What’s in a name, you ask? Even William Shakespeare didn’t think it might work in the 21st century. Now, a whole bunch of vehicles depict their ethos and nature just by their name, just like how Chevrolet Trail Boss does. As the name suggests, Chevrolet intends to showcase the off-road worthiness and capability to conquer varying terrains with the “Trail Boss” trim for its pickup trucks.
Trail Boss in Chevrolet Lineup – Here’s What It Means
The Chevy Trail Boss trim for pickups is for those who want the best of both the worlds of on and off-road usage, with a relatively higher essence of off-road worthiness.
The Chevrolet pickup trucks in this variant feature a host of add-ons that accentuate the rugged appeal of the trucks while also making them sportier in the way they look and perform over rougher surfaces.
Most Trail Boss trim elements from Chevrolet are based on the Z71 variant, giving the pickups additional capabilities to make off-road driving a more straightforward job.
History Of Trail Boss Variant – Here’s How It Came Into Existence
Chevrolet first introduced the Trail Boss variant for its pickups with the Colorado Z71 Trail Boss in 2016. Based on the second-generation Colorado Z71 pickup, this first-ever Chevy Trail Boss remained on sale only for one year. However, the “Trail Boss” nameplate returned to the US market in 2018 with a specific off-road variant for the fourth-generation Chevrolet Silverado.
Chevrolet Vehicles With Trail Boss Package
Currently, two Chevrolet vehicles are offered with the Trail Boss package as their more off-road-oriented versions—the Colorado and Silverado. Both these popular Chevy pickups have dedicated Trail Boss variants.
The Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss is the latest one introduced in 2022, while the Trail Boss trim is available in two variants of the Chevrolet Silverado—Custom Trail Boss and LT Trail Boss.
Here’s What All Things You Get In Chevy Trail Boss Variant
Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss
The Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss is based on the entry-level WT (Work Truck) pickup variant, with additional visual enhancers and underpinning tweaks. The Trail Boss trim for Colorado gets all the features of the WT variant and some more in addition, which are as follows:
- 18-inch gloss-black alloy wheels with 265/65 R18 all-terrain Blackwall tires
- 2-inch lift kit with a 3-inch wider track
- Blacked-out fender flares and frame-mounted recovery hooks
- Standard four-wheel drive with Eaton automatic locking rear differential
- Driver Mode Selector System
- Hill Descent Control
Available with the 310hp version of the 2.7-liter turbocharged engine and 8-speed automatic transmission, the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss also has enhanced approach, departure, and break-over angles over the Colorado WT on which it is based.
Other features that it retains from the Colorado WT are black bumpers and exterior mirror caps, black fabric upholstery, an 11.3-inch infotainment system, an 8-inch fully digital driver information center, push-button ignition, and Chevy Safety Assist.
Chevrolet Silverado Custom Trail Boss
Based on the Custom variant, the Silverado Trail Boss gets these additional features and changes:
- 18-inch gloss-black alloy wheels with Goodyear Wrangler DuraTrac MT tires
- 2-inch suspension lift kit
- Autotrac 2-speed transfer case
- Auto-locking rear differential
- Z71 off-road package
- Front and rear underbelly skid plates
- Black inserts on the hood
- Electrically-retractable assist steps
The features retained by the Chevrolet Silverado Custom Trail Boss variant from the Custom include a 10-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, a standard tow package, remote start, fabric upholstery, and an EZ-lift power lock and release tailgate.
Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss
The Silverado LT Trail Boss is to LT what the Silverado Custom Trail Boss is to Custom.
The Silverado LT Trail Boss gets all the additional features that the Custom Trail Boss gets over the Custom variant.
Since it is based on the Silverado LT, this particular Trail Boss variant of Silverado is bestowed with features like a 12.3-inch digital instrument console, 13.4-inch touchscreen infotainment system, body-colored door handles, and LED headlamps.
Cost Of Chevy Trail Boss Variant: Here’s How Much It Costs
As of August 2024, the Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss starts at $39,195 – almost $3,200 higher than the starting price of the WT variant on which it is based. Similarly, the Chevrolet Silverado Custom Trail Boss starts at $54,05 ($2,500 higher than the Silverado Custom), and the Silverado LT Trail Boss prices commence at $60,295 ($4,300 higher than the Silverado LT).
| Model | Starting Price | Price Difference | Model It’s Based On | Base Model Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss | $39,195 | +$3,200 | Chevrolet Colorado WT | $35,995 |
| Chevrolet Silverado Custom Trail Boss | $54,050 | +$2,500 | Chevrolet Silverado Custom | $51,550 |
| Chevrolet Silverado LT Trail Boss | $60,295 | +$4,300 | Chevrolet Silverado LT | $55,995 |
Is The Chevrolet Trail Boss Variant Worth The Hype?
The Chevrolet Trail Boss variant might not be the unbeatable beast to overcome a zombie apocalypse. However, the additional tweaks to the suspension and mechanical hardware over the variants it is based on make the Chevy Trail Boss trim a decently more capable offering for beginner off-road driving enthusiasts. And considering the relatively modest premium it demands over the regular model it’s based on, it makes a lot of sense for anyone who requires a fair bit off-road enhancements.
For full-blown off-road worthiness, the Chevrolet ZR2 variant still takes the cake.
FAQs
Q1. What is the Chevy Trail Boss Package?
The Chevrolet Trail Boss package is a more off-road-oriented trim based on the entry-level and mid-spec variants of the Chevy pickup trucks.
Q2. What is the difference between Z71 and Trail Boss?
The Trail Boss package includes many of the existing features of the Z71 variant, such as off-road suspension and all-terrain tires. However, the Trail Boss trim adds elements like a 2-inch suspension lift kit, more capable mud-terrain tires, and recovery hooks. The Trail Boss trim for Silverado also has an automatic locking rear differential.
Q3. What is the difference between the Chevrolet ZR2 and Trail Boss?
While both these trim levels are off-road versions for Chevy pickups, the ZR2 is more extreme and suitable for high-speed off-roading. It gets more hardcore elements like Multimatic DSSV dampers, even better tires, a front e-locker, a 1-inch suspension lift, and a redesigned front bumper for more clearance while having all the other aspects of Trail Boss.
Q4. Is Chevy Trail Boss four-wheel drive?
The Trail Boss trim for both Colorado and Silverado comes standard with a four-wheel drive system.
Q5. What comes in a Trail Boss?
The primary elements included in the Chevy Trail Boss trim for both Colorado and Silverado are gloss-black alloy wheels, mud-terrain tires, a blacked-out exterior garnish, standard four-wheel drive with locking rear differential, and a 2-inch suspension lift kit.
