Is the Toyota Tacoma more reliable than the Chevrolet Colorado?

No. The Colorado comes out ahead by a large gap. Tacoma owners filed 30.1 complaints per 10,000 trucks sold, against 8.8 for the Colorado. The Tacoma also has more recalls and more unscheduled shop visits. Both trucks still rate good overall.

Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Colorado?

The Tacoma. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across its nine model years, against 9 for the Colorado. Many Tacoma owner reports involve the low-pressure fuel pump recall, where owners waited months for parts and some were told to park their trucks.

Which truck costs less to repair each year?

The Tacoma, at an estimated $478 a year against $599 for the Colorado. That is about $605 over five years. The Colorado needs fewer shop visits, though, and fewer of its repairs turn out to be major.

What are the common Tacoma transmission problems?

Owners describe shudder under load, gear hunting with the engine revving between shifts, clanking from the bell housing, and burnt-smelling fluid. Some trucks pop out of 2nd gear when cold. Dealers often cannot duplicate the problem or find a fault code, which makes diagnosis slow.

Are Colorado brakes a concern?

They can be. Owners report master cylinders failing on nearly new trucks, sometimes within days of purchase, with a pedal that sinks and little stopping power. The replacement part has been reported on national backorder. Colorado brakes have 3 crash-linked reports, against 13 for the Tacoma.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma: Reliability Compared

More Reliable

Chevrolet Colorado

Good

Toyota Tacoma

Good

The Chevrolet Colorado beats the Toyota Tacoma on reliability by a wide margin, mainly on complaints per truck sold. Each rates good, though the Tacoma carries 23 recalls to the Colorado's 9. The Tacoma does cost less per year to repair.

How Do the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma Generations Compare?

Two generations cover the Tacoma years in this comparison. The third generation ran from 2016 through 2023 and received a facelift in 2020, so 2018 and 2019, its weakest years, are earlier third-generation trucks. The fourth generation, coded N400, began with the 2024 model year. The Colorado also spans two. Its second generation ran from 2015 through 2022 and was refreshed in 2021. The third generation started with the 2023 model year, and that first year is one of the Colorado's weakest. Newer trucks have had less time to collect complaints, so judge them with care.

Verdict

The Chevrolet Colorado is more reliable than the Toyota Tacoma, scoring 79/100 vs 65/100.

A large gap in owner complaints per truck sold makes the Colorado the more reliable truck. Federal recall records show fewer recalls across the same nine model years, and the Colorado also has fewer unscheduled shop visits and a lower chance that a repair is major. Both trucks still rate good, so the Tacoma is not a bad buy. It simply carries a heavier record of complaints and recalls. The Colorado's one clear cost against it is a higher yearly repair bill.

Key Differences

1Toyota Tacoma costs $121 less per year to repair
2Chevrolet Colorado has 21.3 fewer complaints per 10k sold
3Chevrolet Colorado scores 14 points higher in reliability

Category Scoreboard

5Chevrolet Colorado

—

1Toyota Tacoma

Reliability ScoreTotal RecallsComplaint RateAnnual Repair CostRepair FrequencyMajor Repair RiskSafety Rating

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma: Which Is More Reliable?

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma at-a-glance reliability comparison
Metric	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma
Reliability Score	79/100	65/100
Years Tracked	9	9
Total Recalls	9	23
Complaints per 10k Sold	8.8	30.1
Annual Repair Cost	$599/yr	$478/yr
Repair Frequency	0.2/yr	0.3/yr
Major Repair Risk	13%	17%
Safety RatingNHTSA overall	2026 NHTSA	2026 NHTSA
Frontal
Side
Rollover
Year Wins	9	0

What Are the Common Problems With the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma?

Transmission and brake complaints lead the Tacoma list: shudder under load, gear hunting, clanking, burnt fluid, a pedal that sinks toward the floor, and a low-pressure fuel pump that fails and stalls the truck. Its brakes carry 13 crash-linked reports. Colorado complaints are more varied. Transmissions fail suddenly on brand-new trucks, master cylinders fail within days of purchase, and headlights pulse when the heated seats run. A turn signal that bounces back after a dealer repair also shows up. Colorado brakes have 3 crash-linked reports, far fewer than the Tacoma.

