Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Edition In-Depth Review

Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Edition is the most off-road ready truck in the Chevy lineup, but does it do enough to justify its price?

Sometimes the look is all that matters. If you want a Chevy truck that looks tough, rugged and can take you anywhere, then this is it. The Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Edition. It is an already capable ZR2 that has raided the American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) parts catalog. It looks the business. And speaking of business, you had better own a successful one because this truck is going to cost you over $80,000. So, if the look is all that matters, and you have the money stop reading right now. Head to your local Chevy dealer and place an order. But what if you want a truck that actually performs as good as it looks? Can the Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Edition do all the things that you would expect from such an expensive truck? That is the $80,000 question.

A video was recently posted on the Brian Makse YouTube channel that features the Silverado 1500 ZR2 Bison Edition. In the video Makse gives an overview of all the trick features on the truck. But more importantly he drives it. There is no challenging off-roading taking place, so it is tough to say for certain how well the truck will do in truly difficult conditions. But the driving impressions are valuable and give us an idea of the pros and cons of the vehicle.

ZR2 Bison Edition

So, how does this truck earn the Bison name? What does it have that the regular ZR2 doesn’t? Well, the simple answer is that it comes with a crap ton of AEV gear. AEV skid plates cover the chassis, transfer case, rear diff and fuel tank. It also comes with AEV front and rear stamped steel bumpers with heavy-duty cast recovery points. 18-inch AEV wheels and even AEV floor liners are part of the package. It certainly toughens up the truck, but it also tacks on $8,440 to the price.

Regular ZR2

Makse heaps all sorts of praise on the Multimatic DSSV dampers and lifted suspension. And for good reason. They both help the truck perform better on and off the road. But they are also included in the regular Silverado ZR2. He also loves the optional 6.2L V8 engine, but that is also available on the regular ZR2. Makse also calls out the solid performance of the Goodyear Wrangler Territory tires, but guess what? Yup, those are on the regular ZR2 as well.

Worth It?

It is your money, so only you can decide if the Bison is worth the extra coin over the regular ZR2. The biggest difference between the two is a bit of extra protection and the AEV branding. Yes, the bumpers will improve approach and departure angles a bit, but the ZR2 is already a capable truck. Checking the Bison Edition option box doesn’t really add $8K+ of functionality. But it sure looks cool, and if you want the top trim and will not settle for anything less, then the Bison is a must-have.

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Joe Kucinski

Joe has been obsessed with cars since he got his very first Matchbox toy in the ‘70s. In 2003, he found a new obsession in track days that led to obtaining his SCCA competition license in 2015. In 2019, he became a certified driving instructor for the National Auto Sport Association. His love for all things four wheels has never wavered, whether it's driving some of the best cars in the world on the racetrack, tackling 2,000-mile road trips in 2-seat sports cars or being winched off the side of a mountaintop in a Jeep. Writing for the suite of Internet Brands Auto Communities sites, including Rennlist.com, Ford Truck Enthusiasts, 6 Speed and more allows him to share that knowledge and passion with others.