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2022 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Test Drive Review The Bare Necessities
May. 28, 2022 3:47 PM ET by Chase Bierenkoven Test Drive / 7 Comments Compromising luxury for the off-road experience.
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Henry Schmidt 1 minutes ago
Here's some inside baseball for you: location is everything when you test a car. The wrong (or r...
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Elijah Patel 1 minutes ago
So, where better to test the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 than Colorado? The Centennial State's off-ro...
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Elijah Patel Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Here's some inside baseball for you: location is everything when you test a car. The wrong (or right) setting can drastically affect what a car does, how it does it, and what you think of what it's doing. The best of us can weed all that out and evaluate a car solely for what it is, but even then, location, location, location.
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Charlotte Lee Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
So, where better to test the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 than Colorado? The Centennial State's off-road scene has exploded in recent years, and vehicles like the Colorado now frequent many of Rocky Mountain National Park's trails.
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Zoe Mueller 2 minutes ago
So, with the keys in our pocket, we set out to see what the Centennial State had in store, and if yo...
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Oliver Taylor 2 minutes ago
First, with the understanding that we're not here to yuck your yum, or yum your yuck. We like wh...
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Oliver Taylor Member
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So, with the keys in our pocket, we set out to see what the Centennial State had in store, and if you should wait for the Ford Ranger Raptor instead. CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Exterior Manly Truck Doing Manly Things
Let's talk about design for a moment.
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Ava White 1 minutes ago
First, with the understanding that we're not here to yuck your yum, or yum your yuck. We like wh...
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Ethan Thomas Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
First, with the understanding that we're not here to yuck your yum, or yum your yuck. We like what we like, and you like what you like.
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James Smith 5 minutes ago
Fair? Fair. Speaking of fair, that's exactly the word we'd use to describe the ZR2's loo...
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Ella Rodriguez 3 minutes ago
It's clearly letting you know what it is from the moment you approach. Big, Goodyear Wrangler Du...
Fair? Fair. Speaking of fair, that's exactly the word we'd use to describe the ZR2's looks.
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Elijah Patel Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
It's clearly letting you know what it is from the moment you approach. Big, Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires and red-accented tow hooks let you know this isn't a work truck, it's a fun truck.
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Liam Wilson 8 minutes ago
That's extremely clear when you get a look at the Colorado's 74-inch bed, which will fit a w...
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James Smith Moderator
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
That's extremely clear when you get a look at the Colorado's 74-inch bed, which will fit a weekend's worth of toys and even some smaller work supplies. It should be perfect for those looking to do some light hauling during the workweek and some messing about on the weekends. CarBuzz CarBuzz There's plenty of ZR2 badging to let you know what you've bought as well.
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Amelia Singh Moderator
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Some of us here at CarBuzz have come around to shiny wheels with black accents, but we would've preferred some more interesting wheels. At the front, the gaping maw of a grille leads you to think there's much more engine under the bulged hood than there really is, but we'll forgive it because it looks so damn good. Finally, paint.
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Grace Liu 2 minutes ago
Chevy's Bright Blue Metallic contrasts nicely with the ZR2's black accents (which includes a...
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Isabella Johnson 16 minutes ago
We're happy with the ZR2's aggressive looks, and you likely will be too. CarBuzz CarBuzz
<...
Chevy's Bright Blue Metallic contrasts nicely with the ZR2's black accents (which includes a spray-in bed liner), and it's easily worth the $395 you'll spend at the dealer optioning it. In all, it's not a radical new design, but not a terrible one either.
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Isaac Schmidt 6 minutes ago
We're happy with the ZR2's aggressive looks, and you likely will be too. CarBuzz CarBuzz
<...
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Sofia Garcia Member
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33 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
We're happy with the ZR2's aggressive looks, and you likely will be too. CarBuzz CarBuzz
Engine & Performance More Than Enough
The ZR2 has two engines available; the most obvious choice is the 3.6-liter naturally-aspirated V6.
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Ella Rodriguez 24 minutes ago
It'll produce 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque through its eight-speed automatic transmiss...
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Oliver Taylor 22 minutes ago
The gas engine's full torque arrives at 4,000 rpm while the diesel engine's extra twist is a...
