RIDE-CT – Classic Cars Celebrating Classic Cars in Connecticut
EAST HADDAM, CT – There’s simply no substitute for a big, brawny, V8-powered American-made pickup truck, and the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 is an example of what this country’s auto industry does best. That’s the good news.
The bad news, though, is “How big is too big?”
The Silverado ZR2 towers some 60 inches off the ground up front. Trying to navigate it between a pair of white parking lot lines proved to be a bit of a crap shoot because its obtrusive hood bulges made the whereabouts of its starboard bow – the right front corner – impossible to identify without the onboard camera support.
And when you try to rely on such extra eyes during a dark, rainy night, they’re not at all effective. Garaging it might obviously be a problem as well.
Meanwhile, the rear bed stands 58 inches off the ground, which meant that retrieving anything out of its cargo hold was a chore, too. And I’m 6’4”!
Chevy isn’t kidding when it says the ZR2 package has taken the Silverado to “new heights.”
In all fairness, of course, the Silverado ZR2’s true intention is to conquer big rocky boulders and dirt road washouts; not the Big Y supermarket parking lot. That is why it sports an athletic suspension system that includes 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires, Multimatic DSSV shock absorbers (for consistent damping during the worst of conditions) and two additional inches of suspension elevation.
It also has ambitious front and rear approach/departure angles, a tucked in exhaust, unique skid plates and Hill Descent.
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As gnarly as all that is, the Silverado is surprisingly refined on the road. It’s smoother and quieter than you’d expect. When combined with its rich, leather-appointed, heated and ventilated seats, the power-everything interior is wonderfully comfortable and compliant. That is, once you go through the gyrations of hoisting yourself up into it via a pair of hearty, high-clearance step plates, that is.
The other attribute that sets the off-road ready ZR2 apart is its available, 6.2-liter, star-spangled V8 engine. Such Detroit DNA delivers the authority of 420 hp and 460 lb-ft torque. Stomp on the gas and you’ll not only enjoy an impressive burst of acceleration, but you’ll be rewarded with what becoming a long-lost American tradition. Yes, the siren song of a honkin’ V8 engine at wide open throttle. Yee haw! Truth be told, though, it’s not the most powerful in its competitive class.
And speaking of gas, the V8 Silverado ZR2 is rated at 14 City and 17 Hwy mpg, though on occasion I saw 20 mpg via the 10-speed automatic transmission. It’ll tow 8,900 lbs. A two-speed Autotrac Transfer Case is supplemented with driver-selectable, fully locking front and rear differentials. A 3.0-liter, six-cylinder Turbo Diesel is optionally available.
The Silverado ZR2 can only be had as a four-door crew cab and features a unique grille design, which is appropriately aggressive, along with easily identified Red Recovery tow hooks. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of course. Unfortunately, in this case, it’s not mine.
The instrument panel is a well-balanced combination of 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and 13.4-inch center touchscreen, with a fair share of logical buttons and switches included. As is now pretty much the norm, utmost connectivity is assured with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and Alexa. Beyond the previously mentioned need for front external oversight, cameras abound for visibility support with an array of up to 14 available views. And the Trailering Package includes Hitch Guidance.
A standard suite of driver assists include Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keeping, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, Trailer Blind Zone Alert and more. Which is why the Silverado ZR2 enjoys a 5-Star Government Safety Rating.
It only comes with a single, 69.6-inch (just under six foot) bed choice. My review truck included a versatile Multi-Flex power locking, EZ Lift and Release tailgate. Along with a handy, corner step rear bumper.
Like a lot of current automotive aspirations, if the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 aligns with an actual “Find Your Own Road” lifestyle, as the advertising slogan says, then it will assuredly serve you well in your quest for adventure.
However, if it’s just the off-road image that you’re actually enamored with, and never intend to head beyond Connecticut suburbia with it, then the ZR2 could easily become an everyday beast of burden. Particularly at $71,895 – without options added.
(Photos are courtesy of Chevrolet unless otherwise noted.)
