Car Defect Radar

Chevrolet Colorado vs Toyota Tacoma: problems, recalls & years to avoid

NHTSA owner complaints and recalls for the Chevrolet Colorado and the Toyota Tacoma, with the 14 model years both have (2010–2025) set side by side. Each model is measured against its own typical year, not against the other model.

Years to avoid and years with the fewest complaints

Chevrolet Colorado

Years to avoid
201520162017
Fewest complaints
201020112012

The typical Chevrolet Colorado year has 84 complaints on file, across 15 model years (2010–2026).

Toyota Tacoma

Years to avoid
201020122016
Fewest complaints
201320202023

The typical Toyota Tacoma year has 136 complaints on file, across 16 model years (2010–2025).

A year is one to avoid when it drew at least 2 times the complaints of its model's typical year (the median across the model's years on this site) and at least 200 complaints, or when its complaints include 5 or more reports of a death. The years with the fewest complaints have no such flag and are from 2023 or earlier: newer years have not been on the road long enough to compare. Each model is measured only against its own years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints, as of October 26, 2026.

The 14 model years both have, side by side

Complaints by model year

Chevrolet Colorado

8.4× its typical year in 2016, its worst year

707 complaints against a typical year of 84.

Years to avoid: 2015, 2016, 2017. Fewest complaints: 2010, 2011, 2012.

Toyota Tacoma

2.4× its typical year in 2016, its worst year

323 complaints against a typical year of 136.

Years to avoid: 2010, 2012, 2016. Fewest complaints: 2013, 2020, 2023.

