I'm coming up on two years with my 2019 ZR2. I absolutely love it. I paid $39K out the door for a fairly high optioned one. I've never heard of a ZR2 going MSRP or above unless it was something like a diesel Bison Edition. It certainly lacks in some tech features, keyless entry/start and trail cameras are ones I'd really like to see. And the materials inside are not the best. But I find it comfortable; the seating position is very good, and definitely wish the doors had better bottle holders. Driving dynamics though? Its amazing for the price. On-road or off-road the truck always feel component. Full locked you're going to crawl over most anything. I'm about to go outside my warranty and will likely start doing some more serious modifications i.e. a lift, potentially 35" tires, etc. as I don't do a ton of daily driving and mostly use it for outdoor activities and off-road traveling.
I’m a big fan of “The Topher” reviews; always substantive, seemingly objective (as objective as one can be) and thoughtful. Thinking about one of these, so thanks!
This truck was not made to compete with the Raptor. I’ve owned 2 gen 2 Raptors and a ZR2 but I couldn’t fit on a lot of the trails with the Raptor. Tried my first ZR2 2018 and it was just the ticket (for my uses). I now have a 21 ZR2 on order. Great review and video. 👍🏻
i bought mine in oct 2020 its a nice truck feels good soild drive, i love the way i can do a u turn the front has more space to turn, overall nice style and rugged , worth it,
Thanks for this! I think I'd go Diesel just because I know I shouldnt be going crazy lol. And long trips in Colorado are always fun. Not to mention driving back to Illinois for holidays. Love the POV
Idk, the TRX is going to decimate all. Saw them testing out at the dunes a few weeks ago and it was incredible what they were able to do with them. This ZR2 is okay at high speed stuff, better than a Tacoma TRD, but doesn’t come close to the raptor or trx. Fits better through the tight trails though!
I just bought one and got a really good deal, Employee discounts were offered so I got it for about 40k, I had 20k in equity on my trade it so it was well worth it for me. I went to buy a Colorado, but when I saw the ZR2, I had to have it......
great review, and liked how your summarized pros and cons, cuz im not a fan of all the tech in my 2024 AT4 and i love the creature comforts no issues i just cant do a whole lot to it with all the electrical components it has and the turbo whining noise , its a little slow to boot up on the infotainment but no mechanical issues and its got 13700 miles so far , do a lot of road trips to Ruidoso NM and CO. Anyway def wanna jump back into a simple truck lol but still offers the capabilities and features i i use.
Good review. Although, a little odd to compare this to a Raptor. From what I've seen the ZR2 is well below the cost of a Raptor, when a new one starts at high $70's. No comparison to a TRD Pro or Ranger Tremor?
I like the colorado and the ranger. I needed a basic commuter work truck. The 4 cylinder in the colorado was horrible. I ended up going with the ranger. If I was going for off road and wanted to spend more for a higher trim level the colorado would have been it. There's plenty of room under the hood for a 5.3L in the colorado
In the 2018 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, the driver's seat is too narrow & Chevrolet managed to compound it with a stiff-rigid left bolster that cuts into the bottom of your left thigh if you sit with legs apart like most men. Unfortunately, my test drive was too short to notice the discomfort.
A All-In-One vehicle is the reason I started with a truck and a midsize truck at that, because it's surprising how capable they are from belting down a backroad, to the daily commute and hauling around stuff. I still don't understand why more people have picked them over the 1/2 tons as most don't need a big, bulky monstrosity of a truck.
Have 2021 and I hear alot of comments about the low tech or the lack of upgrades.... I'm good with a truck not having all the newest stuff and buttons galore! Perfect example, my wife has a Acura MDX....we both had a rock hit the windshield and cause a crack, my new windshield cost 250 and was fixed in my work parking lot, it was significantly more to replace on the Acura! Just more money to fix when it goes wrong! I will take my trucks simple and low maintenance!
I wish you commented on the seat comfort. They seem like they are the same that Chevy/GM use in all their mid-size pickups/SUVs. They look very much like those in my wife’s 2019 GMC Acadia, which really lack in side-bolstering and are a PITA on long drives. Tends to be a complain on many GM vehicles that share them.
