2023 GMC Canyon Review

The GMC Canyon midsize pickup gets a full redesign for 2023 and succeeds the previous-generation Canyon that made its debut nearly a decade ago. While we were impressed with the old truck's handling, powertrains and towing capabilities, its technology features, interior design and off-road capabilities were in need of improvement. Thankfully, this latest Canyon builds off of the previous-gen's strengths and improves everything else.

The new Canyon features a new turbocharged engine, GMC's latest in-car tech, a wide array of driver aids and some impressive off-road capabilities. We had an opportunity to drive all four of the 2023 Canyon's trims, including some time off-roading in the new Canyon AT4X, a truck that's essentially a GMC-badged version of the impressive Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. Are the changes enough to move the needle and make the Canyon a superior pick over the Toyota Tacoma? We got real seat time to find out.

There's a wider track than before as well as a taller ride height. The Canyon's base ground clearance is now 9.6 inches and just a bit shy of the Tacoma's 9.7 inches of clearance. Opting for the off-road-focused AT4X takes things up another inch, raising ground clearance to 10.7 inches. Additionally, the AT4X, as the new GMC version of the Colorado ZR2, features Multimatic DSSV dampers, electronic locking front and rear differentials, 33-inch all-terrain tires, rock rails and heavy-duty skid plates. The Multimatic dampers are particularly noteworthy, as they improve the truck's off-road capabilities without significantly sacrificing on-road comfort.

An Edition 1 package that will only be available for the redesigned Canyon's first year of production adds on front- and rear-facing underbody cameras, an off-road front bumper with safari bar, a front 30-inch light bar, a winch, a unique front skid plate and 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels. The front bumper, safari bar, light bar and winch will only be offered on the Edition 1 at launch but will be available as a factory or dealer accessory for 2024.

We didn't have any significant complaints about the previous Canyon's ride, handling and overall performance, so it's no surprise that the new truck is still a solid performer. The new engine provides plenty of power, with lots of low- and mid-range torque to help it feel quick around town. There's more than enough power for merging or passing on the highway too. The eight-speed automatic is quick and smooth, though on our initial drive we noticed that it occasionally shifted unexpectedly, as if it wasn't sure what gear it needed to be in.

The steering is responsive and provides more feedback from the road surface than the systems in other midsize trucks. These qualities give the Canyon a more refined feel; the whole truck seems tighter and more buttoned-down than before. The suspension, be it the standard setup or the AT4X's Multimatic DSSV dampers, is well balanced between on-road comfort and off-road compliance. While rivals like the Tacoma, Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator feature suspensions that allow for compliance and clearance on rough roads but can feel soft and wallowy on pavement, the Canyon seems well tuned for both.

We drove on some trails that would have been too tight for a Sierra 1500. The Canyon's midsize proportions and direct steering gave us the confidence to thread the needle between some nasty-looking logs without puckering up too badly. Front and rear electronically locking differentials are standard on the AT4X, and the rear diff can be activated on-the-fly.

Other than some mud and narrow clearances, the trails GMC took us on weren't overly taxing for a truck as capable as the AT4X. We think the regular AT4 with its standard four-wheel drive, all-terrain tires, hill descent control and two-speed transfer case would have made it through the same areas just as unscathed.

The Canyon features multiple drive modes, with three (Off-Road, Terrain and Baja) aimed at improving performance on loose surfaces. Off-Road is the most mild and intended for grass, mud or gravel. Terrain mode adjusts things like throttle response and transmission tuning to help improve low-speed maneuverability. Think steep hills and rock crawling. Baja mode — exclusive to the AT4X — is intended for high-speed driving on sand or dirt, though we didn't have an opportunity to put it to the test.

The Canyon's interior design and feel are better than the outgoing Canyon's. The last Canyon drove well, but the interior was drab to look at and cheap to the touch. Stiff seats and hard plastics undercut the truck's generally comfortable ride. The new interior, while not necessarily luxurious, offers a more refined and premium feel than the old truck's cabin. That's especially true in the Denali trim, which features interior upgrades over the other variants with wood trim and additional leather on surfaces like the door panels.

This all makes the Canyon feel much more grown-up than before. GMC and General Motors as a whole have been making a concerted effort to improve their interiors as evidenced by models like the refreshed GMC Sierra and fully redesigned models like the Chevrolet Trailblazer and Trax. GM interiors have generally lagged behind the competition, so we're pleased that the new Canyon doesn't suffer from the same middling design as its predecessor.

Along with the new interior comes new in-car tech, including an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system that will be standard on all trims. It features GM's latest user interface and comes standard with wireless connectivity for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. If you prefer to use the Canyon's system rather than stream from your phone, the new infotainment is straightforward and easy to use. The Google-backed system uses Google Maps as its native navigation system, so it's easy to use.