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Amelia Singh Moderator
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60 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
It'll produce 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque through its eight-speed automatic transmission. Otherwise, you can option a four-cylinder turbo-diesel making 181 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque.
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Henry Schmidt 60 minutes ago
The gas engine's full torque arrives at 4,000 rpm while the diesel engine's extra twist is a...
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Oliver Taylor 43 minutes ago
They're a seriously impressive bit of kit for a consumer off-roader, but they are stiff on the r...
The gas engine's full torque arrives at 4,000 rpm while the diesel engine's extra twist is all available at 2,000 rpm. The big news here is Chevy's Multimatic spool-valve shocks.
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Mia Anderson 38 minutes ago
They're a seriously impressive bit of kit for a consumer off-roader, but they are stiff on the r...
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Isaac Schmidt Member
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56 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
They're a seriously impressive bit of kit for a consumer off-roader, but they are stiff on the road, especially over potholes. However, you get that back around bends and on the trail. There, the truck feels much more in its element, doing away with larger lumps and bumps with relative poise, particularly at speed.
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James Smith 42 minutes ago
Sitting right next to those are a pair of locking differentials. One is situated at each axle and pa...
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Sophie Martin Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Sitting right next to those are a pair of locking differentials. One is situated at each axle and paired with Chevy's real-time selectable 4WD knob located to the left of your knee in the cabin. The Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac tires measure 265/65/R17 at all four corners while the brakes are simple steel ones paired with GM's Hill Descent Control.
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Sebastian Silva Member
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CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Driving Impressions Get In And Go
Driving the ZR2 feels old school in some ways. That's partially because of what you're greeted with when Chevy hands over the keys.
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Audrey Mueller 43 minutes ago
We can't remember the last time we drove a car with turn-key ignition. But, that slightly aged f...
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Ava White 35 minutes ago
Turn the key, throw that sucker in drive using a shift knob, and go get on with business. By "b...
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Daniel Kumar Member
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85 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
We can't remember the last time we drove a car with turn-key ignition. But, that slightly aged feeling in the interior does translate to a "get in and go" truck. There's no faffing about with parking sensors or electronic handbrakes or stupid touchscreen climate control menus.
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Joseph Kim Member
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18 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Turn the key, throw that sucker in drive using a shift knob, and go get on with business. By "business," we are of course referring to off-roading.
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Emma Wilson Admin
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19 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
We set out for one of Colorado's many off-road trails, and the time we spent on the highway en route taught us some things. First, old-school cruise control has been eclipsed by adaptive cruise, something this vehicle lacks. Second, Chevy's Multimatic dampers are a double-edged sword.
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Julia Zhang Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
And third, 308 hp is more than enough to get where you're going. Additionally, this interior is beginning to age, something you really start to notice once the off-road tire's road noise begins seeping into the cabin. But that $44,200 price tag has to come with some compromises.
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Brandon Kumar 14 minutes ago
CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz Once off-road, the ZR2's shocks start to make a little more sense. They ...
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Andrew Wilson Member
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63 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz Once off-road, the ZR2's shocks start to make a little more sense. They help keep uncomfortable body roll to a minimum, yes, but there is a tradeoff. In early spring, much of Colorado's dirt roads are heavily rutted, if not impassable, as a result of snowmelt from the high Rockies.
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Isabella Johnson 50 minutes ago
This is where those shocks start hurting. The ride on any sort of rutted road is harsh, and a lack o...
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Isabella Johnson Member
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88 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
This is where those shocks start hurting. The ride on any sort of rutted road is harsh, and a lack of insulation in the cabin makes your discomfort very apparent. Thankfully, the transmission knows what it's doing regardless, and doesn't make itself known at any point.
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Lily Watson Moderator
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92 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
This is an incredibly friendly "my first off-roader" truck. The controls are legible, clearly labeled, and easy to understand. Anyone could get in and put this thing up a moderately-challenging rock-addled trail as we did.
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Madison Singh Member
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96 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
There is a limit, though. While the ZR2 killed it, thanks to a combination of its 31.8-degree approach and 23.4-degree departure angles, diffs, and shocks, eventually the snow and lack of recovery gear finally turned us back. It's clear where the money was spent on the ZR2, with the locking diffs getting us out of more than one awkward situation.
