2026 Chevrolet Colorado vs 2026 Ram 1500
The Ram 1500 wins clearly, 91.3 to 83.1, on space & cargo, fuel & range, performance. The Chevrolet Colorado is ahead on safety.
2026 Chevrolet Colorado
The 2026 Chevrolet Colorado is sold in the U.S. as a gas large pickup truck with 5 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Colorado 2WD, is EP…
2026 Ram 1500
The 2026 Ram 1500 is sold in the U.S. as a hybrid and gas large pickup truck with 10 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the 1500 2WD, is EPA-…
2026 Ram 1500
Clear winThe Ram 1500 wins clearly, 91.3 to 83.1, on space & cargo, fuel & range, performance. The Chevrolet Colorado is ahead on safety.
| Category · weight | 2026 Chevrolet Coloradooverall 83.1 | 2026 Ram 1500overall 91.3 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricenot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Fuel & rangew 3 | 86.1 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
EPA annual fuel cost and combined mpg / MPGe; EV range when both are electric. | |||||||||||||||||
| Safetyw 4 | 83.9 | 76.2 | |||||||||||||||
NHTSA 5-Star rating, WhichTrim Safety Signal (open recalls by severity), owner complaints, standard driver-assist features (from the press kit, or from what the manufacturer filed with NHTSA where there is none). Open park-outside / do-not-drive advisories cost 25 points. | |||||||||||||||||
| Space & cargow 2 | 77.5 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Seats, cargo volume behind the 1st and 2nd rows, rear legroom. | |||||||||||||||||
| Performancew 2 | 82.7 | 100 | |||||||||||||||
Horsepower, torque and horsepower per ton. | |||||||||||||||||
| Tech & comfortnot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Warrantynot compared | No data | No data | |||||||||||||||
| Overall | 83.1 | 91.3 | |||||||||||||||
Trim vs trim · 4 of 7 categories compared
Chevrolet Colorado: base trim WT 4WD · Ram 1500: base trim Tradesman 4X2. Pick a trim in the tool to compare any other trim.
Where the gap is
the biggest differences, from the scorecard's own numbersWhere the 2026 Ram 1500 wins
- It lists 5 standard driver-assist features against 2.
- It carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4.
- It gives rear passengers 44.8 in of legroom against 34.7.
Where the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado answers
- It has drawn fewer owner complaints (18 against 103 filed with NHTSA).
- It has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 97 against 64).
Ranked by how far apart the two score on each measure, so a price gap and a horsepower gap are compared on the same scale. Every figure is on this page.
Specifications side by side
45 specs · manufacturer press kits| Spec | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Base MSRP (excludes destination) | $32,400 | — |
| Engine Basics | ||
| Aspiration | twin turbo | naturally aspirated |
| Cylinder count | 4 | 6 |
| Engine displacement | — | 3,604 cc |
| Engine type (full description) | 2.7L I-4 Turbo DOHC VVT DI with Active Fuel Management and Stop/Start | 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar eTorque |
| Fuel injection system | gdi mpi | Sequential, multiport, electronic, returnless |
| Valve configuration | Dual-overhead camshafts, four-valves per cylinder | DOHC 24-Valve |
| Engine Output | ||
| Horsepower | 237 hp | 305 hp |
| Torque | 259 lb-ft | 271 lb-ft |
| Fuel Economy | ||
| MPG (city) | — | 20 mpg |
| MPG (combined) | — | 22 mpg |
| MPG (highway) | — | 25 mpg |
| Transmission | ||
| Final drive ratio | 3.42 | 3.21, 3.55 |
| Transmission speeds | 8 | 8 |
| Transmission type | automatic | automatic |
| Dimensions Exterior | ||
| Ground clearance | 7.9 in | 8.3 in |
| Overall height | 78.8 in | 77.4 in |
| Overall length | 213 in | 232 in |
| Overall width | 84.4 in | 81.2 in |
| Wheelbase | 131 in | 145 in |
| Seating | ||
| Passenger seating capacity | — | 6 |
| Headroom | ||
| Front headroom | 40.3 in | 40.9 in |
| Third-row headroom | 38.3 in | 39.9 in |
| Legroom | ||
| Front legroom | 45.2 in | 40.9 in |
