​​The Verdict After Spending a Year with the Silverado 1500 ZR2​

Most full-size pickup truck manufacturers offer one or more off-road-focused models with lifted ride heights, more robust suspension components, skid plates, and other off-road hardware. It enables the trucks to get through rough unpaved surfaces with great speed, and as a result, great fun. The Silverado 1500 ZR2 is Chevrolet’s contribution to the genre, and it has proven itself well off the pavement. However, its $70K+ price suggests that for anyone but the 1%, it should not just be a big toy but also handle the weekday and weekend tasks expected of any truck with aplomb as well.  

Motor Trend decided the best way to determine if the ZR2 was up to the task was to live with one for a year and report on the experience. Its year with the 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2 has ended, and Twin Falls Chevrolet gives you the highlights of what the editors had to say.  

Motor Trend states from the outset that the big blue ZR2 was well-loved when it first arrived. But that was to be expected, and the question was how they would feel about it 12 months and 21,000 miles later. In the meantime, the editors hauled things, towed things, took kids to school, played in the dirt, and sat in traffic jams. And because every pickup truck driver likes an opportunity to play hero, they even helped stranded motorists. As they put it, “This truck has touched all the tasks that make pickup ownership such a rewarding endeavor.” 

One gets the impression that one of their favorite aspects of the truck was the 3.0-liter Duramax turbodiesel inline-six that is the standard engine. Its 305 horsepower was more than enough for all their needs, and the 495 lb-ft of torque, which is even greater than that in the optional 6.2-liter V8, fully delivered when towing or crawling over the roughest terrain. The diesel delivered an average of 19.1 mpg for the year. But, they disclose this includes about 3,000 miles of trailer towing, with at least some of that pulling an 8,000-pound trailer that was just within the ZR2’s 8,200 maximum towing capacity. The trailering brought the mileage down to 12.8 mpg. Take out the towing, and the mileage bumps up almost two mpg to 20.8 for the year, which is just two hairs under the EPA-estimated 21 mpg. They figured the overall figure resulted in a cost of 26¢ per mile. Being a diesel, there was also the requirement of diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) that keeps the emissions in check. Across the year, they added $273.28 in DEF. With this figured in, the ZR2 still compares quite well in operating costs compared to its rivals of the recent past: 

• 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 28¢ per mile 
• 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro 36¢ 
• 2022 V-6 Ford F-150 Raptor 40¢ 
• 2021 Ram 1500 TRX 45¢   

Fairly heavy mileage for a year of use also had the truck in for two scheduled maintenance appointments, with the first costing $162.72 and the second $177.90. Fortunately, those costs were to be expected, and unexpected expenses simply did not arise during their year of ownership, at least none that could be attributed to the truck. They did allude to an off-road incident that “cost us thousands in bodywork.” 

It might not have cost them anything if this were a 2025 model, which has steel rock rails as a $1,395 option (which they highly recommend). They also point out that the 2025 ZR2 has the previous premium audio system as standard as well as the superior Google Built-in infotainment operating system, OnStar, and front and rear parking assist, the latter of which is quite welcome on a vehicle of the ZR2’s size. 

Motor Trend’s concluding statement is hard to beat: “The 3.0-liter Duramax-powered Silverado 1500 ZR2 is quite possibly the best all-around off-road-focused half-ton pickup produced to date,” elaborating that the ZR2’s off-road hardware never gets in the way of everything a truck needs to do in its daily use. If the one truck that does everything well sounds appealing to you, take a look at the ZR2 and the entire Silverado 1500 model line at Twin Falls Chevrolet.