When we drove the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison for the first time in October, we wrote, “Pricing was not available at the time of this writing, but let’s assume that it will be comparable to the $8,440 package price tag of the Silverado ZR2 Bison. Assuming a slight bump on the ZR2 base price for 2024, it seems fair to assume a starting point of around $58,000 after destination. Throw on the Technology and Convenience packages of our test truck, and you’re likely looking at a shade over $60,000.” Seems we did a thing called “misunderestimated,” but not by much. The configurator for the 2024 Colorado reveals the ZR2 Bison starts at $60,540 after the $1,595 destination charge. That’s number’s achieved by taking the ZR2’s $48,395 base price after destination, adding $11,700 for the Bison add-ons, then adding $445 for the mandatory Safety Package of rear cross traffic braking, blind zone steering assist rear park assist.
Our honest mistake was in thinking such a figure would include the Technology and Convenience Packages. The $950 Tech Package is Chevy’s high-definition surround vision, adaptive cruise control, rear pedestrian alert, and tailgate locking cylinder. The $1,490 ZR2 Convenience Package III bundles leather seating, ventilated front seats, driver’s seat memory and seatback pocket, heated steering wheel, wireless charging pad, a rear center arm rest, and the aforementioned Safety Package (making the $445 part of the $1,490 package price instead of a separate charge). Including these extras, the total comes to total to $62,535.
We don’t know yet how any of this compares to the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV because the Canyon’s configurator instructs users to “See dealer for pricing” if choosing the AEV package. Among the competition, and before parsing options to ensure like-for-like comparisons, we do know that the Colorado ZR2 Bison’s base MSRP stands above the $56,960 Ford Ranger Raptor and $53,595 Toyota Tacoma Limited. That puts it in second place on the competitor MSRP chart behind the $65,870 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon FarOut.
The money gets a long list of goods over the standard ZR2. To name a few, there are MultiMatic DSSV “Jounce Control” dampers providing 9.9 inches of front suspension travel and 11.6 inches of rear travel, electronic locking front and rear differentials, heavy-duty steel bumpers front and rear, 35-inch mud-terrain tires on 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels plus a bed-mounted spare in the same spec, four underbody skid plates, rocker protectors, and great big ol’ fender flares. Also, there aren’t any substantial options beyond those we included in the $62,535 build. After that, it’s frilly stuff like paint and floor mats.
The homebrew enthusiast in us says the phrase “Built Not Bought” sounds better every day. The engineering fan in us says it’s 2023, the average new car costs around $48,000, this factory-developed rock crawling pickup is a lot of truck, it can’t be duplicated for less money, and this one can be driven into your garage in less than an hour instead of spending six months on a build. As we wrote in our GMC AT4X First Drive, it’s a great time to like trucks. Especially if you have enough disposable income to fill a dumpster. Or a truck bed.
