Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
Fuel economy
17–23 mpgcombined; city 16–20, highway 18–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,760–$24,390U.S. average; Ohio $13,190–$24,710 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2021 Colorado. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 79 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Colorado. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Engine
18
0
0
0
Service brakes
17
0
0
0
Unknown or other
17
2
0
1
Power train
13
0
0
0
Electrical system
11
0
0
0
Steering
10
0
0
0
Air bags
6
5
1
4
Seat belts
3
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Suspension
3
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
3
0
0
0
Engine and engine cooling
2
0
0
0
8 more parts
Equipment
2
0
0
0
Exterior lighting
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, diesel
1
0
0
0
Fuel system, gasoline
1
0
0
0
Fuel/propulsion system
1
0
0
0
Lane departure
1
0
0
0
Structure
1
0
0
0
Vehicle speed control
1
1
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2021 Colorado over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV and 2021 GMC Canyon and Sierra 1500, 2500 and 3500, Yukon, Yukon XL, Cadillac Escalade and Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Blazer, Camaro, Colorado, Equinox, Silverado 1500, 2500 and 3500, Suburban and Tahoe vehicles. Incorrect bolts may have been used at one or more fastening locations to secure the seat belts to the vehicle. If an incorrect bolt was used, the seat belt may not be properly attached to the vehicle.
Risk: If a seat belt assembly is not properly attached to the vehicle, the seat belt may not properly restrain an occupant in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the suspect bolts, free of charge. The recall began January 29, 2021. Owners may contact GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8785, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N202322230.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 748 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2021 Colorado, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: equipment (198), electrical system (144), engine and engine cooling (139), unknown or other (107), power train (98).
NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.
Maintenance
Oil
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2021 Colorado.
See used 2021 Chevrolet Colorados for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small pickup trucks. EPA greenhouse gas score: 3–4 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Colorado Rear-Wheel Drive
2.8 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Diesel
20 / 30 / 23
Colorado Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 25 / 22
Colorado 4-Wheel Drive
2.8 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Diesel
19 / 28 / 22
Colorado Rear-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
18 / 25 / 21
Colorado 4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 6-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 24 / 21
Colorado 4-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
17 / 24 / 19
Colorado ZR2 4-Wheel Drive
2.8 L, 4 cyl, turbo
Automatic 6-spd
Diesel
18 / 22 / 19
Colorado ZR2 4-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 8-spd
Regular Gasoline
16 / 18 / 17
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data