MotorTrend Takes the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 on a 5,000-Mile Road Trip

In Minnesota, we love taking long road trips. The distances between major cities get longer once you go west of Chicago. A six-hour run to the Black Hills of South Dakota is really no problem for us.  

What if you are committed to doing a 5,000-mile road trip in one of the coolest rides around? Specifically, a 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2? MotorTrend did exactly that recently. How did the editors fare with Chevy’s off-road-ready mid-size pickup truck? 

This Colorado ZR2 was the outlet’s long-term tester. Including the road trip, MotorTrend has clocked over 16,000 miles on the pickup truck so far. The challenge was to do a cross-country trip for the holidays. The only cargo other than luggage was toys for one of the journalist’s families, a few tools, a couple of mountain bikes, and a Dometic CFX 35W portable 12-volt fridge stocked with food and caffeinated drinks. 

A side note: There is a line of Dometic powered coolers available as an accessory for your Chevrolet pickup truck. You can order one through our parts department.  

The 2024 Colorado ZR2 was simply humming along. The journalist just set the adaptive cruise control to help let the miles fall away. On the way back, the 2024 Colorado ZR2 encountered a snowstorm. To handle it, the driver put the four-wheel-drive system’s transfer case into Auto and let the system send power to all corners for maximum traction. Aside from that, it was a great road trip in the 2024 Colorado ZR2.  

The short answer to all of this is that you can take a Colorado ZR2 on a road trip. It starts with turbocharged power from the 2.7-liter TurboMax engine. The ZR2’s High Output engine puts down 430 pound-feet of torque, which is more than enough to get through the snow and make the highway cruise a smooth one.  

Making the ride smooth are the Multimatic DSSV dampers that keep the Colorado ZR2 suspended no matter the terrain or surface. Ultimately, these dampers do the job of softening the ride overall, helping equalize uneven surfaces and keeping the Colorado ZR2 poised along the drive.   

Making any road trip worth every mile, the Colorado ZR2 is also well equipped with the latest technology. The 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen is driven by Google built-in and innovative camera technology. By using Google’s apps, you can chart your way to your destination or find an alternative route. The system also offers a host of connectivity options, in case you need help or to let people know that you’re a bit behind.  

If you get to take your Colorado ZR2 off road, you can see where you are placing the wheels through the segment-first available underbody cameras that offer real-time forward- and rear-facing views beneath the truck. In all, you have ten camera views to choose from to make sure you manage the maneuvers without guessing what’s ahead and underneath your pickup truck. 

In all, the Colorado ZR2 just might be a superb road trip vehicle that offers maximum capability and utility that will swallow the miles while bringing everything with you. If that sounds like a pickup truck you want, contact us at Chevrolet of Spring Vallery to see a new Colorado ZR2 soon!