2022 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2—Test Drive Review

Chevrolet sent us a nicely loaded $72,770 Glacier Blue Metallic Silverado ZR2 for testing. And we spent the better part of a day getting dirty with this rig at Hungry Valley SVRA in Gorman, CA. Later, we piled some 300 miles on the rig on the streets and freeways of Los Angeles County. How does the ZR2 stack up against the competition? Let’s find out.

The Hardware

The bones of the ZR2 are certainly good ones. The Silverado 1500 line was made new back in 2019. And that fully boxed steel frame is lighter than the old one yet offers 10 percent greater torsional rigidity. Chevy says 80 percent of the frame is crafted from high strength steel varying from 2-5 mm in thickness. Compared to the outgoing model, this new one was 450 lbs. lighter. The aluminum hood, doors and tailgate contribute 88 lbs. to that lightness. And this frame is certainly a solid place to develop the ZR2.

The ZR2’s suspension is really an evolution of the Trail Boss. And up front that means the ride height remains the same as a Trail Boss—two inches above other Silverados. But the ZR2’s double wishbone IFS has unique springs and tuning to coax two more inches of wheel travel for a total of 9.84-inches. Those springs are damped by 40mm Multimatic DSSV dampers similar in design (but up-sized) to the ones fitted to the Colorado ZR2. And protecting the components are plenty of skid plates. But here’s the best news, unlike any other light-duty full size truck, the ZR2 is equipped with an electronic locking front differential. Yes finally—a factory locker up front.

The rear suspension is also very similar to the Trail Boss with two-inch taller springs. However that spring pack has been re-tuned to deliver another inch of wheel travel for a total of 10.62-inches. And in the rear, Chevy has also fitted Multimatic dampers. The rear 9.5-inch solid axle is also fitted with an electronic locking differential along with 3.23:1 gears to match the front. 

Under the hood of the ZR2 is a standard 6.2-liter V8. It’s the same unit found in other GM trucks. And here it generates the same 420 hp at 5,600 rpm and 460 lb-ft of torque at 4,100 rpm. The big V8 is paired to GM’s 10-speed automatic with a 4.70:1 First gear and overdrives in the top three gears. And a two-speed transfer case with 2.72:1 gearing is operated by dash-mounted switches offering 2WD, Auto 4WD (all-wheel drive), 4WD High and 4WD Low.

The ZR2’s suspension modification should help it score slightly better on a ramp (RTI) than a standard Crew Cab Silverado, which hits an RTI of around 410, depending upon the ramp used. But one thing that absolutely improves over other Silverados are the off road angles. And a big part of that is the re-sculpted front facia. The new ZR2 has an approach angle of 31.8 degrees, breakover angle of 23.4 degrees and departure angle of 23 degrees. For the record, that’s a better approach angle and breakover angle than the TRX (30 degrees and 21.9 degrees respectively) and a nearly identical departure angle (23.4 degrees). 

A Raptor with 37-inch tires has a bit more clearance with an approach angle of 33.1 degrees, breakover angle of 24.4 degrees and departure angle of 24.9 degrees. But the takeaway here is that the lower ZR2 with smaller tires should be able to tackle slow-speed obstacles without scraping nearly as well as those higher-performance trucks wearing larger tires. And though the ZR2 shares most of its mechanicals with the GMC Sierra AT4X, the GMC doesn’t have a front fascia that’s nearly as aggressive as the Chevy. So in terms of real off-road capability, the Chevy should be able to do more than the GMC.

The ZR2 may have a less aggressive off-road suspension than the TRX and Raptor but unfortunately that doesn’t really translate into more hauling ability. Our truck had a GVWR of 7,100 lbs and offered a payload of just 1,258 lbs. That’s actually a little less than the last TRX we tested and a fairly low number for a full size truck. The last F-150 Tremor we tested could tow 2,000 lbs. more trailer and handle almost 700 lbs. more in the bed. 

