Consumer Reports Says To Avoid Buying These Used Chevy Models From These Years

Even if you don't treat every word that Consumer Reports (CR) publishes as gospel, it's worth paying attention when the organization says not to purchase a particular vehicle. In a recently published roster of 42 cars to avoid, six Chevys made the list. These aren't clunkers from a decade ago, but newer models, some of which are only a year old. These more recent examples are prime targets for used car shoppers seeking to take advantage of depreciation without bypassing the latest technology.

Without keeping you in suspense any longer, here are the Bow-Tie-brand models CR says to stay away from: 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EV, 2021 Chevrolet Bolt, 2025 Chevrolet Colorado, 2025 Chevrolet Equinox, 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, and 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe. In fairness, Ford also had six entries on the list, but that's another story.

Here's a breakdown of the issues with each model, according to Consumer Reports and others. We'll also point out alternatives that may cause you to second-guess the purchase of one of these Chevys.

On paper, the Blazer EV seems like a good idea. Its midsize status and crossover functionality checked the boxes. And a range of up to 324 miles also added appeal. But CR's thumbs down on the 2024 edition points to the often-held wisdom of avoiding the first year of an all-new model.

Consumer Reports owner surveys show poor reliability scores, with the powertrain and high-voltage battery being particularly troublesome. Meanwhile, build quality and in-car electronics also have red flags. Other sources on quality, like J.D. Power and CarComplaints, don't have much to say about the Blazer EV's first year. That's unsurprising as the company only sold about 23,000 examples in 2024 – a drop in the bucket when Chevrolet sold over 1.7 million total units the same year. However, a review of owner complaints on file with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) shows dozens of criticisms involving the electrical system, powertrain, and technology issues.

If an all-electric crossover is still on your shopping list, there are more dependable options out there. For the 2024 model year, Consumer Reports gives the Nissan Ariya and Ford Mustang Mach-E the top reliability scores (both in the good range).

First appearing in 2017, the Chevrolet Bolt helped bring affordability to the EV segment, beating the Tesla Model 3 to the punch by a year and about $10,000. Yet, the 2021 Bolt stands out, and not in a good way. Among all the Bolt years that CR has evaluated for reliability, this edition is the worst, and it's the only one that falls into the poor range.

Not only was the 2021 model year wrapped up in the infamous recall over fires involving the high-voltage battery, but over half of owner complaints on file with NHTSA relate to the electrical system or powertrain. Consumer Reports' data also shows that the EV battery is at the core of the 2021 Bolt's low reliability ratings. Meanwhile, there are still reports of troubles with in-car electronics.

While choices in the EV market were fewer in 2021, there are other models with high reliability ratings. At the top of the list is the Hyundai Kona Electric. Its good rating is the highest among any electric vehicle evaluated by CR for the 2021 model year. The Nissan Leaf is another option, although reliability drops into average territory. With some careful shopping, you can find examples of used Leafs on dealer lots for under $10,000.

Chevy's reliability woes extend beyond the EV realm, with the Colorado getting attention for all the wrong reasons. The 2023 Chevrolet Colorado marked the debut of the all-new third generation. This midsize truck's dependability scores hovered in the average range for the first couple of years, but things turned ugly for the 2025 model year. CR's reliability rating plunged to a poor level, making the Colorado fifth in dependability among the six trucks evaluated in this category. The Colorado's corporate clone, the GMC Canyon, was sixth, with an identical score. The 2025 Jeep Gladiator also falls into this category but wasn't rated by CR. 

Starting with the 2025 model year, the 310-horsepower version of the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder powerplant became the sole occupant of the engine bay. Yet, this change isn't directly connected to the Colorado's poor showing. The engine only gets cited for minor reliability issues. The problems are connected to the drivetrain. CR points to the 4WD system, the differential, and the transfer case as common trouble areas. There aren't many owner reports submitted to NHTSA about the 2025 Colorado (the truck is only a year old), but several focus on brake issues, which is another system flagged by Consumer Reports.

Based on CR data, more dependable alternatives for the 2025 model year are the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier. Both midsize trucks have above-average reliability scores, with the Tacoma earning the top spot.

The Equinox is another 2025 Chevy model that Consumer Reports dinged for reliability issues. Along with the Silverado pickup, the Equinox was one Chevy's best-selling vehicles in 2025, moving almost 275,000 units. This coincided with the release of the fourth-generation Equinox. Among the 20 compact SUVs analyzed by Consumer Reports (plus three models not tested), the 2025 Equinox (and the 2025 GMC Terrain) ranked dead last. Within the group, this General Motors (GM) pair was the only entry with poor reliability rankings.

Transmission issues mostly account for the negative rating. However, these are what Consumer Reports categorizes as minor problems, often concentrated on shifting issues, sensors, and software. To a lesser extent, drivetrain problems are also a concern, while in-car electronics is a more serious trouble spot. The 2025 Equinox had 150 complaints submitted to NHTSA, with various criticisms involving the transmission. However, issues with the electrical system account for about one third of these reports.

There's no shortage of options in the hypercompetitive compact crossover segment. For the 2025 model year, CR ranks the Ford Escape as the most reliable among more than 2 dozen models. The Kia Sportage slots in just behind, with both these alternatives and several others having good reliability rankings.

The 2021 model year marked the launch of an all-new generation for the Suburban/Tahoe duo. And in case you need a reminder about the headline of this article, you can guess where this is heading. These full-size SUVs (again, including the near-identical GMC Yukon and Yukon XL in the mix) have poor reliability ratings in Consumer Reports' findings.

But let's put the results in perspective. It's a small category, with the Ford Expedition ranking at the top with a below-average dependability score. Although the 2021 editions of the Toyota Sequoia and Nissan Armada are also on the list, CR doesn't have reliability rankings for these Japanese models. There's only data for the Detroit entrants. Consumer Reports gives the Suburban and Tahoe such low dependability ratings due to major issues with the engine and transmission. That's enough to almost overlook the equally poor results for the suspension, steering, fuel system, emissions, and climate controls. A review of NHTSA filings shows that roughly half of all complaints for the 2021 Suburban are connected to the engine or transmission, validating Consumer Reports' efforts. NHTSA says the same about the Tahoe.

There's not a lot of choice in this category, as GM's offerings are ubiquitous. Heck, the Suburban even has its own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. If the 2021 model year is a must, then the higher-rated Expedition is on the table, as are the unrated Sequoia and Armada. Newer Suburbans and Tahoes are possibilities. They have higher CR reliability ratings, but still have below-average reliability scores.