...also, while I would prefer a Tacoma TRD Pro over the ZR2, you can’t beat the pricing on the Chevys. Those ZR2s, as with most GM vehicles, are heavily incentivized and discounted thru the dealers. You can find a well equipped ZR2 listed down in the $30Ks before you even step foot in a showroom. No chance of that happening in a Toyota dealership. A TRD Pro will get you for $50k after destination & taxes and they most likely won’t budge on price, regardless how long those trucks sit on their lots. I don’t agree with what you said about the price being near a Raptor. As I said before, a well-equipped ZR2 will fetch mid-40s, but will be listed most of the time for much less while a Raptor STARTS in the mid-50s. And you’ll never find one that ISN’T bare-bones in options. Every Raptor i’ve seen has option group packages out the ying-yang pushing their average prices well into the mid-60s, all the way into the 70s.
I had the 2018 GMC Canyon Denali trim. Seats are firm. You won't have to worry about them going soft on you over time. I think a little too firm for longer drives but I recognize seat comfort is a personal choice. Not much side bolstering. If you are a larger person in width probably not the best fit either. I now own a 2018 Toyota 4Runner Limited and prefer those seats.
@@adamb3129 well my dad always said a guy that don't drive a car to keep the miles down is a guy that don't bang his wife so she still tight for the next guy
@@shiftmotorsports9803 From the ZR2 manual : Range Selection Mode helps control the vehicle's transmission and vehicle speed while driving downhill or towing a trailer by letting you select a desired range of gears. To use this feature: 1. Move the shift lever to L (Manual Mode). 2. Press the plus/minus button on the shift lever to select the desired range of gears for current driving conditions.
@@GeoSilber lol, ok....what does step one say? Manual mode....to manually select gears. Get it? Yes, it helps with towing because you are able to hold it in gear.....manually
Raptors start at around 60K. Unfair comparison. You get what ya pay for, bro. If you can swing a deal and get performance upgrades, this truck is actually a nice middle-of-the -road four wheel option. Oh, get on-off-road tires to mitigate noise.
@@joespittle1 That too, yeah. I don't know what it is about Chevy but I really dislike most of their designs. I don't think there's a single car/truck they have that I actually like the look of
I’ve said it for years, and with ford having the bronco again, Chevy needs to bring the K5 body style back at least for a little while, I’d drop as much money as I needed to. I have 94’ k5 which was the last year they did the body so I’d kill to have a revamped one.
That’s why I hate that V6 3k on the highway pulling 4K lbs My Colorado diesel runs at less then or at 2k rpm and very seldoms ever downshifts . 4K trailer is no issue at at all. I pull 6k travel trailer and the only time I would see 3k rpm is on a really big hill on the highway.... The 3.6 gas engine torque band is to high in the rpm range for a truck engine. It’s to fast to down shift. The diesel will cruse at 70 mph and stay in top gear even on the biggest of hills... and get better than 30mpg....
got one... my biggest complaint is the " 8th gear " on the hiway the rpms drop to around 2.5K rpm... then the torq converter captivates and starts to rip the transmission apart... so, you put the truck in low and select the " 7th gear " ... this brings the rpm up and the torq converter locks in and it ok most of the time... they put the 8 gear in there to meet gas mileage reqmts.... 8th gear is one gear too much...
The Z71 is really the best option for most guys. The ZR2 is super cool and it's essential if you REALY TRULY are going to be off roading on a regular basis. But most guys aren't going to be off-roading on a regular basis and that's where the Z71 comes in. It's a really capable 4x4 that can tow and haul more than the ZR2 and does great in snow/mud etc, plus you get better gas mileage (yes, I know, that's not why you bought a truck but still). And it doesn't have as cool a look at the ZR2 but it's much cooler looking than the base model Colorados and has it's own upgraded look in comparison. I would recommend a Z71 for anyone who wants 4x4 and isn't a true off-roading geek. I should mention as well that the Z71 is great for off-roading as well so it's not like you give up off-roading by going with a Z71. Perfectly capable off-roading truck but much more capable for on-road/everyday shit. Bottom line, the Z71 really is, and has been for years, the sweet spot in terms of pricing and features for the Colorado.