On the Street

It’s fair to say that when this generation Chevy Silverado debuted in 2019, the exterior design was polarizing—not everyone loved it. The Trail Boss models improved the look to be sure. And now, wearing even more aggressive styling, the ZR2 looks downright tough. The new front facia adds a purposeful look to the truck as does the blacked out hood and grill treatment. The hollowed out “Flow Tie” Chevy bowtie emblem looks cool too.

One of the best things about the ZR2 is that it drives just like a normal Chevy Silverado. It doesn’t carry a widebody like the Raptor and TRX, so it fits in parking spaces and generally feels more manageable around tight urban confines. The suspension is a bit of a mixed bag. On some roads, the truck feels smooth and supple and on others, it’s bouncy and firm. Up on the freeway, the ride is definitely firm and certain sections can cause significant chassis hop. In short, don’t expect the ZR2 to provide a smoother ride than other Silverados.

The 6.2-liter V8 that comes standard here is always a favorite of ours. This is one of the best truck engines on the market. And the ZR2 pulls hard from a stoplight and never feels underpowered. It’s great to have a traditional V8 under your right foot and the soundtrack to go with it. That said, our truck did not have the optional Borla exhaust. If it were our truck, that would be an option we’d add for sure. Still, the ZR2 always feels muscular and quick when you need it to be.

The 10-speed automatic is quick shifting and always seems to be in the right gear. But here’s the thing, the ZR2 is a sporty truck, so why not have a sport mode with even more proactive shifting? If you want to shift the truck manually, at least there are paddle shifters.

And speaking of the interior, all 2022 Silverados benefit from a new interior this year. It’s a major improvement over the last truck. First, there’s a huge 12.3-inch digital gauge cluster screen that’s reconfigurable to display four different looks. To our eye, they’re all a bit fussy. Plus, the tachometer is on the left instead of the right, which looks downright odd. Still, there’s a lot of information that can be accessed in that cluster and it worked just fine for us. The massive new 13.4-inch touchscreen is great to use and sits up high on the dash close to eye level. And that’s another difference between this and the GMC. The GMC’s cluster is slightly lower, so you have to dip your eyes slightly to use the touchscreen. It’s not a huge difference, but if you are cross shopping the two trucks, it’s something to note.

The whole look and feel of the interior is far more modern and luxurious than before. The wireless phone charging pad worked well for us too. The ZR2 has a unique seat material that almost feels rubberized. We like it. It certainly must work well for those that live in mud country. There’s also loads of storage with a nice cubby above the screen, a deep well just under the HVAC and well-designed cup holders too.

Like most V8-powered full size trucks, the ZR2 won’t be your friend at the gas pump. The EPA estimates the ZR2 to return 14 mpg in the city and 17 mpg on the highway. In our time with the truck, we saw just 14.1 mpg. That’s basically the same fuel economy that we achieved with a 37-inch tall tire Raptor—not great. We hear that Chevy will offer the 3.0-liter Duramax diesel as an option soon. We’d be tempted to check that box.

On the Trail

Chevy upsizes the rubber on these trucks slightly compared to Trail Boss. So our truck was fitted with 275/70R18 Goodyear Territory MTs (33-inches tall) instead of 276/65R18s (32-inches tall) on Trail Boss models. And clearance does improve. We measured 11.5-inches under the front differential and about 10.25-inches under the rear axle. 

On some terrain around the park, the ZR2 is a bit stiff-legged. So, if you were expecting the ZR2 to have the pillowy ride more like a Raptor—it doesn’t. We found it to have a good ride on the powerline road and other mid-speed mild trails around the park. And the ZR2 can take a pounding far better than a conventional Trail Boss. Those Multimatic dampers really let you pile on some speed before the suspension bottoms. We maintained 30 mph on this section which is a fairly good clip. But unlike the TRX or Raptor, push a little too hard over a bigger bump and the nose will pogo off the bump stops. And that’s true of the Ram Rebel and F-150 Tremor too, although those trucks hit that limit at a lower speed.  

