Chevrolet Colorado vs Ram 1500: Which Used Buy Wins?
As used buys (August 2026), the Chevrolet Colorado typically lists for $40,196 against $42,289 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 $30,888 vs the TRADESMAN at $34,995; 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 ($30,888) faces the Ram 1500 TRADESMAN ($34,995); the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS (26.2% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR (26.7% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($45,997) faces the LIMITED ($54,394). 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 | $30,888 | 14.0% | SLT | $29,495 | 2.8% |
| LT | $34,662 | 17.6% | TRADESMANCheapest | $34,995 | 8.8% |
| WORK TRUCK LT | $35,878 | 2.9% | BIG HORN | $35,200 | 14.0% |
| TRAIL BOSSMost popular | $38,456 | 26.2% | BIG HORN/LONESTARMost popular | $43,248 | 26.7% |
| Z71 | $39,817 | 22.8% | LARAMIE | $43,666 | 24.8% |
| ZR2Priciest | $45,997 | 16.5% | REBEL | $48,393 | 10.4% |
| — | LIMITEDPriciest | $54,394 | 6.4% | ||
| — | RHO | $70,638 | 2.6% | ||
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 · Ram 1500 prices.
Used price by model year
| Year | Chevrolet Colorado typical | Ram 1500 typical | Difference | Chevrolet Colorado MPG | Ram 1500 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $42,183 | $53,539 | Ram 1500 +$11,356 | 16–21 MPG | 12–22 MPG |
| 2025 | $40,196 | $42,289 | Ram 1500 +$2,093 | 16–20 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2024 | $37,399 | $34,420 | Chevrolet Colorado +$2,979 | 16–22 MPG | 12–23 MPG |
| 2023 | $34,227 | $36,804 | Ram 1500 +$2,577 | 16–22 MPG | 12–24 MPG |
| 2022 | $23,998 | $33,959 | Ram 1500 +$9,961 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2021 | $25,787 | $30,598 | Ram 1500 +$4,811 | 17–23 MPG | 12–26 MPG |
| 2020 | $22,900 | $28,648 | Ram 1500 +$5,748 | 17–23 MPG | 17–26 MPG |
| 2019 | $22,087 | $24,910 | Ram 1500 +$2,823 | 15–23 MPG | 17–23 MPG |
| 2018 | $20,985 | $19,999 | Chevrolet Colorado +$986 | 15–25 MPG | 14–23 MPG |
| 2017 | $18,815 | $19,054 | Ram 1500 +$239 | 15–25 MPG | 15–23 MPG |
| 2016 | $17,001 | $17,500 | Ram 1500 +$499 | 16–25 MPG | 15–24 MPG |
| 2015 | $15,987 | $15,995 | Ram 1500 +$8 | 16–22 MPG | 15–24 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 Ram 1500?
Comparing the same model years (2024–2026), the Chevrolet Colorado is cheaper: it typically lists for $40,196 versus $42,289 for the Ram 1500 (national medians, August 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 14.0 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 $30,888 vs $34,995 for a Ram 1500 TRADESMAN; the most common trims on the market are the TRAIL BOSS ($38,456, 26.2% of Chevrolet Colorado listings) and the BIG HORN/LONESTAR ($43,248, 26.7% of Ram 1500 listings); at the top of the market, the ZR2 ($45,997) faces the LIMITED ($54,394). 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.