Chevrolet Colorado vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (July 2026), the Chevrolet Colorado typically lists for $40,988 against $43,784 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 $30,362 vs the SLT at $29,900; 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 ($30,362) faces the Ram 1500 SLT ($29,900); the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS (24.7% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the LARAMIE (25.4% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($46,971) faces the LIMITED ($53,864). 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 | $30,362 | 15.0% | SLTCheapest | $29,900 | 3.5% |
| LT | $34,990 | 18.0% | TRADESMAN | $34,097 | 8.1% |
| WORK TRUCK LT | $36,997 | 2.6% | BIG HORN | $36,036 | 15.5% |
| TRAIL BOSSMost popular | $38,848 | 24.7% | BIG HORN/LONESTAR | $43,146 | 24.6% |
| Z71 | $39,926 | 22.6% | LARAMIEMost popular | $44,100 | 25.4% |
| ZR2Priciest | $46,971 | 17.0% | REBEL | $49,385 | 10.2% |
| — | LIMITEDPriciest | $53,864 | 6.3% | ||
| — | RHO | $72,486 | 2.1% | ||
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 | $42,026 | $54,768 | Ram 1500 +$12,742 | 16–21 MPG | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,988 | $43,784 | Ram 1500 +$2,796 | 16–20 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $38,446 | $34,980 | Chevrolet Colorado +$3,466 | 16–22 MPG | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $34,699 | $37,687 | Ram 1500 +$2,988 | 16–22 MPG | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $25,928 | $34,578 | Ram 1500 +$8,650 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $25,323 | $31,606 | Ram 1500 +$6,283 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,990 | $29,004 | Ram 1500 +$6,014 | 17–23 MPG | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $22,088 | $25,235 | Ram 1500 +$3,147 | 15–23 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $21,177 | $20,869 | Chevrolet Colorado +$308 | 15–25 MPG | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $18,995 | $19,795 | Ram 1500 +$800 | 15–25 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,216 | $17,995 | Ram 1500 +$779 | 16–25 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $15,900 | $15,995 | Ram 1500 +$95 | 16–22 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
Typical price = national median asking price of live listings for that model year (July 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 $40,988 versus $43,784 for the Ram 1500 (national medians, July 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 13.4 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 $30,362 vs $29,900 for a Ram 1500 SLT; the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS ($38,848, 24.7% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the LARAMIE ($44,100, 25.4% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($46,971) faces the LIMITED ($53,864). 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.