The Americans say it best of all: When the best way out of something is through it, the Chevy Silverado ZR2 is there to help.
Based on the regular Silverado 1500 pickup, the ZR2 is an all-business off-roader that kicks things up with a more aggressive appearance, all-terrain tires, additional ground clearance, trick Multimatic spool-valve dampers, and Chevy’s faithful 313kW (420bhp) 6.2-litre V-8.
The drivetrain is pretty special: 6.2L EcoTec3 V8 engine, a 10-speed automatic transmission, and Active Dynamic Fuel Management provide power and torque when needed, disengaging cylinder pairs for economy when in cruise mode. The drive goes out through a smooth-selecting two speed transfer case (2-hi, 4-hi, 4-lo and 4-A), and there are electronically-activated diff locks.
While not as untamed as the Ford F-150 Raptor or Ram’s slightly mad 1500 TRX, the ZR2 favors the reality of a work week spent on pavement that ends with an enjoyably muddy weekend.
Wide of track, slightly body-lifted and with a decent wheelbase, ZR2’s stability and comfortable ride are a major benefit of its rugged suspension. Its 4,200kg tow rating is higher than those of both the Ford F-150 Raptor (3,719kg) and Ram TRX (3,674kg), but its open-road fuel economy is mid-pack between those two, bearing in mind the Ford is a very long way from being available here, even as a private import. The ZR2 is only available as a four-door crew cab with a useful but not enormous wellside cargo bed, and it comes standard with an enormous 13.4-inch touchscreen that powers its navigation and infotainment functions.
There’s cleverness in GMSV’s 2023 model range, which begins with the LTZ Premium that NZ4WD tested in August. That model is emphatically more urban than the harder-edged ZR2, which has more in common with the old Trail Boss.
This time around, the LTZ is the range-starter and the ZR2 the step-up. Imagine, a range-starter with 20-inch alloys and an off-road-ready step-up running on glossy black 18s.
It’s off the sealed roads that the ZR2’s Goodyear Wranglers come into their own.
In Waiuku Forest the 2.5 tonne truck never needed anything but 4 Auto on the transmission dial; the Goodyears track straight and true through muddy tracks and sand sections. There’s not even a hint of treachery from below, no wheel over-speeds any of the others and there is never that sinking feeling that forward progress is being lost.
On tarmac, the tyres do have a thrum that reminds the driver that they are designed for off-road duty.
Our test vehicle is finished in Glacier Blue metallic paint, and its visual presence is tougher by far than the LTZ. The front-end design features an ‘off-road cut’ that deletes the LTZ’s under-bumper airdam and improves approach angles. The ZR2 has a 31.8-degree approach angle, better than even the old Trailboss. The ZR2’s departure angle of 23.3 degrees comes up short versus its immediate competitors. But when it comes to preventing the truck’s midsection from dragging over boulders, its breakover angle of 23.4 degrees is better than rivals.
The Silverado ZR2’s three-chamber Multimatic spool-valve dampers are a notable upgrade, improving ride and handling on dirt and tarmac.
It’s not often a damper upgrade works this well in both environments.
Suspension travel is 250mm front and 270mm rear (unladen).
There’s far less chrome on this truck too.
Chevrolet designed the ZR2 to be a weapon for any trail—not just the beach or open desert. By not grossly flaring its fenders in the vein of the Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX, the ZR2’s width remains relatively narrow, though in the Kiwi bush care will need to be taken. We’re not sure new owners will be taking their ZR2 up Skipper’s Canyon or the 42 Traverse.
We didn’t get to sample the tighter tracks down at Waiuku Forest because the forest owners are in the process of completely excluding the public from the area. While trekking through the few remaining trails and dry sand tracks under the pine trees, the ZR2’s slimmer profile easily cleared the surrounding rock walls that wider trucks would need to carefully navigate. The Silverado’s direct yet low-effort steering allows the driver to precisely place the ZR2’s Goodyears to minimise risk of paint or panel damage.
For the sake of research, we set the three-position drive mode selector to Terrain mode and were into a one-pedal trail driving experience. Simply press the accelerator to go and release it to stop, the ZR2 automatically engaging its brakes to keep it from gaining speed. Hill-descent control allows incremental speed adjustments of 1.6km/h by using the truck’s cruise control toggle. Both systems can be disabled to work the pedals personally.
The truck’s excellent high-resolution camera views essentially provide a ‘virtual spotter’ for picking a path through technical terrain.
American media call the ZR2 a ‘multitool among pickups’ and it will excel in the working week and equally on an adventuring weekend.
