2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD ZR2 Is a Serious Plus-Size Off-Roader

Lifted heavy-duty pickups are nothing new, and in most parts of the country, so-called brodozers are a common sight. Ford’s Super Duty Tremor and the Ram 2500 Power Wagon represent factory entries into this arena, but the new 2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD ZR2 is arguably the best turnkey example of the breed due in large part to its independent front suspension. No, really.

The Power Wagon, replete with a standard winch and disconnectable front anti-roll bar, is clearly optimized as a rough country rock crawler. The Tremor, on the other hand, has more general appeal with its mildly lifted suspension, somewhat burlier dampers, and oversized tires. Traditionalists will say that the solid front axles that underpin both models are preferable when tackling boulders, but such hardware comes with an abundance of unsprung mass that hurts them in conditions that are arguably more crucial more of the time.

The Silverado 2500HD’s independent front suspension and the low unsprung mass that comes with it is a boon in daily driving, improving ride comfort and steering precision and minimizing chatter over washboard dirt roads. In the case of the ZR2, you can add swallowing up the whoops and rolling terrain of the wide-open desert to that list. We know this because we drove one to California’s Johnson Valley, site of the notorious King of the Hammers extreme off-road race, to see for ourselves.

2500HD ZR2 equipment

In Silverado HD form, the ZR2 formula consists of 35-inch-tall Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT mud-terrain tires on 18-inch wheels, a 1.5-inch suspension lift, and an electronically locking rear differential. But the ZR2’s killer app is undoubtedly its Multimatic DSSV dampers. They feature an aluminum body to better dissipate heat, durable and fade-resistant spool valves configured to provide position-sensitive damping, and piggyback external oil reservoirs that house more oil to reject even more heat—the latter fitted not just to the rear, but also the front. The HD competition has nothing like them.

On the less-than-perfect paved roads heading out to Johnson Valley, the ZR2 exhibited precious little head toss, minimal impact shock, and a surprisingly low level of tire noise from its big Goodyear tires. The ride remained smooth even after we turned onto the washboard dirt entrance road, with none of the skittering we usually experience in plus-size pickups. But the biggest surprise was the control and stability the truck displayed on the countless crisscrossing dirt tracks that have been terraformed into standing waves by the passage of numerous dirt bikes and UTVs. Here, the HD’s ZR2 setup seemingly shrinks the truck by delivering an ability to absorb terrain that belies this behemoth’s size and weight.

Farther into the off-road area, that feeling continues to come through when tackling the more boulder-strewn and remote trails of Johnson Valley, where the crew-cab standard-bed ZR2 can tiptoe through terrain you might personally tackle on foot with trekking poles. The purists are probably correct about the worthiness of solid front axles in this environment, as the apparent articulation of the Silverado’s independent front suspension isn’t as impressive as the last Power Wagon we sampled. Still, the ZR2 displayed eye-popping capability in this terrain.

ZR2 Bison add-ons

Rockier tracks like these are best tackled with the ZR2 Bison package, which adds a winch-capable AEV steel front bumper with integrated fog lights and a pair of massive recovery points, an AEV steel rear bumper with similarly beefy recovery points, 18-inch AEV wheels (including the spare), and boron-steel bash plates under the engine, transfer case, and fuel tank. The usual differential shield isn’t present on the HD ZR2 because the rear-end housing is a massive lump of iron in its own right. GM’s Multi-Flex tailgate comes along for the ride, too, even though it’s not necessarily an off-road essential.

The interesting thing about bringing a 2500HD ZR2 out to Johnson Valley is it’s not the least bit theoretical. People tow sizable toy haulers out here behind 2500-series trucks on a routine basis, and the Silverado 2500HD ZR2 remains utterly capable in this regard. The standard gasoline-burning, 401-hp 6.6-liter V-8 can tow 16,000 pounds with a conventional hitch, while the optional turbo-diesel 6.6-liter V-8 with 975 pound-feet of torque is good for 18,500 pounds. The diesel advantage shrinks where fifth-wheel towing is concerned, with both setups good for just over 18,000 pounds if you opt for the Gooseneck/Fifth Wheel Prep package (the Bison upgrade reduces fifth-wheel maximums for gas and diesel models to 16,900 and 15,570 pounds, respectively.) The thing is, after you unhook your trailer you can load the crew into your HD ZR2 tow vehicle and head off for some rocky perch to watch the nimbler UTVs and purpose-built Jeeps tackle the more insane trails of the King of the Hammers course.

2500HD ZR2 interior

Inside, both flavors of the ZR2 benefit from the Silverado HD lineup’s welcome 2024 interior refresh that features a vastly improved control layout, a configurable 12.3-inch instrument display, and a much-improved infotainment touchscreen that is 13.4 inches. The latter was of particular benefit when traversing rocky terrain and cresting uncertain brows, as the high-resolution forward-facing camera pairs nicely with the enlarged high-definition display to give the driver a clear picture of the potential perils that lie hidden in wait. The inevitable wide-angle distortion is no substitute for a spotter in truly precarious terrain, but this system works admirably well up to that point. The only potential improvement would be a camera-lens washer system to rinse off dust and grime.

Chevrolet is asking $72,595 for a gas-engine 2500HD ZR2, which is amazingly just $700 more than a 1500 ZR2. The entry price of a diesel-powered HD ZR2 rises to $82,085. That’s not as eye-watering as it seems at first glance—it’s comparable to both the Ram Power Wagon (gasoline only) and a similarly equipped Lariat-level F-250 Tremor, though the XLT version of the Ford is cheaper at $61,880 to start. But the ZR2 is a good deal on its own considering the unique worth of its suspension and its trick Multimatic DSSV shocks. Layering on the Bison package adds $9135 to the bottom line though. Whether that extra spend is worth it depends on how you value the AEV bumpers, skidplates, unique wheels, and GM’s Multi-Flex tailgate. None of that stuff will change the Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD ZR2’s performance, but it does make an excellent factory HD off-roader even burlier and more tricked out.

Technical Editor

Dan Edmunds was born into the world of automobiles, but not how you might think. His father was a retired racing driver who opened Autoresearch, a race-car-building shop, where Dan cut his teeth as a metal fabricator. Engineering school followed, then SCCA Showroom Stock racing, and that combination landed him suspension development jobs at two different automakers. His writing career began when he was picked up by Edmunds.com (no relation) to build a testing department.