The Elevation and AT4 both come with 8-inch digital instrument clusters, while the AT4X and Denali get slightly larger 11-inch digital instrument clusters. Additionally, the AT4X and Denali get a head-up display; it's optional on the standard AT4.

But it's not just in-cabin tech that gets a bump. The Canyon is available with a number of other features that help it stand out. Some of those features include an available 10 exterior cameras, including one underneath the truck so you can see just how close those rocks are to bashing the underside of your truck. That camera even has a washer nozzle to spray the lens, useful for when the entire underside gets caked in mud.

There are a handful of standard and available driver's aids too. Standard equipment includes automatic emergency braking with pedestrian detection, automatic high beams and lane keeping assistance. Additionally, features like adaptive cruise control and blind-spot warning are available with certain packages. In practice, it all works well. The adaptive cruise helped maintain good gaps, and all of those cameras were helpful when navigating tight trails.

Towing and hauling have always been among the Canyon's strengths, and the 2023 model is no different. Payload ratings vary from just over 1,000 pounds in the AT4X Edition 1 to over 1,600 pounds in the two-wheel-drive Canyon Elevation. All trucks feature the same bed length. At 61.7 inches, it's slightly longer than the beds on the Tacoma, Ranger and Gladiator, but it's slightly smaller than the Honda Ridgeline's bed.

The Elevation, AT4 and Denali all have a 7,700-pound towing capacity, right there with the best midsize trucks. The AT4X is rated at a lower but still impressive 6,000 pounds, and the AT4X Edition 1 is rated at 5,500 pounds.

The 2023 GMC Canyon is available in four trim levels: Elevation, AT4, AT4X and Denali. All four are powered by a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four (310 hp, 410 lb-ft) paired exclusively with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Elevation comes standard with two-wheel drive; four-wheel drive with a true low range is optional on that trim and standard on the AT4, AT4X and Denali.

Elevation
Standard feature highlights on the Canyon include:

• LED headlights
• 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires
• Keyless entry with push-button start
• Tilt-only steering wheel
• 8-inch digital instrument cluster
• 11.3-inch touchscreen display
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone integration (wireless connectivity for both)
• Six-speaker audio system

Standard driver aids on all Canyons include:

• Forward collision warning with automatic braking (warns you of an impending collision and applies the brakes in certain scenarios)
• Lane keeping assistance (steers the Canyon back into its lane if it begins to drift over the lane marker)

Optional equipment includes:

• Convenience package
• Rear window defogger
• Sliding rear window
• LED foglights
• Dual-zone automatic climate control
• Tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel
• 120-volt outlet on rear console and in bed
• Auto-dimming rearview mirror
• Upgraded tailgate (EZ-Lift)
• Preferred package
• Power-adjustable driver's seat
• Heated front seats
• Technology package
• Adaptive cruise control (maintains a driver-set distance between the GMC and the car in front)
• Surround-view camera system (gives you a top-down view of the truck and its surroundings in tight parking situations)
• Canyon Safety Plus package
• Rear parking sensors
• Blind-spot warning with rear cross-traffic warning (alerts you if a vehicle is in your blind spot during a lane change or while in reverse)
• Blind-spot intervention (automatically steers the car back into its lane if you try to change lanes while a car is in the vehicle's blind spot)

AT4
The AT4 includes all of the Elevation's equipment, adding:

• Standard Convenience and Preferred package features
• Hill descent control
• Standard four-wheel drive with two-speed transfer case
• Additional USB ports

Options include:

• Seven-speaker Bose audio system
• Technology and Canyon Safety Plus packages
• AT4 Premium package
• Leather upholstery
• Power-adjustable passenger seat
• Rear armrest
• Wireless charging pad
• Heated steering wheel
• Heated and ventilated front seats

AT4X
The AT4X builds off the AT4 with additional changes to enhance the Canyon's off-road performance. Changes include:

• Standard Technology, Canyon Safety Plus and AT4 Premium packages
• 17-inch wheels with more aggressive all-terrain tires
• Additional skid plates
• 11-inch digital instrument cluster
• Head-up display
• All-weather floor mats
• Rock rails
• Retuned suspension with 1-inch additional lift and Multimatic DSSV dampers
• Locking front and rear differentials
• Bose audio system
• Spray-in bedliner
• Trailering package (see below)

For the first year, the AT4X is available with the Edition 1 package. It includes:

• Configurable bed rails
• 30-inch front LED light bar
• Revised front bumper with brush guard
• Factory winch from ComeUp
• 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels
• Underbody cameras
• Accessory switch kit

Denali
The Denali sits atop the Canyon lineup. While not as off-road capable as the AT4X, it has the same set of convenience and technology features. It also has:

• Chrome exterior trim
• 20-inch wheels
• Special interior trim

An optional Trailering package is available for the Canyon. It includes a trailer hitch and an integrated trailer brake controller (allows adjustment of a trailer's brakes from the cab).