I traded my '23 HC LZ0 about a year and a half ago for a '24 2500HD LTZ Duramax. I had enjoyed the LZ0 so much, I wanted to try out the big diesel - plus I really liked the looks of the new 2500HDs. The truck was a beast! The low-end torque was amazing! It had tons of pulling and passing power and rode very nicely on the highway. It pulled my cargo trailer like a dream (didn't really feel it back there) and I could pass easily while pulling the trailer when necessary.
I had hoped the highway mileage would be close to what I was getting with the LZ0, but I was dreaming. The best I had seen was around 18 - 19 with no headwind. And while that wasn't bad and gave me a range of well over 550 miles, it was with a 36 gallon tank. Other down-sides were the truck rode fairly rough/stiff around town, got about 12 mpg doing it, and my wife had a lot of trouble getting in and out of it. Parking it in a crowded parking lot was also a factor. I still loved the truck, but since I only tow a couple of times a year, I felt the truck was not really what I needed and had made a mistake.
I decided to go back to a half ton with the LZ0 and I feel that was the right choice. I ordered a short bed (parking ease) High Country with towing mirrors (one of the features I really liked about the 2500HD). I didn't get the Max Towing package because my cargo trailer weighs between 5,000 to 7,000 lbs loaded and I only tow it twice a year. I also wanted the Adaptive Ride Control for added comfort, which you can't get with the Max Tow Package.
I received the truck last month ('26 model) and am very happy with it. The truck rides like a dream in town and on the highway, has plenty of power for what I use it for, and I get great mileage doing it. I travel quite a bit for my job as well, so the increased mileage was a big bonus. My first trip out I made it over 540 miles at 27 mpg with 115 miles left on the 24 gallon tank. I plan on retiring in a couple of years, so this truck will stay with me for a long time - I really couldn't see the 2500HD being my daily driver once I wasn't working any more. I highly recommend the LZ0 to anyone considering it.