Chevy Silverado HD ZR2 Is Undisputable Off-Road King + “Just as Cool as the Toys It’s Hauling”

We have seen the number of customers who are excited to try off roading here at the Mid Missouri Powerhouse rise drastically over the past few years, as it seems like just about everyone interested in trucks now wants to try their hand at attacking the trail! It's not just the romanticism as of late from media and movies about off-roading and racing, we know that this is just an excellent facet of the human condition: we are all hard-wired to explore, and experience just how awesome it is to conquer the wild.

This year Chevy’s ZR2 badge sees its debut for the Silverado HD with the thrilling introduction of the 2024 Silverado HD ZR2, and it's already stellar off-road capability is now elevated even further. There are plans in the future to introduce 3 off-road performance trucks, as navigating tricky roots, rushing streams, and steep inclines are luring away from mundane drives and packing their outdoor gear. Both the HD ZR2 and HD ZR2 Bison excitedly deliver race-grade technologies and enhanced off-road capability to the HD lineup, with legendary aftermarket experts American Expedition Vehicles adding superhero-grade equipment. 

Ready to take on the rutted and dangerous challenges of fire roads, outright Baja-style antics, and constantly cautious bouldering, this exploration-ready pair are offered exclusively in the 2500 Crew Cab configuration with a standard 6.6-liter gas engine or wonderfully potent 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel. The Silverado HD ZR2 makes this mound-battling magic happen without sacrificing any of its trademark on-road comfort or heavy-duty truck capability. This is a rugged model which consistently has displayed the proven traits that make the Silverado 1500 ZR2 a household name for those who love to bring things up a notch while foregoing comforts for far corners locations!

When equipped with the Duramax Turbo-Diesel option, the Silverado HD’s max trailering rating is a very impressive 18,500 lbs, allowing for any driver to not have to even consider leaving any of the fun or productive heavy stuff behind. The HD ZR2 is easy to spot when it’s makin’ a beeline for you…courtesy of its trademark front grille, along with telltale wheel openings with hefty mudguards. There’s also custom ZR2 badging on the grille bar, and a higher stance sporting the clearance needed for the insane terrain you’re prepping the cooler and gear for.

It used to be that an off-road truck was born and bred from not much more than the hankering to take it to punishing locations, and do plenty of praying and crossing your fingers! Some of the features that make these two so good at commandeering the tough stuff are specific front upper and lower control arms and specific steering knuckles, as well as the addition of multimeric DSSV dampers. The underside goods need to be looked after in a major way when you hit the brush and jagged edges of off-road terrain, and the larger steel transfer case in front of aluminum skid plates, included with the ZR2s are battalion grade and burly. 

You’ll be triumphantly trouncing through obstacles that would stomp an ill-prepared Prius to bits courtesy of the 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires, mounted on 18 x 9-inch aluminum wheels, and a rear e-locker. There’s also a brand-new Off-Road Drive Mode, which uses a specific formula for calibrating the anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control to “crawl long and prosper” as a true segment leader. Everything you want to bring along will fit just fine in the DuraBed cargo box, and another one of the most useful additions to any truck over the past decade come in the form of the power and available six-position Multi-Flex tailgate. 

Powerhouse’s “Summer of the Sensible Driver” Future Watch: Chevy Equinox Overhaul Coming for 2025

Many of the drivers we talk to during the summer months here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse are looking for a practical, economical crossover that is still loaded with current features and looks great.

The Chevy Equinox will soon be receiving a complete overhaul, with the 2025 model year enjoying the milestone of the crossover’s fourth generation. There is a long list of awesome updates and changes, and the hard-working media pros on duty at GM Authority rounded up the most vital intelligence for one of their latest blog posts.

The trim level lineup will remain the same as currently, with the LS, LT, RS, and Premier along with the potential for a new off-road Activ or Z71 arriving soon in the ranks. The styling will be completely overhauled, offering brand-new wheels, a more upright greenhouse, and a front end with Chevy’s signature two-tier “highbrow” headlights. These are like what is seen on the Equinox’s relatives in the form of the Blazer and Traverse, and dual exhaust outlets along with horizontally oriented taillights are on tap as the rear fixtures.

