First Look: 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 ZR2 and ZR2 Bison

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Should the half-ton crowd have all the off-road fun? Chevrolet doesn’t think so, and so for 2024, it’s expanding its ZR2 off-road-ready trim to the Silverado 2500 Heavy Duty (HD). It’ll also come as the ZR2 Bison, and it’s the first time these trims have been offered on a heavy Chevy, launching later this summer. The ZR2 is also currently available on the Silverado 1500 and midsize Colorado.

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The 2500 ZR2 and Bison models will come strictly on the crew cab with 6-foot-8 “standard” bed, and of course in 4×4 only. Both will use the stock 2500 engines, which means a base unit of a 6.6L V8 gas engine, making 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque; or an optional 6.6L Duramax V8 turbodiesel that produces 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft of torque. The diesel is upgraded across the entire Silverado HD lineup for 2024 to those power ratings, up from 445 horsepower and 910 lb-ft of torque. Both engines also now bolt up to a ten-speed Allison automatic transmission, while the gas engine previously mated to a six-speed Hydra-Matic.

While the overall front-end styling is similar to the regular 2500, with the same hood scoop and headlight treatment, the new truck shares some design cues with other ZR2 models. These include a patterned grille instead of the 2500’s regular horizontal grille bars, and just an outline of the bowtie emblem, which Chevy calls a flow-tie. The wheel-well moldings are also styled for the ZR2, with integrated mud guards.

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As expected, the major differences are mechanical. The regular shocks are swapped out for DSSV (Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve) dampers, courtesy of Ontario-based supplier Multimatic, and tuned for on- and off-road stability and predictable performance on hard bumps. The steering knuckles and front control arms are also revised and unique to the ZR2, and the front and rear suspension sit 38 mm – about an inch-and-a-half – higher than the regular 2500. The ZR2’s skid plates are also larger. A selectable off-road driving mode adjusts the throttle, transmission, anti-lock brakes and stability control as needed.

The truck rides on 18-inch wheels with 35-inch tires, and its electronic rear locking differential is good for all speeds — a truck this big is obviously more suited to tearing across wide-open spaces than squeezing through tight forest trails. It has front-axle torque vectoring, but lacks a locking front differential, which Chevrolet’s engineers said would have added unwanted mass and weight. The Silverado 1500 ZR2 has both front and rear lockers, but also has the lowest towing capacity among similar-engine-equipped Silverado trims. Towing is traditionally a 2500’s reason for being, so leaving off any extra weight that could affect capacity makes sense.

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The Bison is a package developed with off-road accessories company American Expedition Vehicles, or AEV. It shares the ZR2’s mechanical performance, but adds stamped-steel front and rear bumpers – the front with provisions for a winch – along with tougher steel skid plates and gloss-black 18-inch wheels.

The Bison also has the “AEV” logo in the front head restraints, but otherwise, it shares the ZR2’s interior, with leather-trimmed upholstery, 13.4-inch infotainment screen, and, if you opt for it, a 15-inch head-up display.

Both the ZR2 and Bison top out for maximum conventional towing at 16,000 lbs with gas; and 18,500 for the diesel. For fifth-wheel and gooseneck, the ZR2 is 18,070 lbs for gas and 18,100 with diesel; while the Bison is 16,900 lbs for gasoline and 15,570 lbs in diesel. Payload, depending on the truck, is between 2,811 and 3,397 lbs.

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Half-ton trucks are still the default for the wildest of these über-off-roaders, including Ford’s Raptor R and Ram’s TRX, but the bigger trucks are also moving up the scale. Ford offers a Tremor package on its F-250, which adds performance shocks, rear differential lock, and 35-inch tires, and with an available high-output diesel engine that churns out 500 horsepower and 1,200 lb-ft of torque.

Ram offers its 2500 as the Rebel, with Bilstein shocks and rear locker; or as the next-step-up Power Wagon with front and rear lockers, more ground clearance, and standard front winch. Among the other full-size truck brands, Toyota doesn’t make a heavy-duty version of the Tundra. The GMC Sierra 2500 is a mechanical twin to the Silverado and comes in an off-road AT4 trim, but, at least for now, that brand hasn’t carried its tougher Sierra 1500 AT4X trim over into its heavy-duty truck.

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But while the 2500 ZR2 and Bison no doubt owe at least some of their existence to GM keeping up with its Ford and Ram rivals, the automaker’s reps say it ultimately comes down to the fact that people just want these things. Almost all Silverado 2500 owners tow with their trucks, nearly half go off-road, and 68 per cent go camping with them — and while those are U.S. stats, Canadians are likely pretty close to them.

Among the Silverado 1500’s upper trims, the ZR2 pulls in the highest percentage of first-time Chevy truck buyers. The 2500 ZR2 is well-placed to entice buyers who would use it throughout the week for heavier-duty work – contractors, landscapers, tradespeople and similar – and then point it off the pavement for the weekend.

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We’re still waiting for a chance to drive this new ZR2, and also to know how much it’s going to cost. Chevrolet says it will “follow the ZR2 lineage” — meaning it’ll be the priciest model. The Silverado 1500 ZR2 is $5,500 more than the next-step-down trim, and since the priciest 2024 Silverado 2500 currently starts at $93,699, expect the two new off-road ZR2 and Bison models to veer into six-figure territory. Fun costs, but Chevy knows there are enthusiasts out there who want the towing capability and off-road ability, and are also more than willing to pay for it.

Check out details of the rest of the Silverado 2500 line via our online shopping tool.