Even though the suspension is a bit firm, the ZR2 is a fun sand performer. Two-wheel drive is all you need. The ZR2 will drift around nicely without muck axle hop. And that’s rare for an unladen, leaf-sprung pickup. But lock the rear diff and the hop disappears. Shift into 4WD High and the ZR2 hooks up even better. The big V8 has plenty of torque down low and power at the top end to really spin those tires and have a blast. Though the ZR2 clicked in and out of 4WD without a problem, we have issues with the 4WD switch as well as the vehicle modes. Please stand by for a rant.

Once again, GM decided to place the 4WD controls in a difficult to access location. The small plastic pod that contains these switches and a dial for the drive modes is stuck next to the headlight switch, slightly obscured by the steering wheel, above the left knee. The entire point of this truck is to go have fun off-road so why isn’t the 4WD switchgear featured prominently and located in an easy-to-see spot near the shifter? Chevy puts the switches that control the electronic lockers in that general location—why not the 4WD switches? 

But hey, at least those switches work well. We had no trouble toggling in and out of 4WD. However we found the ZR2s drive modes lacking. The mode selector dial has two off road modes: Off-road and Terrain. According to GM, Off-road mode provides the least interference from the truck. In other words, it backs off on the electronic interventions and is designed for those that have some knowledge of how to drive off-road. 

On the other side, Terrain mode uses all the tech on-board available to make driving in the dirt easier for novices. For instance, it provides a one-pedal drive mode that allows you to negotiate an obstacle without touching the brakes. Both modes worked just fine, however we’d prefer to have multiple modes that have the truck’s systems (engine, transmission, steering, etc) coordinated for particular terrains. We’ve found that modes like “Baja” that some manufacturers offer really do enhance the off-road experience. 

In low range, the ZR2 really comes into its own. And on our heavily rutted 26 degree hill climb, the ZR2 was able to idle up incredibly easily with both lockers engaged. There was almost no dust, tirespin or drama. It’s hard to remember a truck that tackled this hill as smoothly. It’s just a tractor on terrain like this and could be one of our favorite full size trucks for slow-speed four-wheeling.

Thanks to the excellent clearance all around the body and the traction of the front and rear locking differentials, the ZR2 can tackle obstacles we normally shy away from in a truck this size. That front diff is helpful because it can get you out of a tricky spot (as it did for us once) or when left on, can provide a bit of traction insurance that you’ll make it through a tough area with control, precision and hardly any tire spin. It adds another dimension to the truck’s capabilities. 

On our mogul climb course, the ZR2 was capable enough to make the climb without lockers. But there was plenty of tirespin and dust. One locker helped but when we engaged both, we were able to walk the truck up and down without so much as a poof of dust from the tires—truly elegant four-wheeling. Plus, several times we decided to change our line midway, taking a sharp angle across the course and then weaving back the other way, the ZR2 was happy to oblige. We’ve tried that move in some other trucks and we’ve gotten stuck and had to back down.

The Bottom Line

The ZR2 is a bit of a mixed bag for us. We like many things about the ZR2 to be sure. The enhanced traction from the front and rear lockers is perhaps the truck’s biggest asset. But the excellent clearance around the truck, increased suspension travel and damping and that powerful V8 make it an enjoyable truck to ‘wheel. However the suspension just doesn’t have as much wheel travel or comfort as we’d like. That’s an area we’d certainly be tempted to fix with some aftermarket suspension components. 

This ZR2 stickers for over $72,000. And that puts it in a price class with some very capable trucks. A base TRX costs the same money as our ZR2. And for just $10,000 more you can have a Raptor riding on 37-inch tires. Still, the ZR2 is an easy truck to live with every day. We could see this being a popular rig in areas where high-speed desert-style driving is way less important than deep mud and wet trail traction. And for that type of four-wheeling, the ZR2 is in a class of one.