Car and Driver finds ZR2 Ready for the Great Unpaved

Car and Driver published their first review of the 2023 Colorado ZR2 last December. Though they had looked at the Colorado line a few times, they were interested in the ZR2 because it is the most off-road-focused Colorado in the model line and serves as the basis for the ZR2 Bison overlanding variant. As such, Car and Driver spent plenty of time off the road to gauge the ZR2’s abilities. This Twin Falls Chevrolet post gives a synopsis of what they reported. 

Naturally, the ZR2 has standard 4-wheel drive, and powering the four wheels is the TurboMax, the most powerful of the Colorado line’s three 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-4 engines. The TurboMax produces 310 horsepower @ 5,600 rpm and 430 lb-ft @ 2,000 rpm. Giving each 17-inch wheel plenty of sidewall are standard 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires. Also standard is the Off-Road Package, which includes: 

• 3-inch factory-installed lift with high-performance suspension
• Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve (DSSV) Multimatic suspension dampers
• Off-road front fascia, rear bumper, and fender flares
• Taller/wider stance

A Baja mode for fast running over unpaved terrain has been added to the Drive Mode selections. It holds gears longer and adjusts throttle control, among other body/drivetrain control calibrations. 

The big tires, wider stance, and 3-inch lift make the ZR2 look every bit the serious off-roader, and Car and Driver praises its ability “…off-road, it scampers up hills and over loose surfaces.” The ZR1’s approach, break-over, and departure angles amount to 29.1 / 19.5 / 22.3 degrees, respectively. The lift to a ground clearance of 10.7 inches, plus adjustments to the front fascia and a spare tire relocation, significantly improve those stats to 38.3 / 24.6 / 25.1. 

They mention that the big tires increase the ZR2’s thirst, with an EPA estimate of 16 mpg across the board. It also reduces the maximum towing capacity to 6,000 pounds from 7,700 pounds rated for the rest of the Colorado line.

Car and Driver has praised the Colorado instrument panel in previous articles, so on their ZR2 focus, they point out that the controls for drive modes and locking the front and rear diffs are easy to find, even as they note that the headlight controls are now located within the touchscreen interface. Noting that the cabin space is obviously tighter than the Silverado, Car and Driver concludes by stating: “For most loads and trails, though, the Colorado ZR2 is all the truck you need.”

If leaving the road behind is one of your favorite pastimes, you need to check out what the Colorado ZR2 is capable of, which you can do at Twin Falls Chevrolet.