| Third-row legroom | 34.7 in | 44.8 in |
| Weights | ||
| Curb weight (maximum) | 4,716 lbs | 5,253 lbs |
| Curb weight (minimum) | 4,716 lbs | 4,836 lbs |
| Gross vehicle weight rating | 6,250 lbs | 7,200 lbs |
| Payload capacity | 1,684 lbs | 2,360 lbs |
| Suspension | ||
| Front suspension type | Independent coil-over-shock; twin-tube shocks | Upper and lower A-arms, twin-tube shock absorbers and stabilizer bar |
| Rear suspension type | Solid axle with semi-elliptic two-stage multi-leaf springs; twin-tube shocks | Five-link with track bar, stabilizer bar, twin-tube shock absorbers, solid axle |
| Steering | ||
| Steering type | Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion | Electric power steering |
| Turning radius (curb-to-curb) | — | 46.2 ft |
| Brakes | ||
| Front brake diameter | 340 mm | 378 mm |
| Front brake type | ventilated disc | vented disc |
| Rear brake diameter | 337 mm | 375 mm |
| Rear brake type | solid disc | solid disc |
| Wheels | ||
| Wheel diameter | 17 in | 20 in |
| Wheel material | steel | — |
| Wheel width | 8 in | — |
| Tires | ||
| Tire size | P255/65R17 | 275/55R20 |
| Fuel System | ||
| Fuel tank capacity | 21.3 gal | 26 gal |
| Minimum recommended octane | — | 87 |
| Shoulder Room | ||
| Front shoulder room | 57.4 in | 66 in |
| Third-row shoulder room | 56.1 in | 65.7 in |
Green marks the better value where the direction is unambiguous (more room, more power, lower price). Blank rows are specs the press kit does not publish.
Equipment, feature by feature
43 features · differences first, then sharedSafety8 differ · 8 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Active Lane Management system | — | std |
| Adaptive cruise control | — | std |
| Advanced Safety Group (surround 360-degree camera, Evasive Steer Assist, Intersection Collision Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Drowsy Driver Detection, Hands-free Active Driving Assist) | — | opt |
| Blind-spot Monitoring with trailer coverage and Rear Cross Path detection | — | std |
| ParkSense front/rear park assist with automatic reverse stop | — | std |
| ParkView rear backup camera with dynamic gridlines and center lines | — | std |
| Power-assisted four-wheel discs with Duralife™ long-life brake rotors; standard ABS | std | — |
| Power-assisted four-wheel discs with Duralife™ long-life brake rotors; standard ABS | std | — |
Infotainment3 differ · 3 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Base — six-speaker sound system | — | std |
| Uconnect 12-in. Radio | — | opt |
| Uconnect 8.4 AM/FM/Bluetooth/SiriusXM Radio | — | std |
Seating1 differ · 1 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 8-way power passenger seat | — | opt |
Exterior7 differ · 7 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 17 x 8-in. steel wheels (std. WT) | std | — |
| 4x4 Off-road Group (standard on Warlock and Rebel models) — tow hooks, skid plates, rear electronic locking axle, off-road calibrated shocks, Hill-descent Control, all-terrain tires | — | opt |
| Crew Cab 5-ft. 7-in. box — 144.5-in. wheelbase | — | opt |
| Crew Cab 6-ft. 4-in. box — 153.5-in. wheelbase | — | opt |
| P255/65R17 all-season tires (WT) | std | — |
| Protection Group (4x4 models only) — tow hooks, front suspension skid plate, transfer case skid plate, electronic power steering skid plate, fuel tank skid plate | — | opt |
| Quad Cab 6-ft. 4-in. box — 140.5-in. wheelbase | — | std |
Powertrain16 differ · 16 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.7L I-4 Turbo Base Output: 237 hp / 259 lb-ft (Standard: WT & LT) | std | — |
| 26-gallon fuel tank | — | std |
| 3.0-liter Twin Turbo, Standard Output (SST), eight-speed automatic transmission | — | opt |
| 3.21 axle ratio | — | std |
| 3.55 axle ratio | — | opt |
| 3.6-liter V-6 Pentastar eTorque, eight-speed automatic transmission | — | std |
| 3.92 axle ratio | — | opt |
| 33-gallon fuel tank | — | opt |
| 4x2 | — | std |
| 4x4 | — | opt |
| 5.7-liter HEMI® V-8 eTorque, eight-speed automatic transmission | — | opt |