typical yearavoid zonesolid bar = a year to avoid

Chevrolet Colorado3 years to avoid · typical year 84avoid zone: 200+02004006008002010Chevrolet Colorado 2010: 28 complaints, 0.3× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints28fewest2011Chevrolet Colorado 2011: 42 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints42fewest2012Chevrolet Colorado 2012: 42 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints42fewest2013none2014none2015Chevrolet Colorado 2015: 491 complaints, 5.8× its typical year, a year to avoid491avoid2016Chevrolet Colorado 2016: 707 complaints, 8.4× its typical year, a year to avoid707avoid2017Chevrolet Colorado 2017: 216 complaints, 2.6× its typical year, a year to avoid216avoid2018Chevrolet Colorado 2018: 183 complaints, 2.2× its typical year2019Chevrolet Colorado 2019: 150 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2020Chevrolet Colorado 2020: 84 complaints, 1.0× its typical year2021Chevrolet Colorado 2021: 75 complaints, 0.9× its typical year2022Chevrolet Colorado 2022: 54 complaints, 0.6× its typical year2023Chevrolet Colorado 2023: 134 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2024Chevrolet Colorado 2024: 121 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2025Chevrolet Colorado 2025: 27 complaints, 0.3× its typical year2026Chevrolet Colorado 2026: 14 complaints, 0.2× its typical yearChevrolet Coloradoavoid zone: 200+typical 842026Chevrolet Colorado 2026: 14 complaints, 0.2× its typical year142025Chevrolet Colorado 2025: 27 complaints, 0.3× its typical year272024Chevrolet Colorado 2024: 121 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1212023Chevrolet Colorado 2023: 134 complaints, 1.6× its typical year1342022Chevrolet Colorado 2022: 54 complaints, 0.6× its typical year542021Chevrolet Colorado 2021: 75 complaints, 0.9× its typical year752020Chevrolet Colorado 2020: 84 complaints, 1.0× its typical year842019Chevrolet Colorado 2019: 150 complaints, 1.8× its typical year1502018Chevrolet Colorado 2018: 183 complaints, 2.2× its typical year1832017Chevrolet Colorado 2017: 216 complaints, 2.6× its typical year, a year to avoid216avoid2016Chevrolet Colorado 2016: 707 complaints, 8.4× its typical year, a year to avoid707avoid2015Chevrolet Colorado 2015: 491 complaints, 5.8× its typical year, a year to avoid491avoid2012Chevrolet Colorado 2012: 42 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints42fewest2011Chevrolet Colorado 2011: 42 complaints, 0.5× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints42fewest2010Chevrolet Colorado 2010: 28 complaints, 0.3× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints28fewest
Toyota Tacoma3 years to avoid · typical year 136avoid zone: 273+01002003004002010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year2023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year2025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical year2026noneToyota Tacomaavoid zone: 273+typical 1362025Toyota Tacoma 2025: 96 complaints, 0.7× its typical year962024Toyota Tacoma 2024: 148 complaints, 1.1× its typical year1482023Toyota Tacoma 2023: 54 complaints, 0.4× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints54fewest2022Toyota Tacoma 2022: 58 complaints, 0.4× its typical year582021Toyota Tacoma 2021: 80 complaints, 0.6× its typical year802020Toyota Tacoma 2020: 87 complaints, 0.6× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints87fewest2019Toyota Tacoma 2019: 218 complaints, 1.6× its typical year2182018Toyota Tacoma 2018: 204 complaints, 1.5× its typical year2042017Toyota Tacoma 2017: 239 complaints, 1.8× its typical year2392016Toyota Tacoma 2016: 323 complaints, 2.4× its typical year, a year to avoid323avoid2015Toyota Tacoma 2015: 101 complaints, 0.7× its typical year1012014Toyota Tacoma 2014: 93 complaints, 0.7× its typical year932013Toyota Tacoma 2013: 125 complaints, 0.9× its typical year, one of the years with the fewest complaints125fewest2012Toyota Tacoma 2012: 295 complaints, 2.2× its typical year, a year to avoid295avoid2011Toyota Tacoma 2011: 186 complaints, 1.4× its typical year1862010Toyota Tacoma 2010: 293 complaints, 2.1× its typical year, a year to avoid293avoid
Bars are NHTSA owner complaints per model year. The dashed line is the model's typical year (the median of its years on this site). A year that reaches the hatched avoid zone, twice the typical year and at least 200 complaints, is a year to avoid. The two panels have different scales. Each model is measured only against its own years: the counts are not adjusted for sales, so the chart does not say one model has more problems than the other. Hover a bar for its numbers; every value is also in the table below.
Model yearChevrolet ColoradoToyota Tacoma
ComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur readComplaintsTimes its typical yearRecallsOur read
2025270.3×1Few red flags960.7×5Some concerns to check
20241211.4×3Few red flags1481.1×5Few red flags
20231341.6×3Some concerns to check540.4×4Few red flags
2022540.6×1Few red flags580.4×3Some concerns to check
2021750.9×1Some concerns to check800.6×0Some concerns to check
2020841.0×0Few red flags870.6×1Few red flags
20191501.8×0Some concerns to check2181.6×4Some concerns to check
20181832.2×1Some concerns to check2041.5×3Few red flags
20172162.6×1Approach with caution2391.8×5Some concerns to check
20167078.4×4Approach with caution3232.4×4Approach with caution
20154915.8×7Approach with caution1010.7×4Some concerns to check
2012420.5×2Few red flags2952.2×7Approach with caution
2011420.5×5Few red flags1861.4×9Some concerns to check
2010280.3×2Few red flags2932.1×13Approach with caution

Complaints link to each model year's report. "Times its typical year" sets a year against the same model's typical year. The two models' counts can't be compared directly: they are not adjusted for how many of each were sold.

Most reported problem, by model year

Model yearChevrolet ColoradoToyota Tacoma
2025BrakesBody and structure
2024Electrical systemTransmission and drivetrain
2023Forward collision avoidance systemElectrical system
2022Electrical systemTransmission and drivetrain
2021EngineTransmission and drivetrain
2020Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2019Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2018Transmission and drivetrainFuel system
2017Transmission and drivetrainTransmission and drivetrain
2016SteeringTransmission and drivetrain
2015SteeringBody and structure
2012EngineEngine
2011Electrical systemSuspension
2010Electrical systemSuspension

Top problems of each model

The areas of the car NHTSA owner complaints name most, all model years together. A complaint can name more than one area.

Chevrolet Colorado

Toyota Tacoma

Recalls

NHTSA recall campaigns. A campaign that covers several model years is counted once.

What the data can't show