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma common problem areas comparison
Component	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma
POWER TRAIN	2.3Low	5.8Average
SERVICE BRAKES	0.7Very Low	4.6Average
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	1.5Low	2.4Low
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM	0.1Very Low	3Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER	0.9Very Low	1.5Low
STEERING	1Very Low	1.3Low
ENGINE	0.5Very Low	1.7Low
FUEL SYSTEM	—None	1.8Low
AIR BAGS	0.2Very Low	1.2Low
STRUCTURE	0.1Very Low	1.2Low
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL	—None	0.9Very Low
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE	0.3Very Low	0.3Very Low
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	0.2Very Low	—None
VISIBILITY/WIPER	0.1Very Low	0.1Very Low
TIRES	—None	0.2Very Low
SUSPENSION	0.1Very Low	—None
LANE DEPARTURE	0.1Very Low	—None
BACK OVER PREVENTION	—None	0.1Very Low
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.

Which Is Cheaper to Maintain: Chevrolet Colorado or Toyota Tacoma?

Repair bills favor the Tacoma, at an estimated $478 a year against $599 for the Colorado. Over five years, that gap comes to roughly $605. The Colorado makes up some ground elsewhere. It averages 0.2 unscheduled shop visits a year against 0.3 for the Tacoma, and only 13% of its repairs are major, against 17% for the Tacoma. Fewer, smaller repairs partly offset the higher yearly average.

How Does Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma Reliability Compare by Year?

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma year-by-year reliability scores
Year	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Edge
2026	88/1000R / 0C	82/1000R / 0C	Chevrolet Colorado
2025	83/1000R / 19C	70/1004R / 33C	Chevrolet Colorado
2024	76/1003R / 82C	55/1004R / 126C	Chevrolet Colorado
2023	73/1003R / 113C	68/1004R / 42C	Chevrolet Colorado
2022	81/1001R / 39C	67/1003R / 51C	Chevrolet Colorado
2021	78/1001R / 59C	70/1000R / 69C	Chevrolet Colorado
2020	81/1000R / 71C	65/1001R / 81C	Chevrolet Colorado
2019	78/1000R / 139C	55/1004R / 203C	Chevrolet Colorado
2018	75/1001R / 173C	55/1003R / 190C	Chevrolet Colorado

Best years to cross-shop: The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado scored 81/100 and the 2021 Toyota Tacoma scored 70/100 — 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 Toyota Tacoma?

Pick the Colorado if you want the lower chance of trouble overall. It has fewer complaints per truck sold, fewer recalls, and fewer shop visits. Targeting 2025 or 2026 makes sense, but newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so check that the brakes, transmission, and lighting behave normally. Avoid 2023 and 2018, its weakest years. Test drive at night with the heated seats on, and watch for pulsing headlights. Pick the Tacoma if a lower yearly repair bill matters most to you. Its estimated cost is lower, though it needs more shop visits and more of its repairs are major. Avoid 2018 and 2019, its weakest years. On any Tacoma, press the brake pedal firmly at a cold start and check for a soft, sinking feel. Ask whether the fuel pump recall was completed, and look for transmission shudder or hunting between gears on the drive.

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma: Common Questions

Is the Toyota Tacoma more reliable than the Chevrolet Colorado?: No. The Colorado comes out ahead by a large gap. Tacoma owners filed 30.1 complaints per 10,000 trucks sold, against 8.8 for the Colorado. The Tacoma also has more recalls and more unscheduled shop visits. Both trucks still rate good overall.
Which has more recalls, the Tacoma or the Colorado?: The Tacoma. Federal recall records show 23 recalls across its nine model years, against 9 for the Colorado. Many Tacoma owner reports involve the low-pressure fuel pump recall, where owners waited months for parts and some were told to park their trucks.
Which truck costs less to repair each year?: The Tacoma, at an estimated $478 a year against $599 for the Colorado. That is about $605 over five years. The Colorado needs fewer shop visits, though, and fewer of its repairs turn out to be major.
What are the common Tacoma transmission problems?: Owners describe shudder under load, gear hunting with the engine revving between shifts, clanking from the bell housing, and burnt-smelling fluid. Some trucks pop out of 2nd gear when cold. Dealers often cannot duplicate the problem or find a fault code, which makes diagnosis slow.
Are Colorado brakes a concern?: They can be. Owners report master cylinders failing on nearly new trucks, sometimes within days of purchase, with a pedal that sinks and little stopping power. The replacement part has been reported on national backorder. Colorado brakes have 3 crash-linked reports, against 13 for the Tacoma.

More Chevrolet Colorado comparisons

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More Toyota Tacoma comparisons

Toyota Tacoma vs Nissan Frontier reliability Toyota Tacoma vs Honda Ridgeline reliability Toyota Tacoma vs Ford Ranger reliability Toyota Tacoma vs Ford Maverick reliability Toyota Tacoma reliability by year Toyota Tacoma years to avoid

Decided between Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma? Run a VIN check before you buy — uncover hidden accidents, title issues, and open recalls.

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How we score the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma

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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