Inside, things will be even more comfortable and ergonomically ideal, and a new digital gauge cluster will be situated directly behind the wheel. GM Authority also reports that there will be a new infotainment system with a larger infotainment screen, along with new active safety features and the revolutionary hands-free GM Super Cruise system. Front-wheel drive will be standard with all-wheel drive optional, and the gas engine will be paired with a 9-speed automatic transmission. The 2025 Equinox will ride on the GM D2-2 platform, which is like the GM D2 platform currently under the 2023 model.

At a glance, it looks like Chevy is following the trend of boxier, more rugged SUV designs, with still a bit of room left for the unique flavor of the Equinox EV to claim its own persona within the lineup. There is a possibility that there may be a brand-new powertrain in the mix for the Equinox, and currently, it stands with the 1.5-liter 4-cylinder making 175 horsepower for all trim levels. This year’s model, you can check out and test drive this summer here at the Powerhouse, received praise from Edmunds.com for its stable and precise handling, along with its very intuitive infotainment system and the addition of Midnight and Sport edition packages as options.

There is absolutely no shortage of appealing small SUVs on the market, it takes some polished chops and personable appeal to stand out in a crowded field. Stylish design with flowing surface lines, standard LED headlights and a classic front-end look offer a bit more polished yet edgy feel that will appeal to those on the hunt for their post-graduation set of wheels. The Midnight and Sport packages both provide the sweet bundle of gloss black wheels and blacked-out exterior trim, and the Safety and Infotainment package adds a larger touchscreen along with adaptive cruise control.

The Premier trim takes things up to a well-equipped and on-the-town-ready level with 18-inch wheels, a hands-free liftgate, very cool ambient cabin lighting, a wireless charging pad, a 120-volt power outlet, an 8-inch touchscreen, an upgraded backup camera, leather upholstery, front and rear parking sensors, and blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning. During the JD Power auto satisfaction survey for 2023, the Equinox ranked #2 in satisfaction for its class with its higher fuel economy than average, and stellar experience of using voice assistance on the road.

Check out the spy photos HERE.

2024 Chevy Silverado HD Masters “Easy to Live With” Personality, Winning Luxury & Capability Balance

It has been thrilling to witness big trucks become so massively popular over the last few years here at the Mid-Missouri Powerhouse. They are now becoming much easier to live with as daily drivers, while boasting a winning visual first impression. The 2024 Chevy Silverado HD now has been graced with some of the best technology in interior materials of any truck in the segment, with the Bison and ZR2 off-road trims allowing you to tackle the trail with well-equipped confidence.

Even if hauling and towing do not make up a large chunk of your daily duties, the Silverado 2500 makes an excellent case for itself in terms of all-around appeal. The Motor1.com auto blogging team renders the LT model l as the most ideal balance of luxury and capability for a great price, as it offers an extra-large touch screen, real wood, and real leather accents. The entire HD line is completely updated for 2024, with the awesome extra touch of a brand-new 13.4-inch touchscreen and configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster. 

GM’s latest infotainment technology is very responsive and well laid out, and there’s a wireless charging pad situated directly under the edge of the center with sweet grips to keep your phone in place during any unforeseen bumps in the road. Even as its stance in the lineup as a designated “work truck”, it boasts premium leather seats and the added touch of aluminum and a glossy wood finish inside. This testing crew’s model immediately caught the group’s attention with 10-way power adjustability and lumbar support for the driver, which savvily adds living room-grade comfort to the cabin.

While you’re weighing the many options and building your ultimate family-friendly rig, check out the Option Group here at the Powerhouse: this provides you with dual-zone climate control and three 3-prong 120 Volt outlets inside to equip you with all the extra power you'll need. Powertrain duty is handled by the gas-powered 6.6-liter V8, and our very own signature favorite in the form of the Duramax turbo diesel 6.6-liter V8. The gas engine brings 401 horsepower and 464 lb-ft of torque to the table, with the diesel upping the haul-ready stakes to 470 horsepower and 975 lb-ft. 

