JOHNSON VALLEY, Calif. – “You’ve obtained to be kidding,” I say as I stare on the slender, boulder-strewn gully earlier than me. Really, “boulder” could also be too type for what are in all probability higher described as “jagged-ass rocks.”
Both manner, there may be completely nothing about it that may make me comply with that up by including, “Yeah, completely, ship an vehicle up via that.” And sure, “up,” as a result of this may also be an uphill journey we’re apparently about to embark upon within the new 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. I’m advised by its creators that they took it via far worse in testing, however I’ve far an excessive amount of mechanical sympathy to view this as something however a nasty thought.
“There’s not a horse out there as an alternative? Severely, I might simply stroll up there faster.”
Clearly, I’m not the demographic for rock crawling, and truthfully, this isn’t the sector you instantly consider with regards to a ZR2. It’s a desert-running truck, full with a Baja drive mode, that makes use of its sensational Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers to absorb extra-large impacts and, as a nice facet impact, a soft, Lincoln-like journey on grime and sandy roads. The Bison goes even additional with its Jounce Management Dampers, additionally by Multimatic, which might be greatest described as hydraulic fancy bump stops. They’re the massive blue cylinder issues proven under. Mainly, as an alternative of greeting a inflexible piece of rubber upon exceeding the spring and damper functionality, you get a bonus damper to cushion the blow even additional.
The end result? You realize “Dukes of Hazzard?” Yeah, Bo and Luke would’ve cherished to have these items. Or, a minimum of, their stunt drivers would’ve.
Alas, whereas I obtained an opportunity to completely admire the ZR2 Bison’s potential to sop up disagreeable desert terrain as if I used to be merely driving someplace “paved” in Michigan, I didn’t get an opportunity to launch the ZR2 Bison over a gorge. Pity, that appears extra enjoyable than slowly smashing its underneath bits onto jagged hunks of stone.
That mentioned, the Bison remains to be higher geared up for that than the common ZR2. It was created in partnership with American Expedition Autos, or AEV, whose bison emblem impressed the truck’s title (Chevy additionally made an enormous rig referred to as the Bison again within the ‘70s). They supply the heavy-duty, winch-capable entrance metal bumper, together with the metal rear bumper and not-steel-but-still-burlier fender flares. The skid plates and big rocker protectors are GM items, however they’re product of boron metal (which simply sounds spectacular, proper?) and I can attest that they work. There was completely no likelihood they might’ve averted a thwack or two via this gauntlet.
Consider me, I attempted. I even requested, “Couldn’t we simply transfer that jagged rock? Severely, I might simply soar out, kick it over, no downside.” The spotters checked out me like I used to be Scott Evil asking his father if he might simply get the gun in his bed room to take out Austin Powers. “You simply don’t get it, do you James?” I imagined them saying, when in truth they only stored giving me hand indicators.
And so, with the Bison’s power-locking entrance and rear differentials engaged together with 4Lo and Terrain mode, I eased onto the throttle and allowed the big, segment-exclusive 35-inch mud-terrain tires to do their job. They’re so large, the matching spare gained’t slot in its normal residence underneath the mattress – it resides on a particular mount in the mattress wanting cool as hell however nearly fully eliminating rear visibility. GM’s digital camera mirror needs to be commonplace. A number of different cameras are, although, together with the infinitely helpful ahead digital camera for these occasions when a spotter isn’t out there or he simply doesn’t need to get out of the rattling truck once more.
I do have a spotter, and he guides me over the boulder of doom. The fats, grippy rear tire plunges down onto the bottom under, however somewhat than feeling the comfortable, soft welcome offered by Multimatic, I as an alternative get the painful thwack of the rear quarter panel’s plastic protecting trim smashing down upon rock. It appears to be like to be the identical piece discovered on each Colorado, and it’s sturdy. There was solely a scuff (pictured above) a lot as there was on each truck in our little herd of Bison that went via, as no line or driver was going to flee harm via there. These fats rocker guards did a literal bang-up job, too, as you possibly can see within the video under when my drive accomplice did a lap.
Whole floor clearance is 12.2 inches, versus 10.7 of the usual ZR2, and due to this fact higher than the Gladiator and every thing else within the midsize truck section. The method angle is definitely 0.4 levels worse (oh no!), however the departure angle improves by almost a full diploma to 26 levels. Little question eradicating the spare tire helped there.
Energy comes from the two.7-liter Excessive-Output inline-four cylinder that sends 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet via a sensible eight-speed automated. It’s positively not sluggish, however the huge knobby tires do make it really feel prefer it’s making an attempt to inspire, properly, a number of hundred kilos of additional unsprung mass. It may possibly behave like a match individual going for a jog in work boots. And talking of weight, the 5,265-pound Bison positive aspects 325 kilos over the ZR2. That’s hefty for one thing dubbed “midsize.”
Towing and hauling functionality is down by a pair hundred kilos on each fronts versus the ZR2. Max trailering registers at 5,500 kilos and payload sits at 1,050 kilos, which is roughly the burden of 1 feminine precise bison. After all, the 5-foot-2 mattress and big spare tire will make hauling one troublesome.
By way of aesthetics, in addition to the AEV bumpers and physique safety, the Bison will get the “Flowtie” entrance Chevy badge and Bison badges. The inside provides all-weather flooring mats and AEV headrest logos, however is in any other case the identical because the ZR2, which options a couple of softer supplies on the sprint and elsewhere as in different upper-trim Colorados.
Pricing was not out there on the time of this writing, however let’s assume that it is going to be akin to the $8,440 bundle price ticket of the Silverado ZR2 Bison. Assuming a slight bump on the ZR2 base value for 2024, it appears honest to imagine a place to begin of round $58,000 after vacation spot. Throw on the Know-how and Comfort packages of our check truck, and also you’re doubtless taking a look at a shade over $60,000.
If our estimates are appropriate, that’s clearly terribly costly for a midsize pickup. However if you’re speaking about hardcore off-road automobiles, it’s actually not. The four-door Ford Bronco Wildtrak or Badlands with Sasquatch bundle are proper round $60,000, ditto the brand new, hardcorer Jeep Wrangler Rubicon X. A Jeep Gladiator Mojave might be the closest pickup basically idea and begins at round $50,000, however the gear doesn’t line up, together with the supply of 35-inch tires. Not one of the above supply the wizardry of the Multimatic dampers.
In case you’re questioning, the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison begins at $80,730. Even when my checking account was grand sufficient to not discover the distinction between the 2, I’d nonetheless get the Colorado. A back-to-back drive of the usual Colorado ZR2 and Silverado ZR2 on a sandy desert course made that selection remarkably easy. I had enjoyable on that course within the Colorado – it was nimble, athletic, and the construction felt tauter over larger impacts. Against this, I merely accomplished the course within the Silverado – sure, it nonetheless has the Multimatic dampers, however there’s no escaping its measurement, even in a comparatively wide-open setting. There’s additionally no manner we might’ve gone via that rock gauntlet in a Silverado, be it mild obligation 1500s or the 2500s HD Bison we additionally drove out within the desert, albeit much less extensively. They’re simply too large.
Actually, then, it comes down as to whether the Bison is value the additional a number of thousand {dollars} over the usual ZR2? It’s unquestionably the extra succesful and cozy off-road truck. It appears to be like cooler and is extra unique. If you happen to get the usual ZR2, somebody will inevitably ask, “Is that the Bison?!?” and your reply will make you unhappy. I feel that in all probability solutions the query.
