Chevrolet Colorado Best and Worst Years

Counting owner complaints filed in each model year's first three years, the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado drew the most (105; most-reported area: forward collision avoidance) and the 2020 the fewest (20).

Data: US EPA and NHTSAUpdated Sep 27, 2026

Every model year since 2016 in one place: EPA fuel economy, NHTSA recalls, owner complaints and crash test ratings. The best fuel economy rating, 25 mpg combined, arrived in 2016.

Best and worst years, by owner complaints

Model years ranked by owner complaints filed with NHTSA in their first three years (model year Y: filed by the end of Y+2), so every year is measured over the same time on the road. Years without three full years of data, and launch or final years with very few sold, are left out. Counts are not adjusted for how many were sold.

Model year	First 3 years	All complaints	Recalls
2023 Colorado Most reported: forward collision avoidance	105	135	3
2016 Colorado Most reported: steering	103	707	4
2018 Colorado Most reported: powertrain	71	183	1
2017 Colorado Most reported: powertrain	70	216	1
2019 Colorado Most reported: powertrain	61	150	0
2021 Colorado Most reported: brakes	25	75	1
2022 Colorado Most reported: electrical system	24	55	1
2020 Colorado Most reported: powertrain	20	84	0

Year by year

Model year	Best rating	Recalls	Complaints
2026 MPG · Recalls and problems	21 mpg Gas	1	14
2025 MPG · Recalls and problems	20 mpg Gas	1	27
2024 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	3	122
2023 MPG · Recalls and problems	22 mpg Gas	3	135
2022 MPG · Recalls and problems	23 mpg Diesel	1	55
2021 MPG · Recalls and problems	23 mpg Diesel	1	75
2020 MPG · Recalls and problems	23 mpg Diesel	0	84
2019 MPG · Recalls and problems	23 mpg Diesel	0	150
2018 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Diesel	1	183
2017 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Diesel	1	216
2016 MPG · Recalls and problems	25 mpg Diesel	4	707

Owner complaints by model year

All complaints filed so far. Counts rise with sales volume and with time on the road, so recent years look better than they may turn out. The highlighted bar is the model year with the most complaints in its first three years.

2023: 135 complaints

Show as a table

Owner complaints by model year, Chevrolet Colorado
Model year	Complaints
2016	707
2017	216
2018	183
2019	150
2020	84
2021	75
2022	55
2023	135
2024	122
2025	27
2026	14

Best combined rating by model year

The best-rated version in each model year. Gas: 20 to 22 mpg (every year from 2016 to 2026); highest in 2016. Diesel: 23 to 25 mpg (2016 to 2022); highest in 2016.

Best gas version
Best diesel version

2026: gas 21 mpg · diesel not offered

Show as a table

Chevrolet Colorado best combined mpg by model year
Model year	Best gas version	Best diesel version
2016	22	25
2017	22	25
2018	22	25
2019	22	23
2020	22	23
2021	22	23
2022	22	23
2023	22	–
2024	22	–
2025	20	–
2026	21	–

Comparisons

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota TacomaMPG, fuel cost, recalls and crash tests

Questions

Which Chevrolet Colorado years have the most problems?

Counting owner complaints filed with NHTSA in each model year's first three years, the 2023 (105) and 2016 (103) drew the most.

Which Chevrolet Colorado years have the fewest problems?

The 2020 (20) drew the fewest complaints in its first three years. The 2024, 2025, and 2026 are not ranked yet: they have had fewer than three full years on the road.

Which Chevrolet Colorado years should you avoid?

Complaint counts can't tell you whether a particular car is sound, but they show where owners reported the most trouble: the 2023 and the 2016, against 66 complaints in a typical Chevrolet Colorado year. Whatever the year, check the car's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before you buy. Safety recall repairs are free at Chevrolet dealers.

Which Chevrolet Colorado years have the most recalls?

The 2016 has the most safety recalls in NHTSA's file (4), then the 2024 (3). A recall can cover a problem that affects only a few cars, so open a year's page to see what each one covers. No recall for 2016 to 2026 models tells owners not to drive the car or to park it outside.

What are the most common Chevrolet Colorado problems?

Of the 1,768 owner complaints NHTSA lists for 2016 to 2026 models, the areas named most are steering (32%), powertrain (24%), and electrical system (19%). One complaint can name more than one area. The recalls and problems page for each year breaks this down further.

Which Chevrolet Colorado year has the best MPG?

The best EPA fuel economy is 25 mpg combined, first reached by the 2016 diesel version.

Sources and method

US EPA fuel economy data (fueleconomy.gov), file dated Sep 18, 2026.
NHTSA recall file dated Sep 27, 2026 and owner complaint file dated Sep 26, 2026; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings.

Complaint counts are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume. How we build these pages. Spotted an error? Tell us.