A Look at Every Off-Road Trim of the 2024 Chevy Colorado

Midsize trucks are perfect for going off-road. While full-size trucks might have more space for cargo and more power for towing, they have a disadvantage on tight trails where being nimble is better than being huge. While off-road trims are becoming more popular on full-size pickups, they’ve been a staple of midsize truck lineups for many years. Because of that, it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that the 2024 Chevy Colorado has not just one but four different variations geared toward off-roading.

The 2024 Colorado’s off-road skills have won it praise from all corners of the auto industry, earning it the title of “Editor’s Choice” from Car and Driver and helping it snag the MotorTrend “Truck of the Year” award. Part of the Colorado’s successful strategy is realizing that no two off-roaders are alike. Some are hardcore enthusiasts who want to be able to tackle any trail, some are beginners who don’t want to invest too much in a hobby that ultimately might not be for them, and others are mainly interested in camping and just need the protective equipment necessary to reach a rural site. The Colorado’s multiple off-road trims and various price points let any driver get a level of off-road readiness that suits their lifestyle and budget.

Trail Boss

The Trail Boss is the most affordable off-road trim, with a starting price of $37,300.[a] Like all of the rugged trims featured on this list, the Trail Boss ditches the Colorado’s base powertrain and its 237-horsepower engine, coming standard instead with the TurboMax engine, which can produce up to 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. That extra power means more thrills when tearing across open terrain and more control when navigating loose terrain or crawling over boulders. This trim also comes standard with a drive mode selector that lets you change the vehicle’s settings on the fly to adapt to a range of situations. Normal mode is the default of everyday driving on paved roads; Tow/Haul gives you optimal performance with a trailer hitched up to the back of the truck; Off-Road mode provides extra traction for getting a good grip on gravel, grass, mud, or snow; and Terrain mode is well-suited for climbing steep grades.

Compared to the base trims of the Colorado, the Trail Boss has a wider chassis and a 2-inch factory lift. It also has black accents on the exterior and interior, giving it a rugged look and preventing it from getting visibly scratched up and stained by rough terrain and dirt. A standard Autotrac 2-speed transfer case with push button controls lets you switch not just between 2WD and 4WD but also 4WD High for wet and snowy roads and 4WD Low for mud, sand, and deep snow, as well as Auto mode, which keeps the truck in 2WD unless any wheel slippage is detected by the system. The standard all-terrain tires also help you get a good grip on tough terrain, with deep treads designed with off-roading in mind.

Z71

The Z71 comes standard with almost everything that makes the Trail Boss effective off-road, with the exception of two elements of its body design. While the Colorado Z71 has a wider chassis and more ground clearance than the WT and LT trims, it has a slightly narrower chassis and less ground clearance than the Trail Boss. While that might be a dealbreaker in some situations, it can make it easier to maneuver in tight spaces and better cornering, which might well be worth the tradeoff for you, depending on the kind of off-roading you do.

Overall, the Z71 is definitely a solid step up the trim ladder, and many of its upgrades can come in handy in the great outdoors. Instead of the halogen headlamps standard on the Trail Boss and lower trims, the Z71 gets LED projector headlamps and daylight running lamps that are bright and provide superior visibility. Speaking of visibility, the Z71 also sports bright red recovery hooks instead of black ones. If you ever end up in a sticky situation where you need to get your truck recovered, it’s better to be able to spot the hooks instantly, even if the truck’s front end has gotten pretty muddy.

The Z71 also has heated side view mirrors and a rear window defogger that can help keep frost at bay on cold winter days, and a 120-volt box-mounted power outlet that can help you power an electric pump, heater, or other accessory to improve your campsite. There’s also a pocket on the back of the front passenger seatback that’s perfect for keeping trail maps close at hand. And while it won’t provide a practical function off-road, the Z71’s Jet Black interior with bold red accents looks cool and can get you in the mood for adventure.

ZR2

If you’re truly dedicated to off-roading and want everything you could possibly need to succeed, you’ll want to spring for the legendary ZR2. This trim has the same wide stance as the Trail Boss but sports an extra lift of factory life (making for a 3-inch lift compared to a Colorado WT or LT). The ZR2 is also fitted out with plenty of standard features that come in handy off-road, like a high-performance suspension system, Multimatic DSSV dampers to keep your ride smooth on any terrain, driver-selectable electronic locking front and rear differentials to improve traction if a wheel starts to slip, off-road rocker protectors to prevent damage to vital underbody components, and fender flares to keep flying rocks, mud, and other debris at bay.

You’ll also get a spray-on bedliner to protect your cargo bed from the elements, a set of OD MT tires with a more aggressive tread than the all-terrain tires on the lower off-road trims, and a trailering package to help you bring a boat, motorbike, or camping trailer along for the ride. There’s also an extra option on the drive mode selector, exclusive to the ZR2 trim: Baja Mode, designed for tearing across loose sand.

While most of the ZR2’s upgrades make it more rugged, the interior gets the opposite treatment, becoming more lush and comfortable. The ZR2 comes standard with a power-adjustable driver seat with power lumbar, a tilt and telescoping steering column to help you get your position just right, and an auto-dimming rearview mirror to keep harsh sunlight out of your eyes. Dual-Zone Automatic Climate Control and heated front seats come standard, too, making it easy to get the temperature perfect. These interior comforts can help you drive longer without getting tired and make the cabin a nice place to relax after a long day of roughing it.

ZR2 Bison Edition

While the ZR2 was the very top of the off-road options for the 2023 Colorado, there’s one step up for the 2024 model year. Thanks to a partnership with off-road parts and accessory experts at American Expedition Vehicles (AEV), Ford presents the Colorado ZR2 Bison Edition. This variant has all of the goodies found on the ZR2, plus a few upgrades and replacements.

Multimatic front and rear jounce control dampers make the ride even smoother, a bed-mounted spare tire carrier is easy to access in case of trouble, a set of even larger OD MT tires are ready to tackle any surface, and an even higher ground clearance of 12.2 inches helps you glide over obstacles. AEV equipment includes a heavy-duty, winch-capable front bumper, a rear bumper, exclusive fender flares, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, and five high-strength Boron steel skid plates protecting various underbody components. Bison badging on the exterior lets others on the trail know you mean business.

An Off-Road Trim for Every Adventurer

No matter where, how, or when you like to go off-roading, there’s a Colorado trim that’s perfect for your needs. The affordable Trail Boss offers a solid entry point, the Z71 has a nice balance between off-road equipment and on-road handling, the ZR2 goes all-out for hardcore enthusiasts, and the Bison Edition has even more standard equipment for those who want to truly be as prepared as possible. Choosing between these trims might feel daunting, but don’t worry: you really can’t go wrong with any version of the capable and reliable Chevy Colorado.