2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Debuts As The Brand’s Flagship Off-Road Pickup

Off-road focused pickups are big business and 30% of Silverado sales come from rugged Trail Boss variants.

Given their popularity, Chevrolet is expanding the 2022 Silverado lineup to include an all-new ZR2 trim.

Designed to offer “race-proven off-road performance customers can buy right from the showroom floor,” the Silverado ZR2 is distinguished by a unique grille which features a “flow-tie” emblem as well as integrated lighting units.

Also Read: 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Arrives With Upscale Interior, Super Cruise And Plenty Of Tech

Further below, there’s a unique steel bumper which enables the truck to have an improved approach angle of 31.8 degrees. Since damage is a fact of life when off-roading, the bumper has removable end caps for easier replacement.

Elsewhere, the truck has red recovery hooks and unique skid plates. They’re joined by a black hood insert, ZR2 badging and special 18-inch wheels that are wrapped in 33-inch off-road rubber. Furthermore, the dual exhaust terminates before the rear bumper to minimize any potential damage from venturing off the beaten path.

Moving into the cabin, drivers will find unique Jet Black and Graystone leather upholstery. They’re complimented by dark silver trim that appears to have a carbon effect. Furthermore, like the standard model, the truck has a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a 13.4-inch infotainment system.

Of course, the truck isn’t all show as the ZR2 benefits from a number of functional upgrades. Key among them is a unique suspension that features special springs, additional travel and Multimatic 40mm DSSV spool-valve dampers. The latter are being used on the Silverado for the first time and they boast three connected chambers for fluid flow as well as three separate spool valves.

Other highlights include off-road specific chassis calibrations as well as front and rear e-lockers. The model also has 11.2 inches (284 mm) of ground clearance and a Terrain Mode that allows for one-pedal rock crawling.

Power is provided exclusively by a 6.2-liter V8 that produces 420 hp (313 kW / 426 PS) and 460 lb-ft (624 Nm) of torque. Needless to say, that’s significantly less than the 450 hp (335 kW / 456 PS) Ford F-150 Raptor and 702 hp (523 kW / 712 PS) Ram 1500 TRX.

When asked about the obvious power gap, Chevrolet officials said the Silverado ZR2 is in a class of its own and noted off-road performance isn’t just about having huge amounts of horsepower. Instead, it’s about how well the trucks various components and features work together.

While there’s plenty of truth in that, it appears the ZR2 won’t directly challenge the big boys from Ford and Stellantis. That might disappoint some fans, but hopefully the model will be a bit more affordable than the Raptor and TRX.