2023 GMC Canyon

MC, the luxe-truck division of General Motors, has long struggled to differentiate its products from mechanically similar Chevrolets.

- Aaron Gold

PROS Pleasant to live with Good work ethic AT4X is a no-holds-barred off-roader 
CONS Stylish trim contrasts with cheap plastics Build-quality issues High price

In 2015 and 2016, the GMC Canyon midsize pickup watched from the sidelines as its cheaper sibling, the Chevy Colorado, took home back-toback MotorTrend Truck of the Year trophies. The Canyon was just as good, but it didn’t offer enough content or value to support its higher price.

The all-new GMC Canyon tries harder. Exterior styling and ritzier cabin trim are the primary differentiators, but there are significant mechanical changes, as well. To wit: All GM midsizers get a 2.7-liter turbo I-4 engine, but while Chevy offers three output levels, the Canyon comes standard with the most powerful (310 hp/430 lb-ft) version. All Canyons get the taller and wider suspension Chevy reserves for the off-road Colorado Trail Boss, and the Canyon lineup also includes the extreme-off-road AT4X, which mirrors Chevy’s continent- conquering Colorado ZR2 (don’t confuse it with the tamer AT4).

Has GMC finally gone far enough in differentiating the Canyon from the Colorado? No—at least not enough to clinch a Truck of the Year win.