Chevrolet Colorado vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (October 2026), the Chevrolet Colorado typically lists for $39,463 against $41,329 for the Ram 1500 (same model years — 2024–2026 — national medians from live listings). the Ram 1500 leads on NCAP safety (4.4★ vs 4.0★ average). Overall medians mix very different trims — at the cheapest common trims it's the WORK TRUCK at $30,335 vs the BIG HORN at $34,261; see the trim-by-trim tables for a fair match. Every figure below is live market data, not book values.
Head to head
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 ($30,335) faces the Ram 1500 BIG HORN ($34,261); the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS (25.4% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR (27.9% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($44,995) faces the LIMITED ($52,990). 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 | Ram 1500 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trim | Typical price | Share | Trim | Typical price | Share |
| WORK TRUCKCheapest | $30,335 | 15.1% | SLT | $29,398 | 2.6% |
| LT | $34,949 | 18.0% | BIG HORNCheapest | $34,261 | 13.6% |
| WORK TRUCK LT | $35,995 | 3.1% | TRADESMAN | $35,000 | 9.3% |
| TRAIL BOSSMost popular | $37,911 | 25.4% | LARAMIE | $43,453 | 25.1% |
| Z71 | $39,839 | 23.4% | BIG HORN/LONESTARMost popular | $43,995 | 27.9% |
| ZR2Priciest | $44,995 | 15.0% | REBEL | $46,995 | 9.3% |
| — | LIMITEDPriciest | $52,990 | 5.9% | ||
| — | RHO | $70,129 | 2.5% | ||
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 · Ram 1500 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Colorado typical | Ram 1500 typical | Difference | Chevrolet Colorado MPG | Ram 1500 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $41,677 | $50,803 | Ram 1500 +$9,126 | 16–21 MPG | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $39,463 | $41,329 | Ram 1500 +$1,866 | 16–20 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $36,999 | $33,991 | Chevrolet Colorado +$3,008 | 16–22 MPG | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $33,713 | $35,584 | Ram 1500 +$1,871 | 16–22 MPG | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $23,999 | $32,885 | Ram 1500 +$8,886 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $24,998 | $29,998 | Ram 1500 +$5,000 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,494 | $27,739 | Ram 1500 +$5,245 | 17–23 MPG | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $21,248 | $23,995 | Ram 1500 +$2,747 | 15–23 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $20,250 | $19,899 | Chevrolet Colorado +$351 | 15–25 MPG | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $18,373 | $18,988 | Ram 1500 +$615 | 15–25 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,120 | $17,263 | Ram 1500 +$143 | 16–25 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $15,980 | $15,594 | Chevrolet Colorado +$386 | 16–22 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (October 2026); MPG = EPA combined range across rated versions.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper to buy used — Chevrolet Colorado or Ram 1500?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Colorado is cheaper: it typically lists for $39,463 versus $41,329 for the Ram 1500 (national medians, October 2026).
Which is safer — Chevrolet Colorado or Ram 1500?
By NCAP overall crash-test rating the Ram 1500 averages 4.4 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 Ram 1500?
NHTSA lists an average of 2.4 recalls per model year for the Chevrolet Colorado and 14.2 for the Ram 1500 — 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 $30,335 vs $34,261 for a Ram 1500 BIG HORN; the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS ($37,911, 25.4% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR ($43,995, 27.9% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($44,995) faces the LIMITED ($52,990). 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.
https://vehisales.com/research/compare/chevrolet/colorado/vs/ram/1500.
Dig deeper
Chevrolet Colorado — live listings & specs Ram 1500 — live listings & specs Chevrolet Colorado prices by year Ram 1500 prices by year Chevrolet Colorado MPG by year Ram 1500 MPG by year
See also: All model comparisons · Best used cars by budget · Used car prices by model.