Off-road specialist trucks are the biggest trend in the automotive industry. And they’re getting bigger. Literally.
For 2024, Chevrolet will extend its ZR2 off-roading lineup to the biggest truck class with the 2024 Silverado HD ZR2 and Silverado HD ZR2 Bison.
Chevy already builds a midsize Colorado ZR2 and a full-size Silverado ZR2. So the heavy-duty ZR2 means buyers have an off-road option at every size – at least until Chevrolet builds a compact truck to compete with the Ford Maverick.
Chevrolet didn’t disclose pricing. In a press conference, a spokesperson said the price will be “aspirational but attainable.” The Silverado HD High Country starts at $82,385, and we assume aspirational but attainable means something close to $90K.
Gas or Diesel, Hauling or Towing
The HD ZR2 will come only in a crew cab configuration. The standard engine is a 6.6-liter V8 putting out 401 horsepower. That one is the hauling champion, with a payload rating of 3,397 pounds. That beats the other engine by about 200 pounds.
That other engine?
A Chevrolet spokesperson told us the company expects seven out of 10 buyers to step up to a 6.6-liter turbodiesel V8 making 470 horsepower and a remarkable 975 lb-ft of torque. It out-tows its gas-powered mate with an 18,500-pound towing capacity — 2,500 pounds more than the gas model.
Multimatic Dampers, Nearly a Foot of Ground Clearance
But few people buy a ZR2 to pull a trailer. Off-road models are mostly about tires and suspension.
The ZR2 rides on 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. A 1.5-inch lift kit added to the standard Silverado HD and Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers do the work on the bumpy stuff. Ground clearance is a healthy 11.6 inches — why they didn’t push it to an even foot, we don’t know.
The ZR2 has an approach angle of 32.5 degrees, a 25.7-degree departure angle, and 21.2 degrees of breakover. Those are remarkably agile numbers for such a big machine.
To set it apart visually, the HD ZR2 gets a black grille and bowtie emblem, red tow hooks, and plenty of ZR2 badges. Inside, standard leather upholstery comes in Jet Black and Graystone. A 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch touchscreen are standard. An optional 15-inch head-up display keeps you from looking down at them and includes a tool that measures incline.
All told, it’s beastly. But it’s not the baddest beast in Chevy’s heavy-duty lineup.
Bison Model Adds Skid Plates, AEV Bumpers
That title goes to the upgraded Silverado HD ZR2 Bison. A collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles, the Bison adds a steel front bumper designed for a winch (though the winch isn’t standard). The reshaped bumpers rob you of a bit of flexibility over obstacles. They trim the approach angle to 29.8 and the departure angle to 22.6.
Steel skid plates protect the transfer case, exhaust, and steering system.
AEV boosted ground clearance to 11.8 inches. Come on, guys. You’re so close.
