Chevy Announces the 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison

by Chris Teague

Published: May 31st, 2023

chevy announces the 2024 colorado zr2 bison

Chevy recently overhauled the Colorado pickup, and we’re now learning more about its hardcore off-road trim. The 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison sports multiple skidplates, massive 35-inch tires, beefy off-road suspension, and goodies from American Expedition Vehicles (AEV).

AEV provided the winch-ready front bumper, 17-inch wheels, rear bumper, and bed-mounted spare tire carrier. Underneath, Chevy installed five skid plates to protect the transmission, differential, and other components. Multimatic DSSV dampers and front/rear locking differentials are also standard.

The suspension provides 12.2 inches of ground clearance, which is 1.5 inches more than the standard ZR2. Despite having way more off-road capability, the truck gained more than 300 pounds with the added equipment.

Under the hood, the Bison gets a turbocharged 2,7-liter four-cylinder engine with 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque – the same output that the larger Silverado 1500 sees from the engine. An eight-speed automatic transmission sends power to all four wheels. There’s also standard four-wheel drive and a two-speed transfer case, and the driver can select exclusive drive modes.

The truck comes with most of the goodies included, but buyers can upgrade with a sunroof and more luxurious interior finishes. We don’t have pricing for the ZR2 Bison but expect it to start in the high-$40,000 range when it debuts.

[Image: Chevrolet]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

More by Chris Teague

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23 comments

SCE to AUX on May 31, 2023

"We don’t have pricing for the ZR2 Bison but expect it to start in the high-$40,000 range when it debuts."

That seems like a pretty good deal in today's market.

Like Reply
- See 9 previous
- Lou_BC on May 31, 2023
  
  "high-$40,000 range when it debuts"
  That's very inaccurate and lazy.
  The new Colorado is set to increase in price quite markedly over the last Gen truck. Chevy USA web site lists the starting price as: ZR2: $58,420. The 2022 ZR2 started at $40,842.
  
  MPG sucks at 16 mpg city and 16 mpg highway. With a 21 gallon US tank, it's range is very poor. I feel that they made a big mistake killing the diesel as an option. It's a great option for anything other than high speed sand running.
  
  3
- SCE to AUX on May 31, 2023
  
  @Lou_BC: that price seemed too good to be true.
  
  Like
- MrIcky on May 31, 2023
  
  That price is optimistic. The ZR2 starts at 48295. No way this starts for under 53k. Seems a reasonable deal against competitors though even at that price.
  
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- Alan on May 31, 2023
  
  @Lou, Does Chev have this Bison as a single model? Some manufacturers here have these off road vehicles using their model range. You can buy a Nissan Warrior for example across most of the model range. This determines the end price.
  
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- Jeff S on May 31, 2023
  
  Lou_BC--I believe there were not enough sales for GM to offer the diesel in the Colorado/Canyon and I also believe that GM wanted to simplify its engine choice by offering the 2.7 turbo with different ranges in horsepower and torque. The 2.7 allows gm to game the CAFE standards. Diesels are not as popular in the US unless its in a heavy duty truck but the diesel you have in your Colorado is a very good one and every You Tube and written review I have seen and read on it rates it very high. Also I believe GM offered the diesel in the Colorado/Canyon with the plan of it being short term. I am glad you finally found your diesel Colorado.
  
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- Lou_BC on May 31, 2023
  
  @SCE to AUX - my apologies. I re-read my comment and have to point out that "inaccurate and lazy" it wasn't directed at you.
  @Jeff S - take rate on diesel is probably 15%. Most presstitutes would complain that the diesel wasn't " sporty" enough. Testers that were more thorough pointed out that the diesel was the better option for everything except high speed sand running.
  My diesel performed much better in slow technical off-road than the V6. I've wheeled with a V6 ZR2.
  @Alan - Bison is a higher end option for the ZR2 package. It isn't worth the additional cost.
  
  Like
- SCE to AUX on May 31, 2023
  
  @Lou_BC: I understood your meaning, but thanks for checking.
  
  Like
- 28-Cars-Later on Jun 01, 2023
  
  @Lou
  
  Based on your comment, I am struggling to understand why this exists.
  
  1
- Lou_BC on Jun 01, 2023
  
  @28 Cars - "why this exists?"
  Phallic symbolism?
  "My truck has bigger tires and more performance than your truck!"
  You'd think that most of the USA and Canada is desert and rock.
  I rarely ever see a "performance" off-road truck or SUV in their supposed habitat.
  The only place locally I can play in deep sand is when we've had months of dry weather and I can get into river sand flats.
  
