We’re only beginning to get used to the ZR2 name as part of the Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck. Chevy isn’t giving us time to sit back and simply enjoy the added off-road benefits of the ZR2 model. Instead, they offer a new ZR2 Bison package for the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado half-ton truck. Is there enough in the Bison Package to make it the truck you want to drive?

What’s the difference between ZR2 and Bison in the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado?

To create the Bison Package, Chevy turned to the team at American Expedition Vehicles to add more to the Silverado pickup truck. The differences between these two packages are pretty straightforward. The ZR2 package includes:

• 33-inch tall tires
• DSSV Multimatic spool-valve shocks
• Updated Dashboard
• Improved infotainment/gauge cluster screens
• Skidplates
• Stronger bumpers
• Terrain mode
• Driver-selectable locking front and rear differentials

While the Bison package adds:

• Five Ultra-tough boron-steel skid plate
• Upgraded bumper package
• Rock rails
• Added body cladding
• Recovery points
• Fog lights
• AEV wheels

The added protection that turns the Silverado into the Bison model makes it ideal for long-distance off-road adventures. This truck offers enough protection to handle rock crawling and some of the toughest trails you can find.

Can the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison take on other hardcore off-road trucks?

We see a pair of hardcore off-road trucks in the market that might be too much for the Silverado to challenge them. The Ram 1500 TRX and Ford Raptor offer serious off-road qualities that are nearly impossible to match.

The new ZR2 Bison should use the 6.2-liter V8 engine, which offers 420 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque. This isn’t even close to what we see in the Ford and Ram models. The F-150 Raptor gives you 30 more horsepower than the Chevy, and the TRX has the Hellcat engine under the hood to give you 705 horsepower out on the trails.

Maybe this truck needs the upcoming diesel engine

TFL Trucks tells us the ZR2 Bison package isn’t a confirmed item for this Chevy half-ton pickup truck yet, but something else is. An upgraded Duramax diesel engine arrives for the 2023 model year. This new engine also ushers in a specialized 10-speed automatic transmission. Something about this new transmission hints at more hardcore off-road driving.

The new MQB 10-speed automatic transmission can handle up to 627 lb-ft of torque. Could this be the new number for the upcoming 3.0-liter Duramax diesel engine, or will a new engine make its way to the Silverado lineup? If it does, this engine could give the ZR2 Bison model enough power to compete with the Ram TRX.

How much is a ZR2 Bison?

Without an official word, this package is available for the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado. It’s hard to know how much this package will cost. The ZR2 model for 2022 costs $65,100, and you can expect the added Bison package to increase the price.

Is the Silverado ZR2 Bison a cool truck?

The added capability features and protection make driving across the wilderness more enjoyable in the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 Bison. This factor does make this truck pretty cool, but it’s not quite in the same class as the hardcore off-road trucks. Of course, you’ll have plenty of trail-riding fun in this Chevy truck, but will you feel like something’s missing when you push the gas pedal hard?

Next, check out the Toyota Tundra Capstone, or watch the video below with the Raptor and ZR2 going head to head:

This article was updated on 8/3/2022.