Should I Buy a Chevrolet Colorado?

Complete buying guide for the Chevrolet Colorado: best years, worst years, common problems, recall history, and reliability trends across all model years.

12Model Years
2089Total Complaints
23Total Recalls

Overview: Is the Chevrolet Colorado a Good Buy?

The Chevrolet Colorado spans 12 model years in the NHTSA database, with 2089 total consumer complaints and 23 safety recalls on record. That works out to an average of approximately 174 complaints per model year. This buying guide is designed to help you identify the best and worst model years, understand the most common problems owners report, and make a more informed purchasing decision backed by official NHTSA safety data rather than anecdotal reviews.

Best vs. Worst Years at a Glance

If you are shopping for a used Chevrolet Colorado, the model years to prioritize are 2026, 2025, 2022, which have the fewest owner-reported complaints. The years to approach with more caution are 2016, 2015, 2017, which have significantly higher complaint volumes. The difference between the best and worst years can be dramatic — the worst year has 681 complaints compared to just 5 for the best year. This gap often correlates with specific manufacturing issues, design changes, or component suppliers used during those production years.

Common Issues to Watch For

Across all model years, the most frequently reported problems with the Chevrolet Colorado involve Electrical System Issues, Transmission Issues, Headlight Assembly Defect. These are the components and systems that owners have flagged most often in their NHTSA complaints. If you are inspecting a used Chevrolet Colorado, have a mechanic pay special attention to these areas. Some issues may be covered under existing recalls or extended warranties, so check the recall history for your specific model year before purchasing.

Best Years to Buy

These Chevrolet Colorado model years have the fewest complaints and best reliability:

2026 — 5 complaints 2025 — 21 complaints 2022 — 40 complaints

Years to Avoid

These model years have the most complaints and known issues:

2016 — 681 complaints 2015 — 473 complaints 2017 — 210 complaints

Common Problems Across All Years

All Model Years

YearComplaintsRecallsReliability
2026 5 1 5/100
2025 21 1 5/100
2024 94 3 5/100
2023 117 3 5/100
2022 40 1 5/100
2021 61 1 55/100
2020 74 0 55/100
2019 140 0 55/100
2018 173 1 55/100
2017 210 1 55/100
2016 681 4 55/100
2015 473 7 87/100