In addition to the features that help the truck tiptoe over rocks like a mountain goat and haul trailers with ease, the Colorado ZR2 has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it almost untouchable when chasing speed in the dirt. Let’s start with Baja mode, a ZR2-specific drive mode our Colorado has that’s accessed with one counterclockwise turn of the drive mode dial.
This system was developed with input from off-road racing legend Chad Hall, and it elevates the ZR2’s potential for speed over loose surfaces in two-, four-, and automatic four-wheel drive. Twisting the dial into Baja mode will prompt the driver with a screen confirming that interventions from ESC and traction control will be diminished. This prompt takes a few moments to load, so give yourself time to make this selection before hitting the dirt. After that, the fun begins.
How Is the Chevy Colorado ZR2 So Fast Off-Road? We Rocketed Across the Dirt to Find Out
Shocks, armor, and Baja mode make our yearlong review truck untouchable when the dirt gets fast.Jered KorfhageWriter, Photographer
Aug 18, 2025
Our yearlong review 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 has domineered all sorts of tasks and conquered terrain across the United States. From rock crawling and cross-country road trips to hauling cargo, pulling a trailer, and slashing through the snow, this truck has done it all with aplomb. What follows is a closer look at one of the Colorado ZR2’s special talents, a skill that makes it one of the most valuable midsize trucks in the game today—its go-fast-in-the-dirt chops.
Speedy Hardware
In addition to the features that help the truck tiptoe over rocks like a mountain goat and haul trailers with ease, the Colorado ZR2 has a few tricks up its sleeve that make it almost untouchable when chasing speed in the dirt. Let’s start with Baja mode, a ZR2-specific drive mode our Colorado has that’s accessed with one counterclockwise turn of the drive mode dial.
This system was developed with input from off-road racing legend Chad Hall, and it elevates the ZR2’s potential for speed over loose surfaces in two-, four-, and automatic four-wheel drive. Twisting the dial into Baja mode will prompt the driver with a screen confirming that interventions from ESC and traction control will be diminished. This prompt takes a few moments to load, so give yourself time to make this selection before hitting the dirt. After that, the fun begins.
No matter how many wheels are receiving power, Baja mode increases the sensitivity of the throttle. It also engages “Performance Shift,” which allows the transmission to hold gears briefly upon lifting the pedal for compression braking so the truck remains in its power band when you need to muscle out of that corner. The ABS is more sensitive to loose surfaces in Baja mode, permitting some dirt to pile up in front of the tires, which helps to shorten stopping distances in the dirt. Finally, the ESC and traction control nannies remain mostly inactive, at least until you’ve exceeded the forbidden mixture of steering angle, brake input, and speed.
Go-Fast Armory
While the presence of rocker armor is appreciated in the rock gardens, the ZR2’s front bash plate is focused on protecting the truck’s vitals when navigating whoops, jumps, and G-out events. If an irregular dune feature places itself ahead of the ZR2, the bash plate is there to help smooth it over. Should you apply too much sauce on the approach to a jump or series of whoops, the bash plate’s angle is designed to skim over the dirt (and not dig in like a lawn dart) to keep the truck moving safely forward.
Golden Desert Bling
Ah yes, the gilded jewelry at each corner of the Colorado ZR2—the spool-valve shocks from Multimatic. These unique shocks use spool valves instead of the traditional pistons and shim stacks to create a damping response that’s based on piston velocity. In short, the shock remains compliant on the road and over smaller irregularities, which are called slow-speed events. Here, “speed” refers to piston velocity within the shock, not the speed of the vehicle. High-speed events (again, referring to the speed of the piston) such as G-outs and landing jumps prompt a stiffer response from the shocks, mitigating harsh bottom-outs and maintaining chassis control on the rebound. For a deeper dive into this seriously cool suspension tech, check out our story here.
Multimatic DSSV shocks deliver a remarkably composed ride on- and off-road using an entirely mechanical system. High-performance shocks from Fox and Bilstein require a host of electronics to produce this sort of suspension response, and other truck manufacturers even require the driver to shimmy beneath the vehicle to dial in the suspension by handfor each change in terrain.
