Msn.com Autos 2020 Deems Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison Great for “Rock Crawling, Desert Running, and Everyday use”

Known as the key player in the midsize pickup truck segment, the Chevy Colorado consistently conquers new ground and commands its stance with the off-road-ready and rugged ZR2 Bison. The array of added equipment allows the ZR2 Bison to come straight off the assembly line with the looks and ability to handle just about any type of tough terrain, and the staff of MSN Autos chose to highlight all of the great things about the truck this week on their blog. Their test vehicle was the 2020 Chevy Colorado 4WD ZR2 Crew Cab Short Box – featuring the ZRT Bison package together with Chevy's top-of-the-line Duramax diesel engine.

This is the robust and desert sand-prone rig that sees direct competition in the forms of the Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro, Ford Ranger FX4, Jeep Gladiator, and Nissan Frontier PRO-4X. This beautiful and boulder-climb ready machine is the result of Chevy's first official collaboration with American Expedition Vehicles, a formerly Montana-based outfit that has transformed many of the world's most respected models into army-grade, fully wilderness-equipped works of art.

The Bison edition proudly flaunts the AEV front bumper, fog lights, AEV rear bumper, wheel moldings, skidplates and 17-inch AEV wheels. A lift kit provides a two-inch lift for the truck, and the front and rear tracks are 3.5-inches wider than a standard Colorado. It's a heavy-hitting model that can tackle rock crawling and desert running with ease, thanks to help from state-of-the-art front and rear electronic locking differentials, a professionally modified rear axle ratio, and the pristinely-engineered Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve technology on board. This test vehicle was equipped with Chevy's 2.8-liter Duramax turbodiesel, which eagerly cranks out 186 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.

Once inside there are two USB ports near the gearshift, and a good amount of storage in the cabin thanks to an extra-sized covered center console. The shortcuts you'll find on the 8-inch display screen have been billed by many reviewers in the industry to be easy to read, and have very clear controls for the climate system. Seats are trimmed with leather, and sport the AEV logo on the head restraints. One of the most important and true tests of a vehicle is how it does on the road in regards to mileage, and with a mix of city and highway driving, The Car Connection crew saw around 23 mpg on the trip computer, a notch higher than official EPA estimates.

The most extreme of off-roading scenarios is where the Bison thrives: all of the protection underneath and the locking differentials are the main ingredients that will have you conquering an off-road situation. Many of us right here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse have taken our rigs to locations such as the Vandyz Offroad Park in Steedman and realized just how much ground clearance and additional protection was needed to assure a smooth passage. Even if the designated terrain is a paved road, the ZR2 drives comfortable and easy, and the arsenal of additives on board to assure prime-level passage through boulder-strewn areas runs aggressively way above par!