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Noah Davis 31 minutes ago
CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Interior The Sub-Par Bit
We found the Colorado's interior fr...
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Charlotte Lee Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Interior The Sub-Par Bit
We found the Colorado's interior friendly but clearly dated. The infotainment unit is small and hasn't aged well. However, it does still respond as it should and the interface is intuitive.
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Noah Davis 40 minutes ago
While our loaner did have an optional $75 wireless charging pad, you can tell it was from an era bef...
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Harper Kim 70 minutes ago
This is not a road trip truck, especially with the stiff ride. That said, storage is ample for a mid...
While our loaner did have an optional $75 wireless charging pad, you can tell it was from an era before smartphones got big - we couldn't fit our generation-old Galaxy S10 in there. The fact Android Auto requires a cable made the wireless charging redundant, anyway. The leather seats felt good to the touch but broke down over long journeys.
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Madison Singh Member
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Wednesday, 30 April 2025
This is not a road trip truck, especially with the stiff ride. That said, storage is ample for a midsize truck like this, and we had no problem fitting various items like large water bottles in various places.
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Mia Anderson Member
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112 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
However, much of the car is bathed in scratchy, cheap plastic. At least we know it'll be cheap to replace when it inevitably gets busted up.
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Mia Anderson 50 minutes ago
Until then, we wait for a refreshed interior. CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Verdict Know Wh...
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Andrew Wilson 53 minutes ago
If you're asking us, we'd wait to see what Chevy has in store for the 2023 MY truck. While s...
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Lucas Martinez Moderator
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87 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Until then, we wait for a refreshed interior. CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Verdict Know What You re Buying
The Colorado ZR2 delivers on its off-road looks, and we had plenty of fun with it.
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Audrey Mueller 69 minutes ago
If you're asking us, we'd wait to see what Chevy has in store for the 2023 MY truck. While s...
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Amelia Singh 26 minutes ago
Let's talk about who wants to buy one of these. In our eyes, this is clearly aimed at the person...
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Audrey Mueller Member
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60 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
If you're asking us, we'd wait to see what Chevy has in store for the 2023 MY truck. While simple, we found the ZR2 lacked the interior refinement it needed to be a truly great truck. At a bare minimum, Chevy must soften the ride and update the infotainment for this to be considered a truly dual-purpose daily off-roader.
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Sophia Chen 3 minutes ago
Let's talk about who wants to buy one of these. In our eyes, this is clearly aimed at the person...
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Grace Liu 11 minutes ago
However, even the most indifferent of buyers will notice the elderly interior, despite its easy-to-u...
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Sofia Garcia Member
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124 minutes ago
Wednesday, 30 April 2025
Let's talk about who wants to buy one of these. In our eyes, this is clearly aimed at the person looking for a capable truck to take to the trails on the weekend, but without shelling out big money on a luxury interior. If you're not looking for the latest and greatest in interior tech but want fun truck with serious off-road chops, the Colorado ZR2 is a solid choice.
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Brandon Kumar 77 minutes ago
However, even the most indifferent of buyers will notice the elderly interior, despite its easy-to-u...
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Oliver Taylor Member
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However, even the most indifferent of buyers will notice the elderly interior, despite its easy-to-use simplicity. CarBuzz CarBuzz CarBuzz
Chevrolet Colorado Chase Bierenkoven Associate Editor Shortly before applying to law school, Chase decided to take a chance on pursuing his dream job: playing with cars and getting paid for it. Law school was just a means to an end, after all.
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Christopher Lee Member
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His first writing job was freelance and barely paid his grocery bill. It quickly turned into a full-time position, eventually leading Chase to join CarBuzz in 2022. Chase now tests cars, and sits comfortably at the news desk when he's not in the driver's seat.
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Brandon Kumar 20 minutes ago
In his spare time, Chase can be heard trying to play guitar, or out enjoying Colorado's natural ...
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Sophie Martin 3 minutes ago
2022 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Test Drive Review The Bare Necessities CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used...
In his spare time, Chase can be heard trying to play guitar, or out enjoying Colorado's natural splendor in his BMW M3. Contact Chase @bierenkoven @cbier823 LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top
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Sophia Chen 98 minutes ago
2022 Chevy Colorado ZR2 Test Drive Review The Bare Necessities CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used...