2017 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2

For off-road junkies looking for a mid-size pickup that’s suited for the toughest terrain directly off the lot, then be sure check out Chevrolet’s new Colorado ZR2, the brand’s most trail-ready truck to date. And those aren’t just our words either. According to Chevy, the ZR2 excelled in both fast desert running and the technical rock crawling at their Yuma, AZ Proving Ground.

It’s all possible thanks to the combination of a couple engineering feats. First, an all-new 3.6L V-6 engine boasting 308 horsepower and 275 lb-ft of torque, controlled by a Hydra-Matic 8L45 8-speed automatic transmission allowing the ZR2 to excel in such harsh conditions. It’ll haul up to 1,100 pounds of payload, tow up to 5,000 pounds and hosts a slew of features such as traction control, stability control, hill-descent, and a new “Off-Road Mode” that gives the driver more control and enhances responsiveness in certain conditions. Most of all, the ZR2 features the first off-road application of Multimatic Dynamic Suspensions Spool Valve dampers. In other words, this truck hosts the same suspension technology as a Mercedes AMG GT, Aston Martin One-77, and even the Red Bull F1 cars, offering six force-velocity tuning curves in the front and four at the rear. In turn, the driver gains exponentially more control of the vehicle in a wide range of conditions. No word on pricing just yet.