Get Off the Road: The First-Ever Chevy Silverado ZR2

Have you ever heard of the Silverado? Of course, you have. But have you heard of the brand-new, first-ever 2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2? You might not have because it’s a brand-new, first-ever model. Imagine the Silverado, but all of its off-roading capabilities are put on steroids. That’s the Silverado ZR2 in a nutshell. This Silverado is designed to meet the needs of all off-roaders, whether for purposes of work or recreation. It’s not like the Silverado didn’t already have some pretty exciting off-roading capabilities, to begin with, but the ZR2 simply takes it to a whole new level. Our Chevy Silverado dealership will be bustling for the foreseeable future with this release, and we certainly encourage you to visit as well. But, before you do, discover some of the advancements the Silverado has made with the ZR2.

Off-Roading

Let’s start with the fun stuff. The Silverado ZR2’s off-roading capabilities are race-proven. Chevy is dedicated to putting its off-road vehicles to the test to make sure they are actually delivering what they promise.

“At Chevrolet, our motorsports philosophy is ‘sell what you race, and race what you sell.’ Competing in off-road racing puts our trucks and performance parts through extreme levels of abuse that most trucks will never encounter. The Silverado ZR2 is a perfect example of how that strategy delivers.” – Dom Lester, GM chief engineer for Performance Variants, Parts, and Motorsports Engineering.

In the case of the Silverado ZR2, Off-road racing champion Chad Hall has been racing professionally with a Silverado ZR2 prototype since 2019. The vehicle has competed in ten professional races. Most notable among these was the famous Vegas to Reno Best In the Desert race, which the Silverado ZR2 completed without any hiccups, stopping only for fuel.

This testing method should add to a potential buyer’s certainty and confidence in purchasing an off-road vehicle. Larger vehicles with excellent off-roading capabilities tend to cost a pretty penny, and you want to make sure that you’re getting everything that you are paying for. It’s easy to write a bunch of positive, cool-sounding stuff on a website and throw in a few spicy keywords to get everyone interested in the car, but Chevy actually goes the extra mile(s) to prove it to you. As Dom Lester said, most trucks will never encounter an off-roading experience like Chevy puts its vehicles (especially the Silverado ZR2) through merely in the testing phase. If that’s only the testing phase, then owners should feel not only confident but excited to get out off the road and cruise around.

If the intense testing isn’t enough to convince you of the Silverado ZR2’s high-performance capabilities and durability, let’s talk about what’s going on within the inner workings of the truck.

Unbelievable Capabilities

The Silverado ZR2, which comes standard with Chevy’s 6.2L gas V8 engine, is able to deliver 420 horsepower and 460 pound-feet of torque. Combine this with the 10-speed transmission, and you’re in for quite a ride. What’s more, the vehicle is equipped with Multimatic Dynamic Suspension Spool Valve (DSSV) dampers, making for better consistency, control, and repeatability. This is vital in off-roading because it allows off-road drivers really to whip the car around with high certainty that the DSSV dampers will pull through and keep the car steady. The Silverado ZR2 is also designed with front and rear electronic locking differentials and a high-approach front bumper, meaning that the vehicle is able to take a fair amount of abuse without decreasing its performance or caving under the pressure.

Incredible Design

The Silverado ZR2 maintains the well-liked look of the traditional Silverado while still reimagining many of its features to give it an even bolder, more commanding stance. Its redesigned grille takes up more space on the front of the vehicle, causing the blackness of the grille to be more predominant, giving the truck a stronger appearance. Additionally, the Silverado ZR2 bears (not-so-drastically) redesigned headlamps to help craft this strong yet sleek frontal appearance. One of the more functional exterior additions is the upgrade to 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory M/T tires, which provide an extremely durable, thick, and hearty foundation to support such a sturdy vehicle.

Inside, the Silverado has made even more significant advancements. Chevy interiors are always sleek, well-put-together, and technologically integrated, and the Silverado has always been one of the finest vehicles in this regard. The Silverado ZR2, however, is taking one of the finest interiors and making it even finer. To begin with, the infotainment touchscreen has increased its size to 13.4 inches. This is a huge touchscreen. To put that into perspective, 13.4 inches is around the same size as many laptop screens.

The infotainment screen is paired with a 12.3-inch diagonal driver information center. This is no ordinary driver information center and can be fully reconfigured to provide the exact information you need to get the most out of your truck. The drive summary displays such information as the time, mileage, and miles per gallon of any given drive. Overall, you’re looking at 25.7 inches of screen in the driver center of the Silverado ZR2. In addition to the screenage, the Silverado ZR2 has an electronic transmission range selector. Yes, the truck is automatic – don’t worry – but the gear shifter has shifted its location and added to its technology to further increase driver engagement.

Futuristic Technology

Among the new technology features is the Super Cruise hands-free driver aid. When certain conditions (including your own attention) are met, Super Cruise is able to manage both speed and steering, allowing you to “drive” completely hands-free. This is, of course, not a replacement for paying attention to the road and doing your part; smartphones should never be used while this feature is engaged, nor should anything else that will distract you. You’re still in the driver’s seat, and it is your responsibility to keep yourself and your passengers safe.

That being said, Super Cruise is a nice feature that will help to make your drive more enjoyable, especially on longer road trips. Super Cruise is also a very helpful feature to use while towing, as it will, in some cases, be able to better navigate the roads to suit your trailer and take the pressure off of you. So, when used properly, we hope that you will enjoy this feature and that it will be used to make your life easier and enhance your driving experience.

So Why the ZR2?

It’s a fair question. When the non-ZR2 Silverado is already such a tremendous and impressive vehicle, why pay the extra money for a ZR2? Well, if you intend to drive off-road (or if reading this has made you want to start), you want the absolute best vehicle for that, with the highest durability and level of performance features. Off-roading can be a great deal of fun, but it comes with a calculated risk, and you want to be on the right side of that risk. If your car isn’t built to handle the kind of off-roading that you want to do, you could end up with a damaged car or, even worse, a damaged body.

Now, are we saying that either one of those things is likely to happen in a regular Silverado (or any Chevy vehicle, for that matter)? No, absolutely not; all Chevy’s are built with durability and safety at the forefront. But the Silverado ZR2 is specifically crafted to be an extremely durable and safe off-roading vehicle, and we want you to be able to take full advantage of these brand-new and leading off-road features. So, buckle up, wander off the road, and enjoy the ride.