2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Review - Slow and Steady Rock Crawler

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey
Fast Facts

2019 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Fast Facts

2.8-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder (186 hp @ 3,400 rpm, 369 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm)
Six-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
18 city / 22 highway / 19 combined (EPA Estimated Rating, MPG)
13.3 city, 10.6 highway, 12.1 combined (NRCan Rating, L/100km)
Base Price
$42,900 (U.S) / $47,798 (Canada)
As Tested
$53,245 (U.S.) / $59,363 (Canada)
Prices include $1,095 destination charge in the United States and $2,000 for freight, PDI, and A/C tax in Canada and, because of cross-border equipment differences, can't be directly compared. 2020 Canadian pricing shown.

On paper, a midsize truck with a diesel powertrain and bad-ass off-road gear sounds like a recipe for fun.

And based on our first drive of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison, it is – provided you actually get an opportunity to leave the pavement behind.

On road, however, in an urban environment — well, you get a truck that’s not much fun at all.

The 2.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine is torquey – 369 lb-ft, to go along with 186 horsepower – but that torque doesn’t translate into swift acceleration in this package. A six-speed automatic transmission is the gearbox on offer.

At least the off-road tires don’t screw with ride too much. I noted this on my first drive and it held true later – the Bison’s off-road mission doesn’t make it a chore to drive around the city. It’s pokey but otherwise not a pain.

(Get Chevrolet Colorado pricing here!)

Like I said previously, the Bison’s biggest flaw isn’t its on-road ride. Nor is it off-road capability – I saw on that first drive just how well the Bison could perform, even seven miles deep in the desert. Nah, the flaw here is something that GM needs to fix NOW in all its trucks, from the cheapest Colorado to the most expensive GMC Sierra Denali. It’s the cabin – which is way behind the times.

It’s true that Toyota Tacoma interiors look a bit dated, too, and the Ranger’s interior isn’t exactly awe-inspiring, either, but the Colorado’s cabin feels so far behind the times it might as well be wearing Zoobaz unironically. Chevy asks a lot of dough for this truck, and while that’s in large part because of its off-road specs, one would like nicer switchgear and materials at this price point.

This truck even has an old-fashioned key, fer cripes’ sake (although for some people, that’s not a complaint).

It’s not all bad inside – I appreciate large control knobs, and the infotaiment system isn’t bad in and of itself. The problems here are the small size of the infotainment screen and a lack of overall pizzazz. That makes the interior feel more dated than any one element. It’s not so much that the Colorado lacks the buttons we expect in modern trucks, it’s that Chevy went for a simplistic look but didn’t bother to make it sleek. Simplistic is good, but it’s better with at least a dash of creativity. Chevy just seems to have let function lead the way, without even considering form.

It’s fine for form to follow function, to borrow an old ad tag line, but form can’t just be an afterthought.

Especially in a truck that rings the register furiously. Just to start with the Colorado ZR2 crew-cab short box platform, you’re dropping $42,900. Add $3,500 for the diesel (which does have an exhaust brake), and you’re in the mid $40Ks.

The Bison package adds $5,750, and includes a different grille, off-road bumpers, fog lamps, 17-inch wheels, 31-inch tires, Boron-steel skid plates, embroidered headrests with the AEV logo (American Expedition Vehicles), fender flares, and floor liners.

The suspension has Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve shock absorbers from Multimatic and cast-iron control arms.

Of course, the ZR2 base package also provides off-road goodies such as fully locking front and rear differentials, a trailer brake, all-terrain tires, a towing package, and protection for the rockers. The rear-axle ratio is 3.42:1.

The truck also gets a 2-inch lift, while the front and rear tracks both widen by 3.5 inches. Other standard and available features that have nothing to do with off-roading include Android Auto, Apple CarPlay, satellite radio, in-car Wi-Fi, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, multiple USB ports, and wireless cell-phone charging.

Another way in which the Colorado is a bit behind the times is that it lacks most of the driver-aid tech that’s now common in the industry. Then again, that’s a good thing in the eyes of some customers, who prefer things to be old-school.

Still, this is a $53K truck that doesn’t offer modern tech. That will be a hard sell for some.

Some will appreciate the Colorado for its throwback simplicity. Some will be bothered by its lack of new tech and aging cabin. Others won’t care because of what it can do off-pavement.

That last bit may be the key. For what it can’t do on road, the Bison more than makes up for it on the trail, sleek design be damned.

[Images © 2020 Tim Healey/TTAC]

Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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  • Jeff S Jeff S on Jul 07, 2020

    It sounds like your Dakota has been a faithful reliable truck and 118k miles are low for its age. For towing in Florida the Ranger should do well. The Duramax is for those who really want a diesel and not everyone wants a diesel but it is good to have the option of a diesel.

  • Zipper69 Zipper69 on Jul 08, 2020

    The terrible MPG stats for a mid-size is a sale killer for me

  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
  • ToolGuy North America is already the greatest country on the planet, and I have learned to be careful about what I wish for in terms of making changes. I mean, if Greenland wants to buy JDM vehicles, isn't that for the Danes to decide?
  • ToolGuy Once again my home did not catch on fire and my fire extinguisher(s) stayed in the closet, unused. I guess I threw my money away on fire extinguishers.(And by fire extinguishers I mean nuclear missiles.)
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