The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison is rejoining the Colorado family of midsize trucks for the 2024 model year. Like the previous ZR2 Bison, this next-gen model takes the already capable Colorado ZR2 and adds some extra off-road hardware. And again, the Bison will be made in partnership with American Expedition Vehicles and can be modified with a small catalog's worth of AEV parts.
The new Bison adds front and rear bumpers and fender flares, and the front bumper is winch capable, which could save your bacon in a pinch off-road. It sports a set of AEV's 17-inch beadlock capable wheels, wrapped in 35 inches of mud-terrain rubber. A spare tire carrier sits in the bed to add an extra layer of off-road protection, and, well, to look cool.
The bones of this Bison are still the ZR2. That means there's a 2.7-liter high-output turbocharged I4 under the hood, which sends 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Naturally, this truck is exclusively four-wheel drive with both differentials sporting lockers.
Though, the Bison deviates from the ZR2 slightly with the suspension. Sure, handling the bumps offroad is a set of Multimatic DSSV dampers, but the Bison adds a set of Multimatic jounce control shocks to better keep the wheels doing what you want them to do. While you're hitting those rocks and bumps, Chevrolet and AEV are protecting the Bison's drivetrain with a full array of skid plates and rocker protectors.
It all adds up to a ZR2 that is more capable and looks more aggressive. The larger tires give the ZR2 Bison an extra 1.5 inches of ground clearance, while the bumpers provide better approach and departure angles.
You'll be able to see this in person fairly soon, as Chevrolet expects to start production before year's end, with pricing information coming closer to its launch. Without official figures available it's hard to guess how much this ZR2 bison will cost, but you can expect a premium over the $48,690 base-price Colorado ZR2.
How do you think the Bison ZR2 will stack up against the new Ford Ranger Raptor or Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro? Tell us your thoughts below.