Specimens of Coendou vossi can be found from the humid and dry forests of the inter-Andean valley of the Magdalena and the Caribbean.

[1] It inhabits dry areas of the departments of Caldas, Cesar, Cundinamarca, Santander, Sucre and Tolima.

Unlike C. quichua and C. rothschildi to which it is closely related, C. vossi is smaller, measuring between 26 and 33 cm.

The barbs of C. vossi are bicoloured or tricoloured, being lighter at the base, measuring 27 to 55 mm.

[2] The back has a sparse dark brown coat, darker than the other species with which it has been confused in the past.