2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD ZR2 First Drive Review: Does It Make Sense?

The Silverado HD's interior is cavernous. In ZR2 form, you have space for three adults at the back and plenty of legroom for each. The two front passengers get heated and ventilated bucket seats with power adjustment. Other upgrades inside are in line with the regular 2024 model, which means a 13.4-inch infotainment screen with Google built-in, a 12.3-inch instrument cluster, a 15-inch head-up display, and the excellent HD Surround Vision camera system.

Where the ZR2 Bison Edition differs is that it gets Jet Black and Graystone leather seats and trim with dark accents, which hide dirt well until you wipe it down. These models also get exclusive additions inside, including the AEV logo embossed on the front headrests and AEV-branded floor liners.

Along with the exterior additions, the Silverado HD ZR2 comes with front upgraded upper and lower control arms, steering knuckles, a bigger steel transfer case, skid plates, a rear e-locker, and Multimatic DSSV Spool-Valve Dampers. The goal is to make it damn near unbreakable and to enable superb off-roading - after towing everything but the kitchen sink to your location.

Like the Colorado ZR2, a lot of the hardware is shared with the race truck, and that includes the frame, suspension, steering, brakes, the DSSV dampers, underbody protection, axles, transfer case, and the gasoline-fueled V8 if optioned.

As far as we can tell, the ZR2 package on the Silverado HD does improve its ride on the road, if those roads are badly kept or California freeways. The cabin is surprisingly quiet despite the all-terrain tires, and the steering does a good job of hiding the fact you've stepped up into a near-8,000-pound truck (if it's the diesel-powered version; gas models have a lower curb weight).

愿景是伟大的从司机的位置,ly with the hard corners making it easy to know how much room you have, which becomes essential when parking, and especially when you're getting ready to tow.

Essentially, the Silverado HD ZR2 will go over almost any terrain the regular Silverado and Colorado ZR2 can cover, but its size is the limiting factor. Its length reduces its rock crawling ability, which - together with its width - also makes narrow trails no-go zones.

Thankfully, we were in the desert, and you have to actively seek out those kinds of areas. For scrabbling up hills or dunes, there is so much torque, and the suspension is so good at keeping the rubber on the ground, that with the diffs locked, the only limitation is the tires - the 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory Mud-Terrain tires are brilliant right up until you need specialized tires.

Ride comfort on dirt road and trails, despite its length, isn't as good as on the Colorado or Silverado, but that comes with the added weight. The Multimatic DSSV dampers take all the pain out of big and high-frequency bumps, though.

We spent a few hours climbing hills, coming back down hills, and picking our way through sharp rock-strewn tracks, and nothing was any problem for the HD ZR2. When it got slippery, we could lock the rear differential, and the engine and suspension could just use brute force to make its way up or through. On the way down particularly steep trails, you can relax a little and let the hill descent control function act as low-speed cruise control.

There must be a business case for the Silverado HD ZR2, but we don't see it for the average off-roader that trailers their gear to the campsite. It's complete overkill for what most people tow, but if you have the money to burn and want an extra toy when you get out in the wild, it's definitely a lot of fun. As a truck dedicated to off-roading, the Colorado is the best of the ZR2 family, and the light-duty Silverado ZR2 has the best balance of pulling power and off-road ability.

The bottom line here is that Chevy has done an amazing job with the ZR2 family of off-road trucks, and the Silverado HD is no exception - it's just not the best off-roader since it's limited by its sheer size. But it is still capable, and it is the best hauler if towing is your main focus.