Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 2023 Review - carsales.com.au (2024)

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 was revealed in the US in September 2021, confirmed for Australian release in June 2022 and is now on sale – at a higher price than was previously announced – as the flagship of the MY23 Silverado 1500 line-up.

The range opens with the LTZ Premium, which at $128,000 plus on-road costs is $7000 more than first announced, about $14,000 more than the model it replaces and $50 more than its most direct rival, the RAM 1500 Laramie.

The range-topping new ZR2 we’re focusing on here starts $5000 upstream at $133,000 plus ORCs – $9000 more than the price GMSV set down mid-2022 – but has no direct rival, with the RAM 1500 Limited priced over $20,000 higher at $153,950 and the ballistic RAM 1500 TRX now priced at $209,950 plus ORCs.

Available to order now, both MY23 Silverado 1500 variants are already being converted to right-hand drive in Clayton, Victoria, with new customer orders expected to be delivered in the third quarter of 2023.

There’s a three-year/100,000km warranty including roadside assist and nine exterior paint colour choices, but no capped-price service program, although indicative service costs for each annual or 12,000km service are about $565 (12,000km), $600 (24,000km), $700 (36,000km), $1050 (48,000km) and $930 (60,000km).

While the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 is distinguished by a bold gloss-black grille with hollow ‘flow-tie’ badge and three-piece steel lower front bumper for improved airflow and approach angle respectively, both MY23 1500s bring a new front-end design with fresh arrow-shaped daytime running lights and the LTZ Premium adopts a single horizontal grille bar below the traditional Chevy bow-tie logo.

The ZR2 also adds a pair of glossy black ‘6.2L’ badged bonnet bulges – the rear edges of which can present occupants with nasty reflections in bright sunlight – plus red rather than black (non-tow rated) recovery hooks, additional aluminium under-body skid plates, exclusive ZR2 wheel-arch flares and unique 18-inch gloss-black alloy wheels with specific 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory Blackwall 275/70R18 mud-terrain tyres and a full-size spare wheel (as opposed to the LTZ’s new 20-inch Sterling Silver alloys with 275/60R20 Maxxis Bravo HT-70 all-terrains, with 17-inch spare).

There are also gloss-back door handles instead of chrome, and ZR2 badges instead of Z71.

The ZR2’s key mechanical upgrade is a circa-2.0-inch factory suspension lift that increases ground clearance from 228mm to a sizeable 296mm and increases wheel travel to nine inches up front and 10 inches at the rear.

It also adds high-performance active (but not driver-selectable) Multimatic DSSV dampers with three spool valves to control fluid flow, plus front and rear electronic locking differentials (E-Lockers) and a Terrain Mode with one-pedal rock crawl mode to go with the standard two-speed transfer case with 2.72:1 reduction ratio and 4L.

There are big design and tech changes inside – see below – but the ZR2 misses out on the LTZ’s standard side steps (making for a huge step up into the expansive cab, although tubular rock rails are on the accessories list, along with a rear sports bar), as well as its adaptive cruise control (regular cruise control only), power sunroof, powered steering column (manual rake/reach adjustment only), powered up/down tailgate (down only), front parking sensors, and its Technology Pack including Rear Camera Monitor, Bed View Monitor, 15-inch head-up display and seven-speaker Bose sound system (six-speaker only).

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 does not have an ANCAP (or Euro NCAP) safety rating but, like the MY23 LTZ, does come with an extensive standard active and passive safety tech suite.

There’s low-speed autonomous emergency braking (up to 80km/h) with pedestrian detection, forward collision alert, lane keep assist, rear cross traffic alert, lane change alert with side blind alert, trailer side blind zone alert, reversing camera, 360-degree HD camera with up to 13 views (14 for LTZ), stability/traction control, IntelliBeam auto high beam, LED headlights, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitoring, an alarm and six airbags.

A highlight of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 (and LTZ) is its new 13.4-inch colour infotainment touch-screen – which is high-resolution, intuitive, fast to react and covers all the multimedia bases – and configurable 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster, which together bring the Silverado’s interior tech suite up to the same standard as the latest DT-series RAM 1500.

A wireless phone charger, front and rear USB-A and USB-C outlets, Bluetooth voice control, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity and 10-way front seat power adjustment is also present and correct, but only the LTZ gets a digital rear-view mirror and GM’s new ‘Super Cruise’ hands-free autonomous driving system is not fitted.

However, a ZR2 highlight is a front-mounted camera (with washer) that displays an under-truck view on the interior screen, which helps negate the fact you can’t see the vehicle’s front quarters from the driver’s seat and is handy for spotting off-road obstacles like rocks, holes and other obstacles.

There’s no change under the bonnet of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, which GMSV claims is the most powerful naturally-aspirated V8 in its class.

That means there’s still no diesel power and, like the RAM 1500, both the LTZ and ZR2 continue to come exclusively with a big-bore petrol V8 – in this case an even bigger and more powerful 6.2-litre EcoTech bent-eight offering 313kW of power and 624Nm of torque.

It’s matched to a 10-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles and selectable 2H/4A/4H/4L modes.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 claims combined fuel consumption of 12.2L/100km, which now matches the RAM 1500’s 291kW/565Nm 5.7-litre V8 due to the reintroduction of a fuel-saving idle-stop system that was previously standard and then removed due to the global semi-conductor shortage.

Of course, that’s significantly more than any of the more popular diesel-powered mid-size 4x4 dual-cabs on the market – and also more than the Ford Ranger Raptor’s 292kW/583Nm 3.0-litre twin-turbo petrol V6 (11.5L/100km).

