Review: Watch your back, Raptor...

The Ford Ranger Raptor effectively invented the high-speed, high-performance off-road ute market in Australia. And since its arrival in 2018 it has gone almost unchallenged, despite would-be rivals such as the Nissan Navara PRO-4X Warrior and Toyota HiLux GR Sport emerging on the scene.

But the high-performance off-road market is well-established in the USA (it’s where the Raptor concept came from) and there are some famous rivals to Ford there. Specifically, the Chevrolet Silverado ZR2, which is now available in Australia through General Motors Specialty Vehicles (GMSV) and we’ve recently driven.

This isn’t a direct rival to the Ranger Raptor, at least not in its native land where it lines up against the F-150 Raptor. But in Australia, with the F-150 Raptor not available, inevitably there will be people cross-shopping both the Ranger and the Silverado as they search for the most potent and capable ute their budget will allow.

Which is an important place to start, because the ZR2 is priced from $138,000 (plus on-road costs) and that puts it nearly $50k higher than the Ranger Raptor ($47,560 to be precise). But for that extra money you do get more car – literally.

The Silverado is a full-size American pickup, being longer, wider and taller than the Ranger to have more presence on the road. But the real lure for many Australians who miss the days of the HSV Maloo and the golden era of the V8 engine is what’s under the bonnet. The Silverado ZR2 is powered by Chevy’s 6.2-litre V8, which is tuned to make 313kW of power and 624Nm of torque. That’s actually only 21kW and 41Nm more than the twin-turbo V6 in the Ranger Raptor offers, so not a huge advantage but for those who crave the sound and linear power delivery of a V8, there’s nothing that can beat it.

GALLERY: Chevrolet Silverado ZR2

And make no mistake, the ZR2 sounds the business thanks to its new dual-mode exhaust, which can either be restrained or unleash the full fury and drama of the throaty V8. This is a sound no V6 or any other engine configuration can really compete with.

Interestingly, the ZR2 gets the same engine tune as the more luxury focused Silverado 1500 LTZ Premium, but there are some major differences between the two which means they have totally different characters. It starts with the looks, with the ZR2 fitted with a unique front bumper for better off-road capability as well as tougher, more rugged design package. But it’s the addition of the advanced Multimatic DSSV dampers and 33-inch Goodyear Wrangler Mud Terrain tyres on 18-inch gloss black alloy wheels that really give the ZR2 its off-road potential.

Without any running boards (which also helps off-road clearance) just getting up and into the ZR2 can be a challenge because it’s so tall. Once you get inside you have a commanding view of the road, with this current breed of American utes and SUVs feeling massive on Australian roads.

There aren’t a lot of places in Australia where you can (legally) explore the limits of the ZR2 (and the Raptor, etc) so these kinds of utes tend to be more about having that physically large presence on the road or making a statement to those around you. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s a shame Australia doesn’t have the same sort of high-speed off-road culture that thrives in America and has spawned the ZR2, Raptor and others.

What the Silverado really offers over and above its smaller rivals is space and comfort. The cabin is huge and has plenty of room for five adults. It also has loads of storage, including a gun rack under the back seat – proof you can take the pickup out of the USA, but you can’t take the USA out of the pickup.

The Silverado ZR2 is a big beast and will likely only appeal to a small audience, but for those who miss the sound and power of V8 and want something with epic off-road ability it’s hard to beat.