In order to explore the differences in color value, SPAD value and quality of cured tobacco leaves with different maturity levels, the color parameters, SPAD values, conventional chemical composition and sensory quality in different sections of the tobacco leaves of three ripening levels were studied using the middle and upper tobacco leaves of ‘Yunyan 87’ as materials. The results showed that with the increase of the harvesting maturity of the middle and upper tobacco leaves, the L^*, a^* and b^* values of tobacco leaves gradually increased, the SPAD values gradually decreased, and the uniformity of leaf color deteriorated. The color value and SPAD value of different sections of the same tobacco leaf were different, and the color value of the section near the tip of the leaf was larger and the SPAD value was smaller. The color value of the lower section (C area) of the middle tobacco leaves and the upper section (D area) of the upper tobacco leaves was similar to the overall mean value of the leaves, and the SPAD value of the upper section (D area) of the middle and upper tobacco leaves was similar to the overall mean value of the leaves. From the perspective of the quality of cured tobacco leaves, with the improvement of maturity, the quality of tobacco leaves first increased and then decreased; the middle tobacco leaves were roasted when the yellow-green area of the leaf surface was about 60% and the main vein became white about 1/2, while the upper tobacco leaves were roasted when the yellow-green area of the leaf surface was about 80% and the main vein became white about 2/3, the comprehensive quality of the cured tobacco leaves was relatively good. In addition, the color parameters L^*, a^* and b^* of tobacco leaves were negatively correlated with SPAD values, and the color parameters and SPAD values were significantly or extremely significantly correlated with some conventional chemical composition indexes of tobacco leaves.