I remember that from the 2017 I test drove. Supposedly a trans fluid change fixed a lot of those issues, and the 8-speed in this truck was great, none of the issues I remember experiencing from before. Will it still be reliable? Who knows
They fixed it after 2018 models. They changed the transmission fluid spec and it solved the problem. I was starting to get it in my 2018 and they flushed and replaced the fluid and it went away. All the new ZR2s have the new fluid so it isn’t a problem anymore.
I've had my 2021 ZR Dusk Edition in Summit White for 2 1/2 months now. I absolutely love it but the mpg is trash. Getting 11 mpg in the city (I only have a 10 mile round trip daily commute).
It will feel cramped compared to a full size truck as I have owned both. I thought it was fine up front. The wife and dog didn't mind the back seat area. She likes to sit in the back when we take the dog for a ride. Not much for storage.
The one thing with a push button start is I often forget my key fob when I get out of the car. I go to lock it then I realize my fob is still in the car. Not that I never forgot keys in the car..... just not nearly as often.
This video really illustrates why I don't prefer Chevy to other brands, with any of their trucks, particularly Fords. They're more stylish, but more importantly, they don't handle like yacths. This thing, despite it's small size, still looks very vague in the steering which is something that I can't stand about Silverados.
It's definitely a great looking truck and seems to be really fun and capable off road, but for the price the lack of basic features every other car has in 2020 is a deal breaker. I don't see the point of buying this vs. spending the same money on a lower optioned full-size truck with more features, especially when the fuel economy isn't even a selling point. Overall pretty cool looking but not for me. If I was wealthy enough I could afford one as a second vehicle and/or had a bunch of expensive toys to tow, maybe.
Had a 2019 V6. Fun truck but was plagued with the unfixable b-pillar rattle. Got rid of it before 10k miles lol. Bought a 4Runner and haven't looked back!
Hold down traction control for ten seconds to completely disengage it and push off road mode for more sliding around and finally lock your rear locker.. Baja baby have fun.. oh yeah you can't compare a mid size to a full size!!
I have a 2020 zr2, I actually prefer a manual key, something about push to start out where there is no road-side assistance makes me nervous, it's just one more thing to fail.
Had 2 Colorado’s trans problems with both. Had a a 2020 that would slam into first gear. Honestly a comfortable and powerful midsize that I loved but the reliability is trash. Chevy has been fighting class action lawsuits for both 6 speed and 8 speed they need to figure out the shudder problem cause then the truck would be perfect
Yep, had a buddy who went through two 8-speeds on his ZR2 in 17k miles. Supposedly a trans fluid update fixed some of the transmission issues but there are still a lot of people out there with problems
@@TheTopher yea my 2020 supposedly had the new trans fluid from the factory. Chevy basically told me the shudder was normal and they couldn’t do anything about it even though my trans felt like it was slipping constantly and sounded like it was grinding whenever it would shudder
@@TheTopher Mine still shifts hard occasionally (only if I'm hard on the gas once I turn it on for the day). But the fluid change got rid of all the shakes. Going 25k+ miles since the change and so far and it hasn't came back.
@@TheTopher the lexus GX460 is amazing but I'm not able to find them for less than 20k, they all seem to be around the 25 to 35 range. Even the older ones, but I dont want anything from the pre 2010 era. I checked out the 100 series might be my top pick right now. Thanks Chris! ALSO I THINK YOU SHOULD GO FOR THE ZR2, it just suits you as a person
If you want to see a group of ZR2s in Glacier National Park, here you go! We put our trucks to the test. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-LrF_RpiG6e4.html
I love the size but the lack of tech and features is keeping me from getting one. Also the engine, if it had a V8 and better trans I would get one right now. Trying to wait for the 2023 or Ranger Raptor coming in 2021.
The way it handles is why it was called the raptor killer.they put all the $$ in the bad ass suspension .not the inside thats why it dont cost 80,000.00.but on drit or gravely roads you can fly....other trucks ur all over the road bouncing. Not the ZR2 or the raptor.