Chevrolet‘s Colorado ZR2 is already a hugely capable off-road truck. But for buyers who want to be prepared for every eventuality, including dealing with the after effects of a 4,000-mile-wide asteroid colliding with the earth, the Bison is back.
You might be familiar with the Bison package from its appearance in the previous-generation ZR2 lineup and the current Silverado. But while the idea is the same this time around, it’s even more adept in the wilderness thanks to a carefully curated selection of hardcore off-road parts that build on the already solid ZR2 base. Chevy goes so far as to claim that it’s the most capable off-road midsize truck out there.
The key upgrades over the ZR2 include Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers that augment the Multimatic dampers already fitted to the ZR2 package and cushion hard landings, and an increase from 33- to 35-inch tires. Those Mud/Terrain boots are the biggest fitted to any midsize truck and are wrapped around 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), who also supplies the fender flares and bumpers, the front one sturdy enough for winching duties.
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There are five boron steel skid plates protecting the trucks underside, versus three aluminium plates in the stock Colorado ZR2, the Bison’s also covering the fuel tank and rear diff for maximum coverage on the toughest trails. But with 12.2 inches (310 mm) of ground clearance (1.5-inches / 38 mm) more than in the ZR2, and approach, breakover and departure angles in the order of 38.2, 26.9 and 26.0 degrees, you might not need that protection. That approach angle is slightly inferior to the ZR2’s due to the AEV bumper but the other metrics are better in the Bison.
Three things that are worse in the Bison are the 5,265-lb (2,388 kg) curb weight, which has grown by 325 lb (147 kg), the price (still TBA, but bound to be significantly higher) and the space available in the bed. That last one is down to the spare wheel outgrowing its usual underfloor position and having to be relocated above ground. Under the hood, the two ZR2s are identical, both getting the same 2.7-liter turbocharged four making 310 hp (314 PS) and 430 lb-ft (583 Nm) of torque.
