The Evolution of Mid-Sized Trucks: A New Era of Capability

We are indeed living in a golden age of awesome when it comes to mid-sized trucks, and the latest example of this is the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison. This beast of a truck has been designed to take on even the toughest terrain, and Chevy has pushed the boundaries with changes and upgrades that set it apart from its competitors.

At first glance, the Bison may look like a slightly beefier version of the standard ZR2, but that's where the similarities end. The key to this truck's remarkable capabilities lies in its advanced suspension, running gear, and protective features. The core of the Bison remains the same as the standard ZR2, with a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine producing 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. However, it's the additional upgrades that make this truck truly exceptional.

One of the most notable upgrades is the increased wheelbase, which allows the Bison to accommodate larger tires, including the massive 35-inch Territory Mud Terrain from Goodyear. These tires are a rare sight on mid-sized trucks, and the Bison is the only one in its segment to feature them. The widened front axle and cut-open fenders also enable this truck to wear these enormous tires with ease.

But what truly sets the Bison apart is its advanced suspension system. Chevy has equipped it with hydraulic front and rear Bump Stop, which provides a much smoother ride when driving off-road. This means that even in the most challenging conditions, you'll be able to maintain control of the truck without losing traction or stability. And if disaster strikes, don't worry – Chevy puts a full-size spare tire in the bed, just like previous versions of the Bison.

To further enhance its capabilities, Chevy has partnered with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) to provide additional features and protection. AEV has added five skid plates underneath the truck, which protects the rear differential as well as the fuel tank. These skid plates are two more than those found on the standard ZR2, providing extra peace of mind for off-road enthusiasts. The Bison also comes with sliders sitting below the door cells, which help to prevent damage from rocks and other obstacles.

In addition to its impressive suspension system, the Bison also features a range of advanced running gear, including front and rear lockers that enable four-wheel drive capability. When in Baja mode, the launch control system kicks in, detecting the surface you're on and adjusting to deliver the best possible launch. This means that the Bison can tackle even the most challenging off-road terrain with confidence.

When it comes to sheer capability, the Bison is hard to beat. It boasts an astonishing 12.2 inches of ground clearance and a remarkable 38.2 approach angle, which allows it to navigate even the steepest inclines. And with its advanced suspension system and four-wheel drive capability, you can be sure that this truck will take care of business on even the toughest off-road courses.

The Bison's exterior design is just as impressive as its capabilities. The familiar blue and gold color scheme of the standard ZR2 remains, but with added flair courtesy of AEV. The front bumper is now designed to accommodate a winch, making it easy to recover from difficult situations. And with its advanced running gear and protective features, this truck looks like it's ready for anything.

In short, the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison is an exceptional mid-sized truck that sets the standard for off-road capability. With its advanced suspension system, four-wheel drive capability, and protective features, it's a beast of a truck that's sure to impress even the most seasoned off-road enthusiasts. Whether you're tackling challenging terrain or simply enjoying a weekend getaway, this truck is ready for anything that comes its way.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: entrucks just keep getting better and the latest example of this arrives again in the midsize segment this time from Chevrolet the bow tie brand has just released what may be the burliest Beast out there the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 bison at first glance the Bison looks like a slightly beefier version of the standard ZR2 but Chevy takes things a bit beyond with changes and upgrades to the wheelbase the suspension the running gear and the pieces that protect all the sensitive bits on the underside of this truck the core of it all Remains the 2.7 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and produces 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque there's an 8-speed gearbox backing that up which sends power out to all four wheels and then you also have the front and rear lockers on there as well to turn this into a bison though Chevy actually pushed the front axle forward wide in the tracks and cut open the fenders a bit more and that's what allows this truck to wear 35s that's an insane amount of tire for a midsize truck and in fact this is the only one of them that has it 35s are still a big tire option on full-size trucks these ones are territory mud terrains from Goodyear and they look appropriately Burly on the 17-inch Wheels poke your head into the wheel openings and you'll spot The Familiar blue and gold color scheme of the oh so excellent multimatic dampers those come on the regular ZR2 as well but there's even more multimatic magic here because the Bison gets hydraulic front and rear Bump Stop basically this means when you're going full send and you put this truck into the sky The Landing is a far more comfortable event also if you come down too hard or don't notice a jagged Rock in the trail and blow out one of those meaty 35s Chevy puts a full-size spare in the bed just like the prior version of the Bison Chevy turns to American expedition vehicles to further enhance the truck here AEV puts five skid plates underneath which is two more than the standard ZR2 the extra ones on the Bison protect your rear diff as well as the fuel tank you'll also notice these sliders sitting below the door cells too AEV also makes the fender flares the bumpers and those aforementioned 17-inch Wheels the front bumper is ready to accept a winch by the way and then AEV tosses some badges into the truck on top of that all of these changes and upgrades have created a mid-sized truck that sounds like it's the most beastly thing in the segment you've got 12.2 inches of ground clearance an amazing 38.2 approach angle and launch control when you put the Bison in Baja mode and that launch control system can detect the type of surface you're on and adjust to deliver the best launch accordingly so the Tacoma has the torque the ranger Raptor has the horsepower and the Colorado ZR2 bison looks like it would be fine if you dropped it off a building said it before as recently as a week ago actually and I'll continue to sail we are living in a golden age of awesome if you're shopping for a mid-sized truck foreigntrucks just keep getting better and the latest example of this arrives again in the midsize segment this time from Chevrolet the bow tie brand has just released what may be the burliest Beast out there the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 bison at first glance the Bison looks like a slightly beefier version of the standard ZR2 but Chevy takes things a bit beyond with changes and upgrades to the wheelbase the suspension the running gear and the pieces that protect all the sensitive bits on the underside of this truck the core of it all Remains the 2.7 liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and produces 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque there's an 8-speed gearbox backing that up which sends power out to all four wheels and then you also have the front and rear lockers on there as well to turn this into a bison though Chevy actually pushed the front axle forward wide in the tracks and cut open the fenders a bit more and that's what allows this truck to wear 35s that's an insane amount of tire for a midsize truck and in fact this is the only one of them that has it 35s are still a big tire option on full-size trucks these ones are territory mud terrains from Goodyear and they look appropriately Burly on the 17-inch Wheels poke your head into the wheel openings and you'll spot The Familiar blue and gold color scheme of the oh so excellent multimatic dampers those come on the regular ZR2 as well but there's even more multimatic magic here because the Bison gets hydraulic front and rear Bump Stop basically this means when you're going full send and you put this truck into the sky The Landing is a far more comfortable event also if you come down too hard or don't notice a jagged Rock in the trail and blow out one of those meaty 35s Chevy puts a full-size spare in the bed just like the prior version of the Bison Chevy turns to American expedition vehicles to further enhance the truck here AEV puts five skid plates underneath which is two more than the standard ZR2 the extra ones on the Bison protect your rear diff as well as the fuel tank you'll also notice these sliders sitting below the door cells too AEV also makes the fender flares the bumpers and those aforementioned 17-inch Wheels the front bumper is ready to accept a winch by the way and then AEV tosses some badges into the truck on top of that all of these changes and upgrades have created a mid-sized truck that sounds like it's the most beastly thing in the segment you've got 12.2 inches of ground clearance an amazing 38.2 approach angle and launch control when you put the Bison in Baja mode and that launch control system can detect the type of surface you're on and adjust to deliver the best launch accordingly so the Tacoma has the torque the ranger Raptor has the horsepower and the Colorado ZR2 bison looks like it would be fine if you dropped it off a building said it before as recently as a week ago actually and I'll continue to sail we are living in a golden age of awesome if you're shopping for a mid-sized truck foreign\n"