Find the Right Chevy Colorado for Your Next Off-Road Adventure

A great midsize truck is the perfect option for a lot of drivers, providing you with the functionality and capability of a pickup but in a smaller size that won’t take over your life. In particular, we love midsize trucks for heading off-road since the smaller size can make it a lot easier to navigate tight spots and difficult terrain that is hard to maneuver through in a larger vehicle. The folks at Chevy clearly understand this as well because the Colorado has been offered with industry-leading off-road features and options for quite a few years now. And yet, somehow, the 2024 Chevy Colorado is better than ever, with three incredible trim levels designed to elevate your next adventure and take you further than ever before—not to mention the return of the ZR2 Bison Edition. Let’s have a look at these different options and see which one will best meet your needs out on the trail.

The Colorado Trail Boss

Starting things off, the first of our fantastic off-road Colorado models is the Trail Boss, which builds on what you can find on the first two trims of the Colorado but takes things to the next level. As you’d expect, the Trail Boss (and the other options we’re looking at) is only available with four-wheel drive; all three of these trucks come with the impressive TurboMax engine that delivers 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. This is the same engine you can find standard on the full-size Chevy Silverado 1500, which hints at the kind of power and remarkable performance it brings to the trail.

The Trail Boss features a factory-installed two-inch lift to improve ground clearance, approach angle, and departure angle compared to standard Colorado models. You get 18-inch High Gloss Black wheels with the Trail Boss, which are wrapped in 32-inch all-terrain tires for excellent grip and traction while going off-road. This truck also has an automatic locking rear differential, an Autotrac two-speed transfer case, and a Driver Mode Selector that lets you choose different modes based on your preferences and changing conditions on the trail.

An 11.3-inch infotainment system comes standard in the Trail Boss, along with a six-speaker sound system and an 11-inch Driver Information Center display. You get standard cloth seats in this trim, a six-way manual driver’s seat, and a steering wheel with mounted controls. Remote keyless entry makes it easy to hit the road and get to enjoying yourself quicker, while single-zone climate control keeps you comfortable no matter how tough things get while you’re out in the wilds.

The Colorado Z71

If you like a lot of the features of the Trail Boss but want to elevate your experience in some key ways, then the Z71 is a great choice. This trim comes with 18-inch Android Dark full gloss wheels that look stunning, with the same 32-inch all-terrain tires as the Trail Boss. Overall, the Z71 drives very much like the previous option we looked at, so you don’t have to worry about missing out on anything here. This trim has LED projector headlamps and daylight running lamps, which help improve visibility at all times of day when you’re out on the trail.

You also get 120-volt power outlets in the cab and bed of the Z71, which are easy to access and provide convenient power for small appliances, electronic devices, and other items when you’re far from civilization. Inside the Z71, you’ll find cloth and Evotex seating that looks gorgeous—particularly if you choose the available Jet Black and Adrenaline Red option—and is highly durable for long-term enjoyment. A wrapped steering wheel adds a touch of sophistication, while numerous USB ports make it easy to keep your devices charged while you’re driving.

The Colorado ZR2

If you’re looking to take on more difficult trails, then the Chevy Colorado ZR2 should definitely be on your radar thanks to its enhanced off-road capabilities. For starters, this trim features the incredible ZR2 Off-Road package that includes a three-inch factory-installed lift and a high-performance suspension for a taller, wider stance that improves stability and performance. You also get Multimatic DSSV dampers with this package for added comfort and handling when the trail gets rough, plus an off-road front fascia, rear bumper, and fender flares to elevate performance in the toughest conditions.

This truck features 17-inch Graphite and Oxide Gold wheels wrapped in 33-inch mud-terrain tires, along with driver-selectable full-locking front and rear differentials for greater control on challenging trails. Inside, we find a number of upgrades from the previous two trims, including an eight-way power driver’s seat with lumbar control and heated front seats that are perfect for heading to mountain trails. We get cloth and Evotex seating again, which is nice, keyless entry and start, remote start, and even dual-zone automatic climate control so you and your passenger riding shotgun can each be as comfortable as possible.

The Colorado ZR2 Bison

For the 2024 Colorado, Chevy has reintroduced the ZR2 Bison Edition. Developed as part of a partnership with American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), the ZR2 Bison builds on everything the standard ZR2 model offers and improves on it in numerous ways. This is the ultimate expression of off-road performance and capability for the Colorado and the perfect choice if you want something that’s ready for anything you can think to throw at it.

The ZR2 Bison has segment-exclusive Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers for added comfort and stability on the roughest trails, plus an AEV heavy-duty winch-capable front bumper, AEV rear bumper, and AEV fender flares for added style and off-road capability. You also get AEV 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, which are wrapped in segment-exclusive 35-inch mud-terrain tires to provide you with incredible traction and grip out on the trail. Going even further, the ZR2 Bison features boron steel skid plates and rocker protectors to provide best-in-class underbody protection.

All of this comes together to make a pickup that is more capable on the trail than anything we’ve seen before. For starters, you get 12.2 inches of ground clearance, letting you tackle pretty much any obstacle. When it comes to uneven terrain, the ZR2 Bison enjoys an approach angle of 38.2 degrees, a departure angle of 26 degrees, and a breakover angle of 26.9 degrees, which ensures you can climb over just about anything without damaging the underside of your truck (assuming anything can get past those boron steel skid plates). Add unique AEV badging inside and out, showcasing this partnership with a leader in off-road and overlanding vehicles, and you have something truly special to take out on the trail.

Which Colorado Trim Has What You Need?

At the end of the day, the answer to this question comes down to what kind of challenges you plan on tackling. If you tend to do some light off-roading or simply want to reliably get to your favorite campsite, then the Trail Boss and Z71 are both terrific options. On the other hand, if you want to push the envelope regarding what’s possible and test the limits of your off-road skills, then the ZR2 and ZR2 Bison are definitely the way to go. No matter which version of the Colorado you choose, we’d like to remind you to always pick a trail that matches your experience and driving skill; you can always tackle something more challenging next time, but the last thing you want is to find your impressive new pickup stuck in terrain that you weren’t ready for. With that in mind, it’s time to choose the right Chevy Colorado and plan your next big adventure.