Chevrolet Colorado vs GMC Sierra: Which Used Buy Wins?

As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Colorado typically lists for $40,196 against $49,753 for the GMC Sierra (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the GMC Sierra leads on NCAP safety (4.8★ vs 4.0★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the WORK TRUCK at $30,888 vs the FLEET/BASE at $35,987; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.

Verdict: for most used-car buyers the Chevrolet Colorado is the stronger pick right now — it wins 2 of the scored dimensions below (prices judged on the same model years, 2024–2026). Choose the GMC Sierra if you care most about higher NCAP safety scores.

Head to head

Typical used price (2024–2026)Chevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Colorado$40,196
GMC Sierra$49,753
EPA combined (typical version)
Chevrolet Colorado19 MPG
GMC Sierra
NCAP overall (avg of rated years)GMC Sierra
Chevrolet Colorado4.0★
GMC Sierra4.8★
NHTSA recalls / model yearChevrolet Colorado
Chevrolet Colorado2.4
GMC Sierra3.8
For sale on VehiSales now
Chevrolet Colorado10,699
GMC Sierra29,844

Trim-by-trim prices (last 4 model years)

A fair comparison matches equivalent trims, not overall medians. Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, the Chevrolet Colorado WORK TRUCK ($30,888) faces the GMC Sierra FLEET/BASE ($35,987); the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS (26.2% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the SLT (24.7% of GMC Sierra listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($45,997) faces the DENALI ULTIMATE ($64,808). Share = portion of the model's trim-labeled used listings (a supply-side popularity signal: what the market actually stocks and sells most). “Cheapest”/“Priciest” mark the ends of the quotable trim range — trim ladders don't map one-to-one across brands, so this is not a factory base-model claim.

Chevrolet Colorado GMC Sierra
TrimTypical priceShare TrimTypical priceShare
WORK TRUCKCheapest $30,888 14.0% FLEET/BASECheapest $35,987 4.3%
LT $34,662 17.6% SLE $42,198 4.0%
WORK TRUCK LT $35,878 2.9% ELEVATION-L $42,500 5.6%
TRAIL BOSSMost popular $38,456 26.2% SLTMost popular $45,000 24.7%
Z71 $39,817 22.8% ELEVATION $46,735 15.9%
ZR2Priciest $45,997 16.5% AT4 $54,940 14.9%
DENALI $56,699 16.3%
DENALI ULTIMATEPriciest $64,808 6.6%

Rows are aligned by price position (both sides sorted cheapest-first), not by equivalent equipment — trim names never map one-to-one across brands. Full per-trim detail (price ranges, mileage) is on each model's price page: Chevrolet Colorado prices · GMC Sierra prices.

Used price by model year

YearChevrolet Colorado typicalGMC Sierra typicalDifferenceChevrolet Colorado MPGGMC Sierra MPG
2026 $42,183 $57,335 GMC Sierra +$15,152 16–21 MPG
2025 $40,196 $49,753 GMC Sierra +$9,557 16–20 MPG
2024 $37,399 $47,669 GMC Sierra +$10,270 16–22 MPG
2023 $34,227 $45,994 GMC Sierra +$11,767 16–22 MPG
2022 $23,998 $42,161 GMC Sierra +$18,163 17–23 MPG
2021 $25,787 $36,850 GMC Sierra +$11,063 17–23 MPG
2020 $22,900 $35,549 GMC Sierra +$12,649 17–23 MPG
2019 $22,087 $31,757 GMC Sierra +$9,670 15–23 MPG
2018 $20,985 $27,985 GMC Sierra +$7,000 15–25 MPG
2017 $18,815 $24,517 GMC Sierra +$5,702 15–25 MPG
2016 $17,001 $22,995 GMC Sierra +$5,994 16–25 MPG
2015 $15,987 $20,999 GMC Sierra +$5,012 16–22 MPG
2012 $11,998 $14,444 GMC Sierra +$2,446 16–21 MPG
2011 $10,495 $13,995 GMC Sierra +$3,500 16–21 MPG
2010 $10,473 $11,995 GMC Sierra +$1,522 16–21 MPG
2009 $8,850 $10,494 GMC Sierra +$1,644 16–20 MPG
2008 $8,497 $11,500 GMC Sierra +$3,003 15–20 MPG
2007 $7,995 $11,399 GMC Sierra +$3,404 15–20 MPG
2006 $7,750 $10,995 GMC Sierra +$3,245 17–21 MPG
2005 $8,114 $12,104 GMC Sierra +$3,990 17–21 MPG
2004 $6,950 $12,748 GMC Sierra +$5,798 17–21 MPG

Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (August 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Sierra?

Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Colorado is cheaper: it typically lists for $40,196 versus $49,753 for the GMC Sierra (national medians, August 2026).

Which is safer — Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Sierra?

By NCAP overall crash-test rating the GMC Sierra averages 4.8 of 5 stars across rated years versus 4.0 for the Chevrolet Colorado. Always check the specific model year's rating in the table above.

Which is more reliable — Chevrolet Colorado or GMC Sierra?

NHTSA lists an average of 2.4 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Colorado and 3.8 for the GMC Sierra — an edge for the Chevrolet Colorado. Recall and complaint counts scale with sales volume, so treat them as context and check any specific car's VIN history.

Which trims should I actually compare?

Like for like: at the cheapest common trims, a Chevrolet Colorado WORK TRUCK typically lists for $30,888 vs $35,987 for a GMC Sierra FLEET/BASE; the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS ($38,456, 26.2% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the SLT ($45,000, 24.7% of GMC Sierra listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($45,997) faces the DENALI ULTIMATE ($64,808). Overall medians hide this trim mix — use the trim tables above for a fair match. Trim names never map one-to-one across brands, so "cheapest" means the least expensive trim with a real market share, not the factory base.

About this data: prices and availability are national aggregates of live VehiSales inventory (August 2026), refreshed daily. Fuel economy: U.S. EPA/DOE (fueleconomy.gov). Safety & recalls: NHTSA. How to cite: “VehiSales Research, Chevrolet Colorado vs GMC Sierra” with a link to https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/colorado/vs/gmc/sierra.

Dig deeper

See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.

© 2026 VehiSales · Data from live US vehicle listings · Methodology · Editorial policy · About · Press: cite as “VehiSales Used Car Price Index” with a link to this page.