Chevrolet gave the higher trim levels of its venerable Silverado 1500 an overhaul for the 2022 model year, which brought beefier exterior styling, modern tech, and an upscale interior befitting a full-size American pickup truck. The Silverado 1500 remains mostly unchanged for 2023, but the new ZR2 Bison trim inherits some of the beefy off-road features seen in the midsize Colorado ZR2 Bison.

As it did for the Colorado, Chevrolet worked with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) on the upgraded Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison. The new off-road variant should bring the Silverado closer in line with the hardcore Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX, but the Chevy is more of a backcountry exploring truck than it is a dune-running muscle truck or rock-crawling off-roader.

The Silverado ZR2 Bison comes standard with a 6.2-liter V8 that makes 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Chevy pairs it with a 10-speed automatic transmission and standard 4-wheel drive. Bison buyers get all the goodies that come standard with the Silverado ZR2, which include front and rear e-lockers, exclusive chassis and suspension tuning, and specific drive-mode settings for rock crawling and other challenging terrain situations.

Chevy offers a new, second-generation 3.0-liter Duramax diesel for 2023, which provides 305 hp and 495 pound-feet of torque. Both figures represent significant upgrades over the previous model year’s engine, which Chevy attributes to a revised turbo system, upgraded temperature controls, and new fuel injectors.

Though it’s an upgrade over the standard Silverado, the ZR2 Bison is not a direct competitor to the Ford F-150 Raptor or Ram 1500 TRX. Ford and Ram upgraded the suspension and chassis tuning on their trucks as Chevy did, but they also took the additional step of beefing up powertrain components.

The Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison gets five boron steel skid plates to protect underbody components, and a 3-piece custom front bumper includes tow hooks for easier recovery in the sticks. The truck has exclusive gloss-black AEV 18-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires.

Chevrolet is the source of information in this article. It was accurate as of August 16, 2022, but it may have changed since that date. Always confirm product details and availability with the automaker’s website or your local dealership.

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© 2022 J.D.Power. All rights reserved.

© 2019 J.D.Power. All rights reserved.