The Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison is not being billed as a truck to take on the Raptor. Instead, it’s a formidable off-roader with locking differentials, steel trail armor, and a hefty V8 engine. However, you can also expect to pay a pretty hefty price at your Chevrolet dealer for the Bison. This beefy off-roader starts at $81,240.
Silverado ZR2 Bison Basics
The Silverado ZR2 Bison is powered by a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower. It’s combined with a 10-speed automatic transmission and 4WD is standard. Inside, you’ll find seating capacity for up to five people. The max payload on the Bison is 1,520 pounds and the max towing capacity is 8,800 pounds. Off-road specs include ground clearance of 11.2 inches, a 32.5-degree approach angle, and 23.4-degree break over and departure angles.
The Bison has various design differences compared to the regular ZR2 truck. It includes steel front and rear bumpers, plus steel skid plating and steel rocker guards. You also won’t find any corner cutouts on the front bumper like the ZR2 has. On the Bison, this area features LED fog lights. In the rear, there are tow hooks and turn-down exhaust pipes.
Silverado ZR2 Bison Interior
The interior of the Bison is the same as the regular Silverado ZR2. It comes with a 13.4-inch infotainment display for the truck’s control center. Physical toggles are everywhere, but you can also use the different screens on the 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster. One difference is that the AEV logo is branded onto the headrests.
Driving Experience
When you test drive the Silverado ZR2 Bison at your Chevrolet dealer, you’ll find that the powertrain is exactly the same as a regular ZR2. The big V8 makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque, and it feels just as powerful as it sounds.
Off-road, the Bison is about as competent as you would expect from a full-size truck that’s outfitted with all the extras. The steel body armor is incredibly important in getting this truck through obstacles that could easily beat up a stock truck without it.
Another important factor is the Multimatic DSSV dampers for a smooth off-roading experience even over extremely bumpy terrain.
Pros and Cons
The Silverado ZR2 Bison is outfitted with so much steel that you can’t help feeling comfortable through almost any off-roading situation. It doesn’t have the ground clearance to pass over every boulder, but you can slide over most obstacles as long as you take it slow.
The con is simply that the Bison’s main claim to fame is all the steel body armor. The regular Silverado ZR2 still has most of the important equipment, like the Multimatic DSSV dampers, the front locking differential, and the big V8. In other words, you could still go most places with the regular Silverado ZR2, you would just have to be more careful due to the lack of steel body armor.
The Silverado ZR2 starts at around $73,345 at your Chevrolet dealer, which is nearly $8,000 less than the Bison. Basically, you just have to decide if the extra steel is worth the price jump.
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