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2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2: Review, Specs & Price – The ZR2 Bison and ZR2 are the biggest kids in the Chevrolet Silverado 1500 range. Chevy launched the ZR2 in 2022, and the AEV-upgraded Bison was introduced to the market in 2023. Chevy will be offering mid-cycle upgrades for its entire lineup in 2024.
ZR2 will be able to add the 3.0-liter Duramax Diesel engine that is offered on the 1500 standard model. The diesel engine is less powerful (305) but has more torque (495 pound-feet vs. the V-8’s 460 pound-feet). In 2019, we were impressed by how quiet and silky the Duramax was. Chevy has added an active exhaust to the V-8 that changes depending on the driving mode.
Review
Not only the top tier of the Silverado line has seen changes. Chevy decided to rename the 2.7-liter Turbo-four, which is mechanically unchanged. It will now be called the TurboMax. Work Trucks now come with OnStar. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are now standard. Front and rear parking assist is now part of the optional safety package.
Silverado models will be equipped with rear seatbelt indicators starting in 2024. High Country models will come standard with adaptive cruise control, and an optional Midnight Edition adds black-powered running boards. Black trim is also available on the Custom, Custom Trail Boss RST, LT Trail Boss, and ZR2. The 2024 lineup will also include new exterior paint colors, including Slate Gray and Lakeshore Blue metallic.
The Silverado ZR2 features a sleek dashboard with a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument panel and a 13.4-inch touchscreen. Leather-trimmed seats are included in the cabin, along with sporty dark trim. The center console features an electronic shifter in a T shape between the front buckets. We found the shape of the gear lever to be cumbersome and even accidentally activated Park with our resting hands. Only the crew-cab version of the ZR2 comes with a large amount of passenger space. This is especially true in back seats. If you plan to carry more in the cargo bed, the standard-length bed is the better choice.
The Silverado ZR2 comes with a huge 13.4-inch horizontally oriented touchscreen infotainment unit as standard. The system supports Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto and has Google Voice Assistance, Maps, and App Store.
The ZR2 package, which was introduced last year for the Silverado ZR2, will be available in 2024. It is an even more off-road-focused package that includes accessories by Montana-based American Expedition Vehicles. The Bison package increases the ZR2’s approach and departure angle but does not increase its 11.2-inch ground clearance. Bison features AEV-stamped steel bumpers on the front and back, as well as additional skid plates under the body. The Bison also comes with 18-inch AEV mud terrain wheels and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory tires. Only the ZR2 bison receives the body-matching grille paint.
Interior
The Silverado ZR2 features a sleek dashboard with a fully digital 12.3-inch instrument panel and a 13.4-inch touchscreen. Leather-trimmed seats are included in the cabin, along with sporty dark trim. The center console features an electronic shifter in a T shape between the front buckets. We found the shape of the gear lever to be clunky, and even accidentally activated Park with our resting hands. Only the crew-cab version of the ZR2 comes with a large amount of passenger space. This is especially true in back seats. If you plan to carry more in the cargo bed, the standard-length bed is the better choice.
The Silverado ZR2 comes with a huge 13.4-inch horizontally oriented touchscreen infotainment unit as standard. The system supports Amazon Alexa, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto and has Google Voice Assistance, Maps, and App Store.
Engine
The ZR2 has two options under its bulging hood. First, there’s the 6.2-liter naturally aspirated V-8 engine that comes with the Silverado 1500. This engine produces 420 horsepower and a torque of 460 pound-feet. For a few extra dollars, Chevy offers a 305-hp Duramax turbocharged inline-six diesel engine. Both transmissions are 10-speed automatics. Each ZR2 comes with a four-wheel drive system that includes a transfer case with two speeds and electronic locking differentials at the front and rear. The suspension system, which includes high-performance spool valve dampers, stabilizes the truck’s 18″ wheels that are fitted with 33″ off-road tires.
Chevy claims that the ZR2 has a higher approach angle than the Silverado Trail Boss, which is also lifted. We’ve now driven the ZR2 in Joshua Tree State Park and can appreciate its capabilities, as well as the reduced width of the Chevy compared to the F-150 Raptor or Ram TRX.
Silverado ZR2 tows up to 8900 lbs with a conventional hitch. The pickup truck can handle up to 1440 lbs of payload.
The ZR2’s 420-hp V-8 is estimated by the EPA at 14 mpg in city traffic and 17 mpg on the highway. It has a combined rating of 15 mpg. These estimates are still not impressive, even though they are better than those of the Ram TRX with its 702-hp V-8 and combined 12 mpg. The F-150 Raptor, with its twin-turbo V-6 and 450-hp, has a combined estimate of 16 or 15 mpg depending on the tires. The EPA still hasn’t published its estimates for ZR2s with Duramax engines. We can only evaluate the real-world fuel economy of the ZR2 once we have run it on our 75-mph highway route. 2024 Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2
Price
Starting at $73,345. Highs Silverado is less likely to get stuck. It has a smooth ride and a narrower-than-normal width that helps it maneuver off-road.