Review: 2023 GMC Canyon AT4
The 2023 GMC Canyon is all new and the most upscale version of the midsize pickup ever made. Fox News Digital Autos Editor Gary Gastelu reviews.
Chevrolet is ready to unleash its baby Bison.
The 2024 Colorado ZR2 Bison is a high performance version of the all-new pickup that Chevy claims is "the most capable midsize truck."
Chevy already has a Silverado ZR2 Bison that sits atop the full-size pickup's performance ladder and offered a ZR2 Bison version of the previous generation Colorado.
Both were developed with the help of off-road truck parts specialist American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) and build upon the standard ZR2 trim, which is far from standard.
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The Colorado ZR2 Bison is the highest performance version of the midsize truck. (Chevrolet)
The Colorado ZR2 is equipped with a 310 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine and a suspension system designed for high speed off-roading.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison has five underbody skid plates. (Chevrolet)
It features a special type of shock absorber that was originally developed by Multimatic for road racing cars, but has since been engineered for use in off-road trucks.
It uses a series of spool valves to precisely control the flow of the fluid within the shocks to optimize their damping characteristics depending on the inputs. This allows them to offer a controlled and compliant ride but also handle the sort of impacts a truck endures when riding over large bumps and even jumping.
Jounce dampers help keep the truck from bottoming out during high-speed off-road driving. (Chevrolet)
The Colorado ZR2 Bison keeps the shocks, but adds a set of Multimatic jounce dampers that keep the suspension from bottoming out under the most extreme driving conditions. The Colorado ZR2 Bison is the now the only truck that comes from the factory with this type of feature, which is usually installed as an aftermarket part.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison is equipped with an off-road launch control system. (Chevrolet)
It has also had its traction management system upgraded with a launch control system that works on dirt and allows the driver to hold down the brake and gas pedal, then release the brake for maximum acceleration. After one try, it even learns the coefficient of friction of the surface and adjusts itself to optimize the effect on the next attempt.
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Additional equipment includes AEV designed steel bumpers, with provisions for a winch in front, and a set of five boron steel skid plates to go with its 11.9 inches of ground clearance.
The Colorado ZR2 Bison has 11.9 inches of ground clearance. (Chevrolet)
The Colorado ZR2 Bison rides on a unique set of 17-inch wheels with 35-inch mud terrain tires and comes with a bed-mounted tire carrier for a full size spare that has a tire pressure monitoring system, so you know if it's full when you hit the trail.
A bed-mounted full-size spare tire carrier has a tire pressure monitoring system. (Chevrolet)
The Colorado ZR2 Bison will be competing against the all-new Ford Ranger Raptor and Toyota Tacoma TRD pro when deliveries begin in the fall.
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Chevrolet has not announced pricing for the Colorado ZR2 Bison, but the Colorado ZR2 starts at $48,295, and the Bison package for the Silverado ZR2 costs $7,895.