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Red 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X driving on a mountainous road

2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X Battles the 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 for Off-Road Pickup Truck Supremacy

The newest addition to the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 family is the AT4X model. It's off-road focused and instantly bolsters the Sierra 1500 lineup. Now the AT4X goes head-to-head against the ZR2. Which one is better for off-road driving?

The newest addition to the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 family is the AT4X model. It’s off-road focused and instantly bolsters the Sierra 1500 lineup. The unveiling wasn’t much of a shock after its sister brand revealed the 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 not too long ago. We expected the same style trim-level to arrive for GMC’s light truck model for this model year as well. Now the AT4X goes head-to-head against the ZR2. Which one is better for off-road driving?

What off-road features does each truck have?

Red 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X driving on a mountainous road
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X | GMC

The AT4X comes with plenty of off-road focused features to make sure you’re ready for any terrain. The truck sits on 18-inch wheels with Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac Mud-Terrain tires. It comes standard with a factory-installed 2-inch lift for added ground clearance. Off-road tuned Rancho shock absorbers assist with smoothing the ride on rough surfaces. Terrain mode allows one-pedal driving for those low-speed areas where wheel placement is imperative. Also included are advanced Multimatic spool-valve dampers, electronic locking front and rear differentials, and extra underbody protection.

The Chevy Silverado ZR2 comes with a lot of the same features as the AT4X. The same dampers, differentials, and a high-approach front bumper highlight the off-road capability. It has the same terrain mode, 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory tires, and steel front and rear bumpers for strength and durability. Unique skid plates are an added bonus to assist with off-road capability.

Do the GMC Sierra 1500 AT4X and Chevy Silverado ZR2 used the same engine?

Blue 2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 driving on desert terrain
Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 | Chevrolet

The Sierra 1500 has a few different engines from which to choose. Each of them is more powerful than the last and includes a V8 and diesel option. Both rear-wheel and four-wheel drive are also available. The AT4X in particular can come with either the 3.0-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel I6 or the 6.2-liter EcoTec3 V8. Both of which are incredibly powerful, and can easily perform well on or off-road.

The Chevy Silverado has basically the same engines available to it as the Sierra 1500 lineup. The Chevy Silverado ZR2 specifically, however, can only come with a single-engine. That is the 6.2-liter V8 meaning the Duramax Turbo-Diesel available in the AT4X is exclusive. Of the two off-road capable trucks from General Motors, the GMC option is the only one with a diesel engine available.

Sierra 1500 AT4X vs. Silverado ZR2 pricing

The 2022 GMC Sierra AT4 is ready for off-roading
2022 GMC Sierra AT4 | GMC

Depending on which of the engines, and multiple other things, you choose, the Sierra 1500 AT4X can range in price quite a bit. Starting with the 4WD crew cab option, the V8 engine instantly makes it cost $59,945. A multitude of packages are available and can be added for extra. The AT4 Premium package costs $2,905, the Technology package costs $2,075, and so on. Adding just the AT4 Premium package caps the price off at $62,350.

Chevy has not released the official pricing of the ZR2, nor has it enabled the build and price function for one on its website. However, we took a stab at estimating the starting price of a ZR2 previously. It’s expected to be around $55,000, which would put it just a notch below the AT4X. We’d expect adding a few extras would easily put it beyond the $60,000 mark.

Other than some minor pricing differences, engines, and the overall design of the vehicles, these are very similar trucks. The 2022 Sierra 1500 AT4X is taking on a lot of the same features the Silverado ZR2 will have. We knew they’d be similar since they historically share so much, but choosing one is really up to your taste. The differences between the two aren’t significant enough to crown one as much better than the other. Though GMC’s offering is the more “luxurious” of the two.

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