On the press launch, we saw trip computer consumption figures of around 11L/100km on the highway, 14L/100km in traffic and low-speed off-road work, and over 20L/100km on a racetrack and while towing 3000kg-plus loads.

Based on the official average consumption figure, which is aided by Dynamic Fuel Management cylinder shutdown tech that allows the V8 to run on just two cylinders under light loads, the 91-litre fuel tank offers a theoretical range of about 750km.

The 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 delivers plenty of performance for a vehicle weighing more than 2.5 tonnes (2583kg kerb, making it 40kg heavier than the LTZ), revving cleanly, responsively and with an unmistakeable V8 engine note to about 5750rpm – with or without a load behind it.

But there’s never any doubt you’re in a huge (5931mm long, 2074mm wide, 1991mm high) dual-cab pick-up – especially on narrow roads, in tight carparks or when testing out the big 14.4-metre turning circle (14.3m for LTZ).

That said, strong and progressive brakes, good vision in all directions and all of the latest driver safety aids make the Silverado easy to get used to behind the wheel.

Instilling more confidence is relatively precise and well-weighted steering, which is heavier than in both the LTZ and the old LT Trail Boss, and a surprisingly low level of body roll in corners despite the extra ride height, making you feel quickly at home in the hulking ZR2.

The ZR2’s mud tyres are louder and offer less grip than the LTZ’s all-terrain rubber on the road, but they’re quieter than most and overall cabin noise suppression is impressive.

Likewise, ride quality is hard to fault on most surfaces, although even the clever DSSV dampers can’t overcome a slightly jiggly ride on lumpy tarmac such as concrete freeway surfaces.

It most certainly can. In fact, we were surprised by the level of mechanical traction offered by the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 in a variety of reasonably testing off-road conditions including rock, sand and mud.

There’s no denying the off-road limitations of the enormous 3748mm wheelbase and the sheer weight of this full-size pick-up on soft terrain, but the Goodyear mud tyres proved almost unstoppable even from a standing start on steep clay fire-trails.

Much of that capability can be attributed to the ZR2’s serious 4x4 hardware, including the adaptive compliance of the DSSV dampers, the fully locking centre coupling (in 4L) and both the rear and – should you need it – front e-diffs.

Whether it was fully bogged in deep sand, sloppy bogholes or slippery inclines, the ZR2 extricated itself every time by engaging 4x4 and/or the rear e-diff. And there’s no doubt there’s enough performance on tap here to keep the ZR2 wheelspinning out of trouble anywhere on Fraser Island, Stockton Beach or the Simpson desert.

And if you’re loading up the tub or tow bar, there’s a huge tray with spray-in liner and 12 tie-down anchors, measuring 1813mm wide (1286mm between the wheel-arches) and 569mm deep, plus a clever GCM alert function that shows roughly how close to (or above) the maximum towing capacity you are.

Standard capless refuelling and several hard rear tonneau cover options round out the comprehensive adventure package, but there’s no genuine bullbar option and the steel bumper isn’t winch-compatible.

Lavish and expansive. Indeed, the four-door/five-seat cabin of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 is longer and wider than any mid-size ute or large family SUV – despite the fact it’s in front of a cargo bed that’s wider and just 10cm shorter than a Holden Ute’s at 1776mm.

Throw in Graystone highlights in addition to the LTZ’s plush Jet Black leather trim, a handy powered rear window like that in higher-spec Nissan Navaras, plenty of door pocket storage, dual gloveboxes, huge grab handles on the A- and B-pillars, a near-flat floor and enough legroom, headroom and shoulder-room for three full-size adults in the rear and the ZR2 interior is as spacious as it is practical.

The only real disappointment is the small pair of face-level rear air-vents.

But the best seat in the house is the driver’s, where a huge centre arm rest and door sills and an impeccable right-hand drive conversion job make the ZR2 cabin a great place to rack up miles in.

Aided by relocating the column shifter to the centre console – where the conventional gear shifter has been flipped – the MY23 Silverado’s new Aussie-spec dashboard is a mirror image of its donor model’s, including a centre touch-screen that’s angled towards the driver and reverse-engineered climate-control, lower switch bank and headlight control panels.

The short answer is only if you regularly tow heavy loads. And when you do, be aware of how much payload you have remaining.

As anyone who regularly tows knows, and as we’ve covered here, here and here, many utes (and SUVs) don’t have much remaining payload when towing at maximum capacity.

In the case of the 2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, the maximum unbraked towing capacity is 750kg, the max braked tow capacity with a standard 50mm tow ball is 3500kg (as per the most popular dual-cab 4x4 utes) and the max braked tow capacity with a 70mm ball is 4200kg (4500kg for LTZ).

But the ZR2’s payload is just 717kg (757kg for LTZ, which also has less than most mid-size dual-cabs) and its gross combined mass is 6851kg (7160kg for LTZ), so if you’re towing at maximum capacity you’ve got just 117kg of payload left in the LTZ – and only 68kg in the ZR2, which doesn’t leave much room for a driver, let alone passengers or cargo.

So if you regularly tow up to 3500kg – which is more than the heaviest caravans available in Australia today – you’re probably better off with a mid-size dual-cab. If you tow more then buy a RAM 2500, at least until the MY23 Silverado HD becomes available.

But if just want the street cred and/or massive interior of a full-size 4x4 pick-up, the MY23 Silverado 1500 now matches or betters the RAM 1500 for safety, technology and, apart from the $200K-plus RAM TRX, off-road capability.

2023 Chevrolet Silverado ZR2 at a glance:
Price: $133,000 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Engine: 6.2-litre V8 petrol
Output: 313kW/624Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Fuel: 12.2L/100km (ADR Combined)
CO2: 283g/km (ADR Combined)
Safety rating: Not tested

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