Even though the Silverado weighs over 7,000 lbs, the throttle response is excellent, thanks to the improved low-end torque and very precise shifting from the 10-speed automatic. During a few tight turns on Florida’s Panhandle highways, the Silverado offered up a very controlled and lightweight steering quality, along with minimal body roll. Off-road Bilstein Shocks offer the perfect balance of boulder-conquering capability with a very smooth, on-road driving experience. The 2500 Crew Cab with a standard bed and 6.6-liter diesel engine can tow up to 20,000 pounds, thanks to the much larger 12.0-inch rear axle on the 3500 HD’s frame.

The All-Star Edition sets its lofty sights on towing as a priority, and comes equipped with adaptive cruise control, enhanced transparent trailer view, a trailer blind side alert, and a gross combined weight rating alert. Other safety features on the 2024 Silverado include front pedestrian braking, a forward collision alert, automatic emergency braking, and lane departure warning. The adaptive cruise function works even while a trailer is trustily hooked up and does a fantastic job of accounting for the trailer’s extra weight and aerodynamic drag if you suddenly need to slow down for incoming traffic.

New Silverado EV Work Truck’s 450-Mile Version Exciting Arrival Redefines an Era

The pickup wars now are in a completely different era here at the Mid Missouri Powerhouse, as electrification has ushered in an age that accentuates the importance of a vehicle’s range performance. The Silverado EV work truck for fleet customers now resides at an EPA estimated range of 450 miles on a full charge, which is an additional 50 miles richer than the previous estimate of 400 miles. This phenomenal grand total provides the truck with 100 miles more of additional range over the competing Rivian R1T Pickup, along with Ford’s F150 lightning featuring an extended battery pack.

The Work Truck Series is meant for GM's commercial fleet customers and will soon arrive armed with a 450-mile range and its very own modern means of offering tomorrow’s truck today. There will also be another work truck model available with an estimated 350 miles of range, and the first consumer version of the Silverado EV is set to arrive in the fall. This important update regarding the Silverado EV arrives after Tesla just this week conducted its annual shareholder meeting, where “cyber truck production later this year” was officially announced.

As the entry-level offering in the Silverado lineup, work truck models are priced generally lower as an attractive option for commercial operators that are keen on squeezing as much range as they can in the name of business. This year has already seen the release of the Silverado EV, the Chevy Blazer, and Equinox EVs, which GM says will all have a base price of around $30,000. The goal for GM is to have a finalized EV production of 400,000 vehicles by the middle of next year, setting their sights on expanding capacity to 1,000,000 EVs every year by 2025.

Resembling a more classic take on the electric pickup truck and still being available with a midgate design, next year’s Silverado EV may remind some of the now-discontinued Avalanche pickup from the early 2000s. DC fast-charging technology can provide the battery with 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes, and dual electric motors are the driving force behind the standard all-wheel drive and up to 100 miles of range in just 10 minutes. The Silverado EV will not have any shaky shortcomings whatsoever in the towing department with its 10,000-lb capacity, and ability to haul up to 1300 pounds of payload. 

The Car and Driver review crew were able to get their own peek inside the loaded RST model, and were impressed with its fixed glass roof, black-and-white two-tone leather upholstery with red piping, and about the same passenger space as a regular Silverado crew cab pickup. There is a column-mounted stalk that acts as mounting for the shifter, which makes for a very cool and massive storage bin between the dashboard and middle armrest. 

We expect Apple CarPlay and Android Auto to come as standard, with in-dash navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio, and an onboard Wi-Fi hotspot checking in as other perks of the package. The 2024 Silverado EV's key safety features will include standard automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, available lane departure warning with lane keeping assist, and available adaptive cruise control with semi-autonomous driving mode. When combined with the available accessory power bar, the Silverado EV's power base charging system offers up to 10 outlets, for a total of 10.2kW of available chores for anything from outdoor activities to even powering your home.