RETURN OF AMERICA’S BISON
2019 CHEVROLET COLORADO ZR2 BISON
The new Chevrolet ZR2 Bison edition hit dealer lots in January. The American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) accessorized Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 will set you back an additional $5,750, over the standard ZR2. What you get for that money is an impressive array of thoughtfully engineered off-road accessories, and some AEV Bison styling ques.
The ZR2 is already at the top of the dealer available off-road vehicle food chain in the U.S. market. The new ZR2 Bison takes that off-road prowess from a manufacturer warrantied vehicle to a new level of refinement. Let’s dive into what this truck is all about and some first impressions from our experience putting it through the paces in the Arizona desert.
The Impressive ZR2
The ZR2 is already an extremely impressive truck. No other mid-sized U.S. market truck offers front and rear locking differentials and high-end Multimatic DSSV dampers. Besides those class exclusives, the ZR2
“AEV HAS TAKEN THE ALREADY CAPABLE ZR2 AND ELEVATED IT TO BE EVEN MORE READY FOR OFF-ROAD AND OVERLAND ADVENTURES.”
also comes standard with: rock sliders, skid plates, a 2-inch suspension lift, a 3.5-inch wider track width and a 3.42 ratio rear axle. All of this combines to create a sporty and capable truck both on and off road.
The Mighty ZR2 Bison
AEV has taken the already capable ZR2 and elevated it to be even more ready for off-road and overland adventures. You would normally look to the aftermarket for these type of upgrades, but with the Bison you get high quality extremely functional parts that
are installed at the factory and backed by a factory warranty.
The Bison edition adds an impressive array of quality AEV parts to the already well-appointed ZR2. The first thing you’ll probably notice is the stamped steel front and rear bumpers. The front bumper comes with fog lights and is ready for a winch. The rear bumper offers integrated recovery points and offers punch outs ready for 3-inch cube lights.
While the ZR2 already offers an impressive array of armor, in the way of some skid plates and rock sliders, the Bison edition takes the truck’s armor game to a whole new level. Five hot-stamped boron steel skid plates cover the oil pan, fuel tank and transfer case. No matter the rocky rough terrain you traverse, the Bison is ready to handle the trail impacts. The boron steel is not only extremely durable and strong, but it is also crazy lightweight.
You get the same quality 31-inch Goodyear Wrangler Duratrac tires as the standard ZR2. With the Bison, that quality rubber is wrapped around all-new bespoke 17x8 aluminum wheels.
Besides the off-road capability upgrades, the Bison also gets some love in the looks department. Inside the truck, you get embroidered AEV logos in the front head rests and AEV logo floor mats. Outside you get bedside Bison decals, an AEV Bison logo on the tailgate, larger fender flares and an exclusive flow-through Chevrolet lettered grille.
“Although they play different roles, and are for different customers, a fully loaded Rubicon with similar levels of capability and equipment will be over $50,000. However, when looking at other factory off-road vehicles on the market, the ZR2 Bison is unmatched for all around versatility.” – Dave Harriton, president and founder of American Expedition Vehicles
Bison Pricing
The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 isn’t an inexpensive mid-sized truck, at around $44,000. You do, however, get a lot for your money with this truck. The new Bison edition adds
The face of the Bison is unique and aggressive. “WHILE THE ZR2 ALREADY OFFERS AN IMPRESSIVE ARRAY OF ARMOR, IN THE WAY OF SOME SKID PLATES AND ROCK SLIDERS, THE BISON EDITION TAKES
THE TRUCK’S ARMOR GAME TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.”
another $5,750 to that price, but offers a ton more value.
A ZR2 Bison V-6 extended cab starts at $48,045, with crew cab models starting at $49,645. A fully loaded top spec ZR2 Bison crew cab with Duramax turbo-diesel will cost you just over $55,000. While that is a lot of money, that is also a lot of truck.
Behind The Wheel
The ZR2 Bison is everything you’d expect from an up fitted Colorado ZR2 when you slide behind the wheel. Off road is of course what this truck is built for, and it handles a lot of obstacles and terrain with ease.
The front and rear lockers allow you to get amazing traction, even when dancing a wheel or two in the air. The DSSV dampers shine at high speeds over rough terrain, but also work well when crawling over rocks.
While no different than a stock ZR2, we can’t forget to talk about the exceptional on-road performance of this truck. The
DSSV dampers make the truck corner flat and with confidence. Both the V-6 and Duramax turbo-diesel power plants offer impressive get up and go. The truck is speed limited to just under 100 mph, but it cruises comfortably at 75+ mph.
Things To Consider
There are a few things that Chevrolet could do to make the ZR2 Bison even better. Namely they could offer a manual transmission option and a keyless push-to-start system, like many of their competitors.
Also consider that you lose a little entry angle with the AEV Bison front bumper.
What you gain is an integrated winch tray that doesn’t effect the cooling of the truck, something many aftermarket bumpers don’t take into consideration. Also consider that if you go with the diesel option on the Bison, you’re probably going to need to replace the
exhaust tip. The factory tip hangs too low and is easily crushed when off road. Chevy Performance does offer an exhaust that would greatly improve this issue.
The two things shown on the concept AEV Bison that didn’t make production, which we’d really like to see, are the ability to fit 35-inch tires and a snorkel/raised air intake. The ability to fit 33-inch tires is possible if you upgrade the suspension with new Chevy Performance parts, but 35-inch tires would take a lot of trimming and possibly a body lift to make it work well. AEV is making the snorkel and selling it through its independent dealers, but it doesn’t come on the Bison and isn’t currently available at Chevrolet dealers.
The Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevrolet Colorado has now been on the market for just over four years, after recording its first full month of sales in October 2014. Since then, U.S. customers have bought more than 428,792 Colorados. The truck has had a major impact on the U.S. truck market, and greatly grown
the mid-size market.
Besides the all-new ZR2 Bison, Chevrolet has also recently released two other
special edition Colorados. Both are based on the standard Colorado, and not the ZR2. The RST is a street-focused truck and the Z71 Trail Runner is the top range off-road offering, on the standard Colorado platform. Both feature the flow-through Chevrolet grill, first shown on the Bison concept truck.
“THE ZR2 IS ALREADY AT THE TOP OF THE DEALER AVAILABLE OFF-ROAD VEHICLE FOOD CHAIN IN THE U.S. MARKET. THE NEW ZR2 BISON TAKES THAT OFFROAD PROWESS FROM A MANUFACTURER WARRANTIED VEHICLE TO A NEW LEVEL OF REFINEMENT.”
The RST is based on the LT trim and adds monochromatic exterior offset with black beltline and body side moldings. It also adds a black tailgate bowtie, Colorado and RST badges. The RST is also the first Colorado to offer 20-inch wheels, finished in low-gloss black. The Z71 Trail Runner begins with the Colorado Z71 off-road package and adds the Colorado ZR2’s underbody protection. Changes include stamped aluminum front and mid skid plates, functional rocker protection and Goodyear Duratrac tires.
While these new special editions are shiny and cool, they can’t touch the capabilities on and off road that the ZR2 Bison has on offer. It would be hard to argue that the ZR2 Bison isn’t the current pinnacle of the U.S. mid-sized truck market. With that said, the Jeep Gladiator and Ford Ranger are hitting the market soon, so the competition is heating up!