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The off-road capability of the trucks here at Jim Butler Chevrolet has always caught our attention when the tougher of seasons rear their heads. Spring and even the sultry heat of summer are pretty easy to contend with, until the terrain becomes rough once you head off the path and encounter obstacles. Winter takes the cake when it comes to needing something capable, and our customers know just where to turn: this year’s Chevy Silverado ZR2 is a finalist for the 2023 North America Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year Award!
Qualifying vehicles are determined after 3 rounds of voting by 50 jurors with experience in broadcast media, radio, print, and web sources. 47 eligible vehicles are narrowed down to 26 semi-finalists, then 9 finalists. This year’s ZR2 is a terrain-conquering, beaten-path battering ram with the equipment to fulfill its role to the highest potential. Power is derived from the naturally aspirated 6.2-Liter V8 L87 engine, which cranks out 420 horsepower and 460 lb-foot of torque.
Inside the new ZR2 there are two tone-gray and black leather seats, with power for the driver and heat for both occupants. Both seats are incredibly comfortable, and you’ll be checking all the vitals courtesy of a 12.3” colorful configurable gauge cluster. Its naturally imposing lines and tall hood have now been rendered even taller with beefy off-road tires and a sweet suspension lift. The 2023 model has a very “Baja-style” front bumper complete with red tow hooks, giving it a meaner look and a diverse sense of functionality.
The ZR2 is much more than just a Chevy with a lift kit. The rich torque from the V8 arrives early, and the transmission is always smoothly and effortlessly shifting. Over his week spent with the ZR2, Jalopnik features writer Kevin Williams never felt that it came up short on power, and that it had an excellent focus on very technical, low-speed off-road ability.