Workout in the Dirt
As I believe it is sinful to have the keys to a ZR2 and not play in the dirt, I have logged innumerable hours exploring the truck’s skills when cruising quickly off-road. Let’s start with the easy stuff.
There’s no wrong way to drive on a gravel two-track with the Colorado ZR2. The truck is actually the happiest when galloping down a washed-out dirt track that’s just a bit too rugged for trucks with standard off-road shocks. From a gentle 20 mph to highway speeds, the ZR2 will maintain composure for as long as you’re willing to give it throttle.
Turning up the spice level, Baja mode loosens the reins and really allows you to lock the truck into a drift. The caveat here is steering angle because hitting full lock pulls power from beneath your foot. This only encourages tidier slides where the driver steers more with the truck’s tail than with the wheel.
The Colorado ZR2 does have a weak spot in spirited off-road driving, though: whoops. When traversing the sine waves of the desert, the Colorado ZR2 can handle gentle whoops at appreciable speed, but it quickly hits its limit. Too much amplitude or too short a period between whoops, and the shocks become overtaxed as the truck seesaws on its axles.
But Can It Jump?
That’s a silly question because all cars can jump—it’s the landing that counts. And the spool-valve shocks are extraordinarily good at cushioning harsh landings. Assuming that you’ve satisfied a few reasonable criteria for jumping (traveling straight on takeoff is one of them), the shocks’ bottom-out resistance and rebound control truly make going airborne a non-event. It’s likely you won’t even notice your tires leaving the ground, and that’s a sign of a competent suspension design.
For More On Our Long-Term Chevrolet Colorado ZR2:
- A New 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Dirties Our Yearlong Review Fleet
- Our New Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Makes Us Do a Bunch of Math
- Here’s The Worst Part of a 5,000-mile Road Trip in the 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2
- The Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Won’t Leave You (or Anyone Else) Stuck in the Cold
- Our California Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Shows Midwest Jeeps How It’s Done
- Can Our Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Keep Up With Jeeps in Moab?
- An Ex-Military GM Truck Tests Our Chevy Colorado ZR2’s Towing Capabilities
| 2024 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Specifications | |
| BASE PRICE | $48,395 |
| PRICE AS TESTED | $52,830 |
| OPTIONS | ZR2 Convenience package ($1,490: driver memory settings, heated steering wheel, jet black/Artemis perforated leather-appointed front seats, rear center armrest, driver seat-back map pocket, ventilated driver and front passenger seats, wireless charging; Safety package: rear cross-traffic braking, blind-zone steering assist, rear park assist), power-sliding glass sunroof with manual shade ($1,000), Technology package ($950: HD surround sound, rear pedestrian alert, adaptive cruise control), premium audio system ($500), Radiant Red Tintcoat ($495) |
| VEHICLE LAYOUT | Front-engine, front-motor, 4WD, 5-pass, 4-door pickup truck |
| POWERTRAIN | 2.7L turbo direct-injected DOHC 16-valve I-4, 310 hp @ 5,600 rpm, 430 lb-ft @ 3,000 rpm |
| TOTAL POWER | 310 hp |
| TOTAL TORQUE | 430 lb-ft |
| TRANSMISSION | 8-speed automatic |
| CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) | 4,974 lb (56/44%) |
| WHEELBASE | 131.0 in |
| LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT | 212.7 x 76.4 x 73.8 in |
| TIRES | Goodyear Wrangler MT 287/75R17LT |
| EPA FUEL ECONOMY, CITY/HWY/COMBINED | 17/17/17 mpg |
| EPA RANGE | 357 mi |
| MotorTrend Test Results | |
| 0-60 MPH | 6.9 sec |
| QUARTER MILE | 15.4 sec @ 88.1 mph |
| BRAKING, 60-0 MPH | 129 ft |
| LATERAL ACCELERATION | 0.72 g |
| FIGURE-EIGHT LAP | 29.2 sec @ 0.57 g (avg) |
| Ownership Experience | |
| SERVICE LIFE | 10 mo/48,713 mi |
