Car Review: Big Bison lives up to namesake
Dec. 3—You've seen armored Brinks trucks at your local bank or high-end mega store, but you wouldn't expect one in your neighbor's driveway. Never say never.
GM has teamed with American Expedition Vehicles to form its 2023 Silverado ZR2 Bison. It is a brut, like its animal namesake — bigger than a buffalo with a larger head and hairy shoulders.
AEV delivers performance driven off road gear across the globe to adventure seekers through its own dealer network. For this tall Silverado, it means 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory paws on 18-inch black wheels to tackle the roughest terrain out there. Powered by a 6.2-liter V8, our upgraded tester was lined front to back with heavy steel planks to protect its underneath from rugged boulder climbs.
Other goodies that differentiate the Bison ZR2 name include stamped steel front and rear bumpers, steel rocker guards, fog lights replacing corners on the front bumper and massive tow hooks.
About the only thing that would give pause is justifying its $86,295 price tag. If you are cross shopping with the Ford Raptor, it may not seem out of the ballpark when you consider its 8,800-pound towing capacity.
With 11.2-inches of ground clearance, this big rig was right at home plunging through nearby mud swamps. Water levels reached the bottom of the doors with little notice as it made its way through five 25-foot paths near South Florida's Myakka River.
The Bison edition adds a lot of heft to an already powerful ZR2 with locking front and rear differential, two-speed transfer case, suspension package with two-inch lift, trailer sway control and hill start assist. Is it worth the extra $7,895? Depends how serious you want your off-roading experience. On the flip side, it's a rough and ready pickup without the extra coin.
In our independent testing, we recorded 6.4 seconds from a dead stop to 60 mph similar to rivals Ford F150 and Ram 1500. On open pavement, shifting the 10-speed automatic transmission was smooth with lots of torque when needed for downshifts. We found steering precise with little body roll. Brakes were strong. In highway travel, the Silverado absorbs most road imperfections.
Inside the fourth generation Crew Cab is a nice place to enjoy lengthy trips without tiring. Fill-ups will be more frequent with EPA combined 15 miles per gallon. With our sometimes-aggressive testing maneuvers, we recorded 12.4 mpg. Cabin noise is kept to a minimum unless you stomp on the gas pedal.
Whether heating or cooling, the Silverado system does so quickly. Numerous toggle type switches line the center console controlling cabin environment, entertainment and navigation. A 13.4-inch center touchscreen makes adjustments simple while a driver mounted 12.3-inch digital screen monitors engine vitals.
Our favorite is a 15-inch diagonal heads-up display projecting vital information through the windshield glass without taking eyes off the road. Interior treatment is near luxury with leather surfaces, cushioned door and console treatment and multi-adjust seating positions. A full suite of driver assist features comes standard including available adaptive cruise control, multi-flex tailgate, hard tonneau cover and power telescoping steering column.
Contact independent automotive columnist Len Ingrassia at editor@ptd.net.
