2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison Gives Midsize Pickup An AEV Off-Road Upgrade
It's hard to believe that it's been over nine months since Chevy rolled out its completely redesigned third-generation Colorado midsize pickup truck. Though we've already seen the standard-bearer, off-road tough ZR2 package, it's now joined by a bigger, badder brother in the form of the Bison.
Chevy is calling the Bison "The ... most off-road-capable midsize truck, offering unrivaled off-road performance without compromising ride quality, handling or safety." That's a bold statement considering that we're living in the golden age of pickup trucks, with an abundance of formidable competition such as Toyota's new Tacoma Trailhunter and Ford's upcoming Ranger Raptor. How does the ZR2 Bison stack up?
As expected, the Bison has a whole host of accessories from collaborator American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), including a steel front bumper with winch mount, custom rear bumper, wide fender flares, and AEV 17" wheels with beadlock capability — keeping the tires mounted firmly on the wheels when aired down for hardcore off-road adventures.
Speaking of tires, the ZR2 Bison gets a set of 35-inch tall Mud Terrains, which is a full two inches larger than the 33-inch tall tires on the standard Colorado ZR2. Hopefully, Bison buyers aren't planning to use their trucks for serious hauling, because a good amount of the cargo bed's real estate is occupied by a full-size spare tire, since it no longer fits underneath the truck.
First-ever OEM truck with hydraulic bump stops
Making room for larger 35-inch tall tires, the Bison rides on a suspension that's 1.5 inches higher than the standard ZR2, which equates to a class-leading 12.2 inches of total ground clearance. A focal point of the suspension on both the ZR2 and Bison are the excellent Multimatic DSSV shock dampers. However, for 2024, the Bison adds a set of Multimatic jounce dampers, which prevent the suspension from bottoming out under extreme off-road conditions — the only truck on the market so-equipped from the factory.
In the unlikely event that the Bison does strike an object, there's a collection of boron steel skid plates to protect the mechanical components, and a pair of rock sliders under the doors prevent damage to the rocker panels.
The Bison also wears Chevy's "Flowtie" front badge, which is a clever adaptation of the brand's traditional bowtie emblem, but with the center section removed to permit better airflow through the grille to the radiator. As expected, there's considerable AEV cross-branding present, including on the seat headrests. A spray-in bedliner for the cargo bed is standard, as are all-weather floor liners to protect the cabin's carpet.
Though the truck already comes pretty loaded with features, there are a tiny handful of optional extras such as a sunroof and more luxurious cabin upholstery. Pricing for the 2024 Bison hasn't yet been announced, but the standard ZR2 starts at $48,295 (includes destination fee). Note that the outgoing second-generation Bison trades at an approximately $4,500 premium over the ZR2, so it's probably safe to assume a similar metric for 2024.