A few of us here at Jim Butler Chevy of St. Louis can remember the days when a few skid plates and aftermarket bumper warranted an off-road ready truck. We must still admit that those were exciting times, as every bit of extra protection was still greatly appreciated for many thrilling adventures. Unfortunately, there were still many parts of the underside and chassis that could undergo damage. Luckily, the substantial upgrades to the Colorado ZR2 are downright amazing compared to the old days.
AEV Expeditions is known to transform any already amazing vehicle they touch into a world-class and supremely capable warhorse, and the first glance of the 2024 Bison offers a much larger and tougher stance than the competition. The 2024 Ford Ranger Raptor and the 2024 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter will admittedly become sought-after beasts within their own rite, but here AEV’s enhancements are the true desperado’s divine intervention. 17-inch ATV Beadlock capable wheels wrapped in 35-inch Goodyear rubber, just for starters, are quite burlier than the 33-inch tires that the Raptor and Tacoma sport.
Tested for hours and ultimately proven in the wild by champion off-road racer Chad Hall, the 2024 Bison can proudly boast the task of dominating the very intense training on the Rubicon Trail. This 22-mile-long modern wonder includes rocky climbs, hard-to-conquer inclines, and steep grades along with rock ledges that can shred buggies and other rigs to bits! For starters, you’ll be hitting your next diverse terrain destination armed to the teeth with an AEV heavy-duty winch capable front bumper, as well as their trademark rear bumper and Fender flares.
Blasting off road and bravely up inclines will be simple with the standard 2.7-liter turbo high-output powertrain, and navigating the gnarliest of jutted terrain with a segment-leading ground clearance of 12.2 inches. There’s also the headstrong advantage of a 38.2-degree approach angle, 26-degree departure angle, and 26.9-degree breakover angle. The back half of each front fender is trimmed at the factory, coming with the track expanding to a total of 66.3 inches. The Bison’s suspension was carefully designed to succeed in retaining the 9.9 inches of front suspension travel, along with 11.6 inches of rear travel found on the ZR2, ultimately adding a 1/2-inch body lift for durable support.
Another very cool addition specific to the Bison are cloth and AEV branded leather with yellow stitching, yellow seat belts, and AEV-designed underbody cameras mounted near the transmission to offer useful views of the front or rear. The ZR2’s Multimatic DSSV dampers are precisely retuned for the Bison with a heavier front spring rate to accommodate the heavier bumper, and the potential for the addition of a rescue-ready winch. Jounce bumpers are available as an after-market option from Chevy, and ZR2 owners will find the mounting bracket ready and waiting on the frame.
The new Bison still holds on to the same 8 speed automatic transmission, electronic locking differentials, two-speed transfer case, and 3 to 42 differential gear from zero to two. The one-pedal off-road driving mode allows drivers to lift off the throttle pedal to bring the truck to a halt and will be ideal for the crawl sometimes needed to conquer tough terrain. The Bison also now keeps the same 11.3-inch console screen, and a camera system with 10 available views. The Motor Trend crew was appreciative of the ZR2 Bison’s ability to provide an approach to desert-style maneuvers along with rock crawling, offering a fierce capability for daunting climbs and outright bouldering duty.