A 2023 redesign brought big improvements to the mid-size GMC Canyon pickup truck, including a new, more powerful four-cylinder engine and one of the nicest, most luxurious cabins in the class. For better or worse, the Canyon also grew noticeably larger, blurring the line between mid- and full-size pickups. Unfortunately, its price has increased to match its size.
Related: 2023 GMC Canyon Review: Better and Brawnier, But at What Cost?
Like its similarly revamped Chevrolet Colorado sibling, the Canyon is offered in only one configuration: a four-door crew cab with a short bed. The Canyon gets more off-road capability than the Colorado, and it only comes with the more powerful of the two 2.7-liter four-cylinder engines available with its Chevrolet counterpart. Other than that, the two trucks are mechanically similar and remain much the same for model-year 2024.
Cars.com Road Test Editor Brian Normile recently had a chance to spend some quality time with the new Canyon in the off-road-friendly AT4 trim. Normile came away impressed with the Canyon’s capability, surprisingly pliant ride and upscale interior. But the Canyon comes up short in some key areas, as you’ll see by tapping the link above for his expert review; for a quicker rundown, read on for five things we like about the 2023 GMC Canyon AT4 and five things we do not.
Things We Like
1. Civilized Cruiser
The Canyon delivers a surprisingly comfortable, quiet and controlled ride on the highway, even with the AT4 trim’s big and beefy all-terrain tires. A standard, absorbent off-road suspension with 2 inches of lift soaks up bumps and imperfections with little fuss. Body control is a bit sloppy in corners and steering feel is largely absent, but the Canyon remains generally controlled and quiet underway, with little tire or road noise. The brakes provide plenty of stopping power with good feel, as well.
2. Formidable Four-Banger
With 310 horsepower and 430 pounds-feet of torque on tap, the Canyon’s turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine outguns the 308 hp and 275 pounds-feet generated by the outgoing model’s available V-6. The only engine available with the redesigned Canyon, the four-cylinder is also notably more powerful than the 237-hp base engine in the Colorado. Paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain supplies more than adequate grunt and pulling power.
3. Appealing Interior
The Canyon’s well-finished interior may not be quite up to the impressive standards set by the full-size Ram 1500 pickup, but it’s one of the nicest interiors available in a mid-size truck. Most materials and controls have an upscale look and feel, giving the interior a more luxurious and quality look than both its competitors and the previous generation’s Canyon Denali.
4. Impressive Infotainment
The Canyon is equipped with appropriately premium tech features to go along with its upscale interior, including a standard 11.3-inch touchscreen that’s quick to respond, easy to use and offers clear, crisp graphics. Wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are also standard, eliminating the need for a cord cluttering up the interior.
5. View From the Helm
Thanks in part to the Canyon’s raised ride height, visibility is good from the driver’s seat. In fact, the AT4 sits higher even than any variant of the larger Sierra 1500 full-size pickup, making for a commanding view of the road and your surroundings.
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Things We Don’t Like
1. Powertrain Hiccups
The new turbocharged engine gets the job done, but it’s somewhat slow to respond on the highway. When passing or accelerating, there’s a noticeable lag between when you press the accelerator and when you’re rewarded with an actual increase in speed. Like some other recent high-output four-cylinder engines, there’s also a lack of refinement in the engine’s sound and feel.
2. MPG
The new engine delivers more power than the old V-6 but without any improvement in fuel economy. Rear-wheel-drive versions of the 2022 Canyon equipped with the V-6 were rated by the EPA at 18/25/21 mpg city/highway/combined, compared to 18/23/20 mpg for the 2023 model with RWD. That drops to 17/21/19 mpg for the AT4 with four-wheel drive and big all-terrain tires.
3. Where’s the Light Switch?
The Canyon does without a conventional headlight switch, leaving the center touchscreen as the only way to manually turn the lights on and off. Since the headlights and high beams have an automatic mode, a traditional headlight switch can seem redundant. You can turn the high beams off using a column-mounted stalk, but there’s no alternative method to operate the headlights in the event of a screen failure or other glitch.
4. Bigger Footprint, Less Room
The redesigned Canyon is larger than the previous generation, further blurring the lines between mid- and full-size pickup trucks. Yet the rear seat is actually less roomy than the one in the 2022 Canyon. The Canyon’s raised suspension makes it look and feel more like the full-size Sierra 1500, without the added maneuverability typically found with a mid-size truck. Big as it is, the Canyon still trails the Sierra in terms of towing and payload capacity when equipped with the same engine.
5. Pricey Pickup
Our test Canyon AT4 came to just under $50,000 (including destination), a significant sum that again puts it into full-size pickup territory. A Sierra 1500 with 4WD and the 2.7-liter engine costs about $5,000 more, albeit without the off-road goodies of our test truck, but with greater towing and payload capacities. The Canyon’s price structure might be a contributing factor to send more buyers to a full-size model.
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