How Well Does the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Work On-Road?

You may have noticed that automakers have introduced a lot of off-road-focused trucks and SUVs lately. You also may have noticed a lot of these vehicles plying suburban streets and navigating shopping center parking lots — far removed from the wild lands they’re built to tackle. While the off-road capability of many of these rigs is considerable, how they perform on-road is also important since many will spend a lot of time on pavement rather than dirt.

Related: Driving the 2024 Chevrolet ZR2 Off-Road Pickup Family: 1 Hot Dog, 3 Sizes

Chevrolet’s entrant in the full-size off-road pickup truck space is the Silverado 1500 ZR2, which debuted for the 2022 model year with an off-road suspension featuring Multimatic spool-valve shocks and unique springs, front and rear locking differentials, 33-inch mud-terrain tires, skid plates and a different front bumper that improves the truck’s approach angle.

That apparently wasn’t enough, though, because Chevrolet decided to partner with American Expedition Vehicles to create the truck you see here: the 2023 Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison. ZR2 Bison features include AEV steel front and rear bumpers, hot-stamped boron-steel skid plates, steel rocker-panel protection, gloss-black 18-inch AEV wheels and 33-inch mud-terrain tires like the regular ZR2’s.

With a starting price of more than $73,000 (including destination), the 2023 Silverado 1500 ZR2 is already an expensive truck. Opting for the Bison’s features adds nearly $8,000, and the inclusion of some other options like a rearview camera mirror, color head-up display, a hard tonneau cover and Chevrolet’s Multi-Flex tailgate raised the as-tested price of the truck you see here to nearly $85,000.

That’s quite a sum, and it may make some owners think twice before venturing too far off the beaten path for fear of scratching or dinging their expensive truck. We also kept the ZR2 Bison on-road during our time with it, but used it how many owners might by towing with it and loading the bed with gear. Here’s a few of our main takeaways from our time with the truck.

It’s a Climb Into the Cab

With its off-road suspension and beefy Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires, the Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison is a high-riding truck with more than 11 inches of ground clearance. That makes for a big climb into the cab — even for taller drivers. The grab handles on the front windshield pillars will become your friends as you pull yourself into the truck, especially because the steel rock rails are no place to put your foot to help boost yourself up — they’re just too narrow to be of much use.

Towing Is a Breeze

With a 420-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 engine under the hood driving a 10-speed automatic transmission, the Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison had no trouble pulling the car trailer we hitched to it, which at around 4,500 pounds total was about half the truck’s maximum towing capacity. The big V-8 delivers plenty of power, and the truck is stable at highway speeds. There is some tire drone, but it’s not bad considering the aggressive mud-terrain tires the ZR2 Bison wears. There was, however, a fair amount of rear squat to the off-road suspension even with our relatively modest trailer, which made the hood tilt skyward a bit.

With the 6.2-liter V-8, the ZR2 Bison is a thirsty truck; its EPA-estimated fuel economy is 14/17/15 mpg city/highway/combined. Thankfully, it didn’t dip way below these estimates when towing; our towing trip was around 140 miles at an average speed of 49 mph, and the truck averaged 13 mpg, according to the trip computer. A newly available turbo-diesel engine for the 2024 Silverado 1500 ZR2 boosts EPA-estimated fuel economy to 20/22/21 mpg.

Multi-Flex Tailgate Adds Convenience

Chevrolet’s Multi-Flex reconfigurable tailgate isn’t exclusive to the ZR2 Bison, but it brings the truck benefits for everyday use — and at a relatively affordable price of $445 for the option.

With the Multi-Flex tailgate in its lowered position, it’s easy to step in and out of the cargo bed when loading and unloading items — even with the ZR2 Bison’s tall ride height. (If you’ve been towing, just make sure to remove your hitch ball before lowering the step portion of the tailgate to avoid bumping it.)

With the upper section of the tailgate lowered, you can also get closer to the cargo box than you otherwise could with a traditional tailgate, which makes it easier to reach stuff in the bed. The upper movable section is under tension, though, so it does take some effort to line it back up with the rest of the tailgate.

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Corner Steps Are Missed

I’ve always appreciated the simple-but-useful corner steps Chevrolet has included in the rear bumpers of its trucks for a while now; it’s a low-tech feature, but it makes a big difference when trying to climb into the cargo box. You could argue this feature would be even more valuable in a tall-riding off-road pickup like the ZR2 Bison, but the rear AEV bumper doesn’t have the step cutouts like the regular Silverado (and regular Silverado ZR2) do. I wish it did.

Cameras Are Essential

Maneuvering a big truck like the ZR2 Bison can be a challenge in tight spaces like a crowded parking lot, but the truck’s included cameras do a lot to help you see what’s around you. Images from the front and rear cameras are crisp and clear, making it easier to see what’s in front of the hood and aft of the tailgate. I also like how when you’re towing and touch the turn-signal stalk, you get a view on the dashboard touchscreen of what’s to your left or right.

After driving the ZR2 Bison, it’s easy to see the truck’s appeal. It’s a stylish pickup with enough capability to handle what most owners are likely to throw at it. The price for serious off-road prowess is steep, however, so if you like the off-road look but want to save a bit of money because you’ll mostly be driving on pavement, there’s always the Silverado 1500 Trail Boss.

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