Chevrolet Is Bringing Back The Colorado ZR2 Desert Boss
Though only around for the 2023 model year, Chevrolet built what will likely become a cult classic in the Desert Boss trim of its midsize Colorado pickup.
Only around 600 of the special-edition ZR2 model were made, all with additional lighting, a Baja-style bed bar, beadlock wheels, and trim-specific graphics. It wasn't a cheap package, but it was definitely a cool one.
And now, Chevy is reportedly bringing it back for 2027.
The ZR2 on which the new Desert Boss is based already has some seriously good hardware. Multimatic Jounce Control Dampers and its DSSV suspension steal the show, and there are also locking front and rear differentials on board. 33" tires are standard, and the ZR2 has a 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for 350 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque (up from last year's 310 and 430, respectively). In other words, there's more going on here than cosmetic tough-guy chest-pounding.
Of course, there's a catch. Chevrolet hasn't announced pricing, but note that the original Desert Boss added $9,295 to the Colorado ZR2's sticker. With the 2026 ZR2 starting at $52,795 USD — and it likely to get a slight price hike for 2027-- you're already looking at a price in the $63k range. The revived package also won't be available alongside the ZR2 Bison or Midnight packages, so buyers will have to choose their flavor of factory off-road hardware.
Still, we're glad to see the Desert Boss return. If Jeep can get away with doing a new special edition Wrangler every month, Chevy can at least take its own crack at building a better ZR2 once in a while.
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Based in Connecticut, Ross hosts The Hooniverse Podcast. He has been in the off-road world since he was a kid riding in the back of his dad’s YJ Wrangler. He works in marketing by day and in his free time contributes to Hooniverse, AutoGuide, and ATV.com, and in the past has contributed to UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Everyday Driver. Ross drives a 2018 Lexus GX460 that is an ongoing build project featured on multiple websites and the podcast.
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