  Like
- MrIcky on Jun 02, 2023
  
  @Lou I live in Idaho. I'm 2-3 hours away from the Nevada and Utah border. It's basically desert and rock for 1000 miles south and trees and mountains for 1000 miles north. That definitely effects what I see in the way of off road vehicles- and I'm sure I'll see a lot of these.
  
  Like
- Lou_BC on Jun 02, 2023
  
  @Mricky - "You'd think that most of the USA and Canada is desert and rock." My point was that the manufacturers focus on desert pre-runner style trucks and rock crawlers style trucks. I prefer a "well rounded" vehicle.
  
  Like
Alan on May 31, 2023

That's about $74k AUD, seems like a good price for the vehicle of this calibre. I think the Ranger Raptor will start around the $78k mark here. A friend of mine just bought a W580 Amarok for $97k. Nissan have the Navara Warrior which is cheaper, I think it starts in the high $50s. The cheapest is a Chinese iteration of one of these off road tuned vehicles starting in the $40s ($29k USD). But all of the above vehicles are not equal. I would think the Raptor is by far your best bet for an off roader.

Like Reply
- EngineerfromBaja_1990 on May 31, 2023
  
  The price guesstimate is inaccurate as the regular ZR2 starts at $48K.
  And the Bison package added almost $6K to the previous Gen Colorado. This new truck will start in the mid to high $50s so you would be looking at around $85K AUD
  
  Like
MrIcky on May 31, 2023

I remember when Gladiators came out and everyone was shocked at how expensive they were. Now all the off road specials have caught up or passed it financially. I like this truck a lot, but I'd still take my Rubicon over this. I'd take this over the Ranger Raptor or Tacoma TRD though. When I found out the increase in track for the new TRD was just wheel offset-I knew they were just phoning it in. Why spend so much R&D on those stupid seats when you could have r&d'd longer arms or a front locker.

Like Reply
- See 6 previous
- Lou_BC on May 31, 2023
  
  In Canada a Rubicon Gladiator diesel is close to $30K more than the base ZR2 like mine (55k). The new Raptor Ranger will be in the 75k range and so will the Colorado ZR2.
  
  1
- MrIcky on May 31, 2023
  
  I don't know about Canada pricing. I got a new 22 manual Rubicon with some interior upgrades and 35s for $44k. Nothing but respect for the diesel zr2 though. I think the zr2 is probably the most well rounded of the mid-size 4x specials
  
  Like
- Jeff S on Jun 01, 2023
  
  MrIcky--That is rare with the manual but I am glad to see a manual offered in any truck. Saw a video on a dealer in Utah that had bumper to bumper Rubicons that they were discounting. It was a Ben Hardy video. I don't know if that is the situation across the country.
  
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- MrIcky on Jun 01, 2023
  
  I have no idea about Ben Hardy's video- they seem pretty popular on the roads here and a lot show up for jeep events. It would make sense though with all the new competition that they are sitting on lots. The Gladiator is the most compromised of the midsize trucks on an all around basis, and I would only recommend them to people who really do plan to go off road a lot (or want a convertible).
  
  Like
- Jeff S on Jun 01, 2023
  
  Sorry I meant Gladiator which is the Jeep pickup. I believe Ben Hardy said the Rubicons are selling well and he said the Gladiator is the most compromised of the midsize pickups.
  
  Like
- Lou_BC on Jun 02, 2023
  
  I haven't had the chance to wheel with any Gladiator's. I did spend 1/2 a day helping recover an Unlimited Rubicon and a Gladiator Rubicon on 37's. Dude fried his 8k base model Warn winch trying to get free from 3 feet deep wet snow. He was clueless about winching. A Spanish Burton configuration would have saved his winch but he only had one snatch block.
  
  1
- MrIcky on Jun 02, 2023
  
  I am unfamiliar with the term- sounds like a sex move. Luckily for me- I am more familiar freeing others than myself. Lockers and tire pressure have gotten me through most situations. My last 2 trucks have been big and not much fun to wheel and I've motorcycled around instead- before that I had a built dakota and with low air pressure, a hi-lift, a come along, and alot of patience for stacking rocks you could get most places. The new trucks sure make it easier though.
  
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- Lou_BC on Jun 02, 2023
  
  Mricky: LOL.
  I just learned the set up a few years ago. It's a way to set up with 2 snatch blocks that gives you 4 times the pulling power. a 10k winch will be able to pull equivalent to 40k.
  
  Like