| Anti-spin differential (electronic locking and anti-spin are mutually exclusive) | — | opt |
| Electronic part-time transfer case | — | std |
| Electronic-locking differential (raised ride height available on all axle ratios; standard ride height available only on 3.92 axle ratio; included with 4x4 Off-road Group) | — | opt |
| Hydra-Matic 8L90 eight-speed automatic transmission | std | — |
| Open differential (std. WT and LT) | std | — |
Chassis2 differ · 2 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Electric power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering | std | — |
| Front suspension: independent coil-over-shock; twin-tube shocks (2WD and 4WD) | std | — |
Cargo6 differ · 6 listed
| Feature | Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 |
|---|---|---|
| Bed Utility Group (upper adjustable tie downs, bed extender, bed step, bed lighting, spray-in bed liner) | — | opt |
| Integrated electronic trailer brake controller (requires Class IV trailer hitch; included with Trailer-tow Group) | — | opt |
| Max Trailering 7,700 lbs. (WT & LT available; Trail Boss & Z71 standard) | opt | — |
| Trailer reverse steering control | — | opt |
| Trailer Technology Package (trailer hitch line-up assist, integrated trailer health monitor, trailer reverse guidance, surround 360-degree trailer camera, tow-specific navigation, digital rearview mirror with tow mode) | — | opt |
| Trailer-tow Group (integrated trailer brake controller, trailer tire-pressure monitoring system, trailer reverse steering control, trailer light check, trailer tow mirror) | — | opt |
Highlighted rows are where the two differ. Wording is the manufacturer's own.
Safety record
NHTSA recalls, complaints, NCAPChevrolet Colorado
Top recalls
- minor Equipment 26V114000 · 5,861 vehicles
Ram 1500
Top recalls
- high Air Bags 26V622000 · 5 vehicles
- high Tires 26V623000 · 16,385 vehicles
- high Seat Belts 26V495000 · 1,271,294 vehicles
- high Electrical System 26V225000 · 65,348 vehicles
- high Exterior Lighting 26V059000 · 456,287 vehicles
- moderate Back Over Prevention 26V560000 · 239,130 vehicles
Ownership
EPA, manufacturer warranty| Chevrolet ColoradoWT 4WD | Ram 1500Tradesman 4X2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $32,400 (base trim) | — (base trim) |
| Price range across trims | $32,400 – $50,700 5 trims | — 14 trims |
| Powertrains | GAS | HEV, GAS |
| EPA configuration compared | Colorado 4WD | 1500 2WD |
| Combined mpg / MPGe | 19 | 22 |
| EPA annual fuel cost | $3,550 | $3,050 |
| EV range | — | — |
| Basic warranty | 3 yr / 36,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Powertrain warranty | 5 yr / 60,000 mi (make terms) | — |
| Roadside assistance | 5 yr | — |
Common questions
Source: EPA, NHTSA and manufacturer press kitsWhich is better, the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado or the 2026 Ram 1500?
The Ram 1500 wins clearly, 91.3 to 83.1, on space & cargo, fuel & range, performance. The Chevrolet Colorado is ahead on safety. On WhichTrim's default weights the 2026 Ram 1500 scores 91.3 and the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado 83.1. The weights are yours to change — move what you care about and the verdict recalculates on the page.
Which has the better safety record, the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado or the 2026 Ram 1500?
2026 Chevrolet Colorado: 4 NHTSA stars, grade A, 1 recall. 2026 Ram 1500: 5 NHTSA stars, grade D, 9 recalls. Crash ratings come from NHTSA's own tests; the grade is WhichTrim's read of the recall record, and the two can disagree.
What are the biggest differences between the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado and the 2026 Ram 1500?
Where the 2026 Ram 1500 wins: it lists 5 standard driver-assist features against 2, carries 5 NHTSA overall stars against 4, and gives rear passengers 44.8 in of legroom against 34.7. Where the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado answers: it has drawn fewer owner complaints (18 against 103 filed with NHTSA) and has the cleaner recall record (Safety Signal 97 against 64).