Is the Ford Maverick more reliable than the Chevrolet Colorado?

No. The Colorado leads by a large gap. It draws 8.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Maverick draws 20.8. Both have a good standing, but the Maverick has far more reports of axle shaking, battery drain, and brake trouble.

Which has more recalls, the Maverick or the Colorado?

The Maverick has far more. Federal recall records show 69 recalls across its five model years, against 9 across the Colorado's nine model years. Maverick owner complaints mention recalls covering battery replacement and a rear camera that freezes while backing.

What is the most common Maverick problem?

Power train trouble is the biggest area, with 298 complaints. Front CV axles wear out early and shake the truck under acceleration, often between 40 and 50 mph. Some owners also report sudden loss of drive power at highway speed that a restart usually clears.

What serious problems have Colorado owners reported?

Owners describe sudden transmission failure on brand-new trucks and brake master cylinder failure within days of purchase, where the pedal sinks to the floor. Both carry crash risk. Pulsing headlights when heated seats are on is a more common, lower-risk complaint.

Which Colorado and Maverick years should I avoid?

Avoid Colorado model years 2023 and 2018, its weakest. For the Maverick, avoid 2022 and 2023. The newest years of both trucks have had less time to collect complaints, so a short complaint list there is not proof they are better.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Colorado

Good

Ford Maverick

Good

Between the Ford Maverick and the Chevrolet Colorado, the Colorado is clearly more reliable. Owners filed 8.8 complaints per 10,000 Colorados sold, against 20.8 for the Maverick. The Maverick also has far more recalls, and its owners report repeat axle, battery, and brake trouble.

How Do the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Maverick Generations Compare?

Most used Colorados you will see come from the second generation (RG), which ran from the 2015 model year through 2022 and received a facelift in 2021. The third generation arrived with the 2023 model year, and that year ranks among the Colorado's weakest. The 2018 year is also weak, so the second-generation years between 2018 and 2023 are the practical range to compare. The newest Colorados have had little time to collect complaints, so a short list there does not prove they are better.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Colorado is more reliable than the Ford Maverick, scoring 79/100 vs 68/100.

Reliability favors the Colorado by a wide margin. Owners filed 8.8 complaints per 10,000 sold, against 20.8 for the Maverick. Federal recall records show 9 recalls across nine Colorado model years and 69 across five Maverick model years. Both trucks hold a good standing, so neither is a poor buy. The Maverick simply collects far more complaints about repeat problems, such as failing front axles, a draining 12-volt battery, and hybrid brakes that lurch at low speed.

Key Differences

1Chevrolet Colorado has 60 fewer total recalls
2Chevrolet Colorado has 12.0 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Chevrolet Colorado scores 11 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

3Chevrolet Colorado

—

0Ford Maverick

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint Rate

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Colorado	Ford Maverick
Reliability Score	79/100	68/100
Years Tracked	9	5
Total Recalls	9	69
Complaints per 10k Sold	8.8	20.8
Year Wins	5	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Maverick?

Repeat faults define the Maverick, while the Colorado's worst reports are rarer but severe. Maverick front CV axles shake the truck under acceleration, and some replacements fail again. Owners also report sudden loss of drive power at highway speed, a battery that drains while parked, and brakes that grab below about 6 mph. The Maverick's engine area has a crash-linked complaint, which the Colorado's engine area lacks. Colorado owners describe sudden transmission failure on new trucks, master cylinder failure, and headlights that pulse when heated seats run. Its power train area has crash-linked complaints, while the Maverick's does not.

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Colorado	Ford Maverick
POWER TRAIN	2.3Low	5.9Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	4.5Average
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	2.3Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	1.7Low
ENGINE	0.5Very Low	1.6Low
STEERING	1Very Low	0.5Very Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	0.6Very Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	0.6Very Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.5Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.3Very Low	0.1Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.2Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.2Very Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	—None
SEATS	—None	0.1Very Low
EQUIPMENT	—None	—None
SEAT BELTS	—None	—None

Complaints per 10,000 units sold, aggregated across all tracked model years from NHTSA owner reports.

How Does Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Colorado	Ford Maverick	Edge
2026	88/1000R / 0C	80/1002R / 0C	Chevrolet Colorado
2025	83/1000R / 19C	77/1006R / 31C	Chevrolet Colorado
2024	76/1003R / 82C	71/10014R / 139C	Chevrolet Colorado
2023	73/1003R / 113C	60/10020R / 308C	Chevrolet Colorado
2022	81/1001R / 39C	54/10027R / 572C	Chevrolet Colorado

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado scored 81/100 and the 2024 Ford Maverick scored 71/100 — the strongest shared model years that have been on the road for at least two years, where available.

Who Should Buy the Chevrolet Colorado vs the Ford Maverick?

Pick the Colorado if you want the lower chance of trouble. Its complaint rate is well under half the Maverick's, and its recall count is far smaller. Skip 2023 and 2018, its weakest years, and look at the second-generation trucks between them. Ask whether the master cylinder or transmission has ever been replaced, since those failures hit nearly new trucks. Test drive at night with the heated seats on and watch for dimming headlights. Pick the Maverick only if its compact size and hybrid setup matter more to you than a clean record. Avoid 2022 and 2023, its weakest years. Newer years look cleaner partly because they have had less time to collect complaints, so do not read that as proof of a fix. On a test drive, accelerate between 40 and 50 mph to check for shaking, brake gently at walking pace, and confirm that open recalls, including the battery and rear camera ones, have been completed.

Chevrolet Colorado vs Ford Maverick: Common Questions

Is the Ford Maverick more reliable than the Chevrolet Colorado?: No. The Colorado leads by a large gap. It draws 8.8 owner complaints per 10,000 sold, while the Maverick draws 20.8. Both have a good standing, but the Maverick has far more reports of axle shaking, battery drain, and brake trouble.
Which has more recalls, the Maverick or the Colorado?: The Maverick has far more. Federal recall records show 69 recalls across its five model years, against 9 across the Colorado's nine model years. Maverick owner complaints mention recalls covering battery replacement and a rear camera that freezes while backing.
What is the most common Maverick problem?: Power train trouble is the biggest area, with 298 complaints. Front CV axles wear out early and shake the truck under acceleration, often between 40 and 50 mph. Some owners also report sudden loss of drive power at highway speed that a restart usually clears.
What serious problems have Colorado owners reported?: Owners describe sudden transmission failure on brand-new trucks and brake master cylinder failure within days of purchase, where the pedal sinks to the floor. Both carry crash risk. Pulsing headlights when heated seats are on is a more common, lower-risk complaint.
Which Colorado and Maverick years should I avoid?: Avoid Colorado model years 2023 and 2018, its weakest. For the Maverick, avoid 2022 and 2023. The newest years of both trucks have had less time to collect complaints, so a short complaint list there is not proof they are better.

More Chevrolet Colorado comparisons

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More Ford Maverick comparisons

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How we score the Chevrolet Colorado and Ford Maverick

Scores weight complaint severity at 35%, repair costs at 30%, recall impact at 20%, and the spread of complaints across systems at 15%, with complaint counts adjusted for US sales. Read the full methodology.

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