranty.

The limitations are cost and complexity. It runs several times the price of any fixed board here, and it introduces motors and moving linkages that want occasional cleaning and can eventually fail, where a fixed board has nothing to break. Fitment is also specific: this 76253-01A kit is for the 2023-2026 truck, and 2015-2022 owners need the separate Smart Series part.

Installation is the hardest in this guide, adding wiring to the mechanical mount, and many owners have a shop handle it.

This is a research-based recommendation drawn from manufacturer specs, fitment data and aggregated owner feedback rather than hands-on testing. Buy the PowerStep if you want the best entry experience a current Colorado can have. Choose a fixed board like the Tyger Rider or COMNOVA if value and simplicity matter more than the retracting step.

The YZONA two-stair boards win Best for Lifted Trucks because they answer a problem a leveling kit creates: once the Colorado sits taller, a single fixed board hangs too high to be a comfortable first step. The two-stair design adds a lower stair below the main rail, so the climb into a leveled or lifted crew cab breaks into two manageable steps instead of one long reach.

That lower stair is the whole point. On a stock truck, the Tyger Rider bar or a COMNOVA flat board is simpler and sits at a fine height. On a truck with a leveling kit or a lift, those single-height boards leave a gap that the YZONA’s second stair closes. The construction is heavy carbon steel, tougher against dropped loads than the aluminum COMNOVA and AUTOSAVER88 boards, and the serrated surfaces bite in mud and snow better than smooth rubber pads.

The compromises are backing and finish. YZONA states only a 1-year warranty, the shortest here, against the Tyger’s lifetime coverage. The powder coated steel resists rust well but will need chip touch-ups in salt states, the same care the Tyger bar wants. The stepped profile also protrudes further from the body, so it is easier to catch a shin on when walking past.

Installation is a standard no-drill bolt-on, on par with the fixed boards.

This is a research-based recommendation built from listing specs, fitment data and aggregated owner reviews rather than hands-on testing. Buy the YZONA boards if your Colorado is leveled or lifted and the extra stair earns its keep. Stick with the COMNOVA flat board or Tyger Rider if your truck is stock height and you want a simpler, better-warrantied step.