The Ultimate Off-Road Experience: Testing the 2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2

Bryon Dorr . July 10, 2023 . Feature Stories

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2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Testing

It’s the morning of day three and I’m bombing down a deep sandy gully that follows some power lines across the desert as far as the eye can see. The truck I’m piloting is doing the deep sandy rut dance and I’m staying loose and letting it do its thing. A sharper-than-expected corner comes up quickly and the rear tires come out of the rut as I toss the truck aggressively into the corner and stay on the gas. I’ve got it in 4WD, with all the electronic nannies turned off, and Baja mode engaged. The backend swings out in a controlled four-wheel drift in the deep sandy gully that has me giggling like a schoolgirl and scanning ahead for the next opportunity to do it again.

“Weightlessness lasted much longer than anticipated, but when the truck came back to terra firm, the landing was so smooth and controlled that the grin on my face just got bigger.”

Driving in 2WD, Baja mode, and traction and stability control turned off makes for a very fun time off-road at speed over moderate terrain.

My confidence has grown in the machinery over the past two-plus days and my right foot has gotten heavier. As I come around another sweeping corner a quick uphill elevation change appears. A mischievous grin imprints itself on my face as I push my right foot to the floor and at takeoff straighten the wheel. Weightlessness lasted much longer than anticipated, but when the truck came back to terra firm, the landing was so smooth and controlled that the grin on my face just got bigger.

Shiny low mile new trucks at the starting line ready for the big off-road miles ahead.

Adventure Testing

This was the final morning of a three-day adventure driving from Las Vegas to Reno on the Best in the Desert racecourse in the new 2023 Chevy Colorado ZR2. It is also the first media drive of the next-generation truck, with only nine top journalists in attendance. For sure, it is just a media review/content creation drive and not a race, but they did let us pick numbers and put the numbers and our last names on the trucks. That makes them race trucks, right?

We did get one flat, an inner sidewall tear, from a piece of sharp shale.

We started in the glitz of a Vegas casino, spent the second night in the old-school desert outpost of Tonopah, the third night in the bustling town of Fallon, and finished off in Reno with snow-covered mountains looming over the city. The finish line was actually at Chad Hall’s race shop outside of Reno with a special visit from a heavily camoed ZR2, on 35s, covered in AEV parts — yes, the Colorado ZR2 Bison.

Comfort and capability are strengths of this truck on road as well. It eats highway miles with ease. (Photo: Joshua Walker)

My truck had just over 300 miles on it when the trip began, and I added over 700 behind the wheel, 400+ of that on dirt. Over the three-day adventure, we generally followed the exact route of the 2022 Vegas to Reno race, with detours made and sections removed for snowy mountain passes, time issues you get with a 12-vehicle convoy, a good number of flat tires, one driver error rock impact, a few loose lightbars, and me almost running out of fuel after burning too much on an early morning photo/video mission.

Colorado ZR2 First Impressions

If you couldn’t tell from the intro, I’m impressed with this new truck. It’s a great size for everyday practicality, has magic shocks that are as good on road as off, and finally has an interior that isn’t offensively bad. Better yet, the interior is actually quite nice, and has all the latest tech.

Chad Hall’s 2023 Colorado ZR2 stock class race truck

The camera system is top notch, and includes an under-truck trail cam, with lens cleaner system. The off-road driving modes and standard features, like front and rear lockers, make this truck not only capable but easy to control for any skill-level driver. The 33-inch all-terrain tires are a perfect on-road/off-road compromise, although I’d put a tire with a stronger sidewall on the truck for heavy off-road use. I do love that the 2023 Colorado now has the same wheel bolt pattern as the full-size trucks, which opens up a wide range of wheel options to choose from.

The 2023 Colorado ZR2 is a sporty and fun truck, especially in the desert at high speeds.

I’d prefer the options of a longer truck bed and an extended cab, but it’s obvious that Chevy’s research shows that the crew-cab short box (5’1.7” long bed) is what the majority of buyers in this category want. I’d also prefer a few more hard buttons, versus so many controls buried in the infotainment menu screens. For example, there are no hard buttons/switches/dials for the headlights, fog lights, or traction control.

“It’s a great size for everyday practicality, has magic shocks that are as good on road as off, and finally has an interior that isn’t offensively bad.”

The new ZR2 is tuned considerably better than the last generation truck for slow-speed technical terrain, and the 2-inch larger diameter tires help quite a bit as well.

This truck flies! But, most importantly, it lands in complete comfort and control. (Photo: Joshua Walker)

The death of the gas V6 and diesel engine options in the Colorado is both a blessing and a curse. Sure, you get as much instant torque as the diesel offered and as much horsepower as the gas V6 but gone are the fuel economy of the diesel and great sounds and linear powerband of the naturally aspirated V6. The new one engine for all Colorado trucks 2.7L gas inline-four turbo is an impressive piece of engineering that does its job well, but I really don’t love the sounds it makes, and the fuel economy isn’t very impressive — 19 MPG rated, but much less if you have a heavy right foot like me.

“Chevrolet basically took its recipe of sharp looks, great shocks, and loads of quality off-road equipment and added in a refined interior with the latest tech and a simplified options list…”

Tech like wireless Apple CarPlay makes adventures in the ZR2 that much easier.

The remote off-road trails around Nevada offer spectacular vistas.

Worth the Dollars?

Would I buy a new Colorado ZR2? The answer is yes. It far outshines any other mid-size truck on the market at the moment (although by the time this publishes the next generation Tacoma TRD Pro and Ranger Tremor trucks will have been revealed). Chevrolet basically took its recipe of sharp looks, great shocks, and loads of quality off-road equipment and added in a refined interior with the latest tech and a simplified options list (one configuration and one engine).

It’s a few screens deep, but you can fully turn off all the computer nannies that try to spoil your hooligan driving fun.

The Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers are the true magic sauce in the ZR2.

What I might do, however, is wait for the Colorado ZR2 Bison, which will roll on 35-inch tires, have more skid plates, proper bumpers, and possibly an even nicer interior. Speaking of refinement, I’d also have a look at the Colorado ZR2’s stable mate the GMC Canyon AT4X. It will cost more, but you’ll get a more luxurious interior, unique exterior styling, and the same optional AEV upgrades.

“The off-road driving modes and standard features, like front and rear lockers, make this truck not only capable but easy to control for any skill-level driver.”