Ever since Chevrolet and American Expedition Vehicles announced the Bison we’ve been waiting to find out just how much we’ll need to pay for this slice of mid-size truck nirvana. Well, we’re happy to announce that the wait is over, and the bill won’t hurt nearly as much as we expected.
According to recent Chevrolet figures, the Bison package will cost just $5,750 more than the standard ZR2. That’s a paltry sum when you begin to consider the cost of purchasing and installing front and rear bumpers, skid plates, and leather seats from the aftermarket. Especially when you consider this entire kit is under factory warranty.
The 5k premium will put the base price of the Bison at $48,045 for extended cab, and $49,645 for crew cab V6 models, which is actually surprisingly affordable. Since we know people will gawk at that though, let’s do a quick perspective check on current pricing in the market. The Bison comes packed with leather seats, the premium infotainment system, a powerful V6, and of course the slew of off-road accessories that got us all so excited in the first place. Basically, it comes loaded, and the only option left is going to be the diesel motor. So apples to apples, how does that stack up against the competition?
Equipping a TRD Pro Tacoma with just leather seats and an automatic transmission puts the price tag at $45,665, so you’ll save $3,000 up front, but that’s without a winch-ready bumper, a full belly of skid plates and sliders, and a front locker. Add those in, and you’re well above the $50,000 mark. The new Rubicon JL, on the other hand, can be equipped very similarly to the Bison from the factory, but that truck comes in at a hair under $50,000 anyway.
So all things considered, we’re extremely happy with the Bison price point. Whether or not we’re happy with its performance is an entirely separate matter though, and one which we will dive into thoroughly after the embargo is lifted on December 5.
