The new GMC Canyon, the fancier version of the Chevrolet Colorado mid-size truck, just showed its face for the first time, and wow: it’s weird. But in a good way. The truck, especially in its off-road-oriented AT4X trim, looks downright aggressive. And the specs appear to back that look up off-road.
I don’t have a ton of info on this thing, since this is breaking news, but I will note that the approach, departure, and breakover angles are quite good for a pickup truck. Check it out:
It’s worth mentioning that GMC says in its press release that the AT4, Elevation, and Denali trims get an “ultra-wide track and two-inch factory lift” while the AT4X cranks that “lift” up to three inches (that’s in quotes because if all trims have it, is it even a lift?). “The Canyon AT4X’s factory lift enables 10.7 inches of ground clearance standard and a 36.9-degree approach angle,” GMC writes. I assume the image above shows 32.8 degrees because the “Edition 1” package adds that special front bumper, which includes a “safari bar” to protect the grille.
Multimatic dampers, 33-inch mud-terrain tires, skid plates, and front and rear lockers means the AT4X should be as formidable off-road as it looks suggest. Other off-road goodness for the AT4X Edition 1 model (which GMC notes will be offered with “extremely limited availability”) includes rock rails, beadlock-capable wheels (these make it easier to air down your tires without them popping off the bead), underbody cameras to help you choose your off-road line carefully, and red tow hooks.
Like the Colorado, the Canyon has a double wishbone independent suspension up front and a solid axle out back — a solid axle that offers some serious flex, helping keep all tires on the ground. Check this out:
If you want to see more off-road footage, check out GMC’s video here:
Under the hood there’s a 310 horsepower, 430 lb-ft 2.7-liter turbocharged engine that GM (probably strategically) doesn’t mention in its press release is a four cylinder. It’s the same engine you’ll find in the Chevy Silverado 1500 and in the Canyon’s sibling, the Chevy Colorado.
The AT4X’s interior gets a big 11.3-inch infotainment screen, an 11-inch gauge cluster, an old-school shifter, a head-up display, and a bunch of colorful accents, badging, and stitching:
It’s a tough looking off-roader, and it’s going to cost a tough $63,350. That’s up there with a decked-out Jeep Gladiator Rubicon.
As for the non-AT4X models, here’s a look at the Denali:
And here’s the AT4:
And here’s a screenshot of all the off-road angles for the various trims, for you off-roaders wondering how big of a difference that letter “X” really makes. It seems: quite a bit:
The cheapest Canyon, the Elevation model, will start around $40,000, per GMC. Production starts early next year, with the AT4X coming a bit later, in the spring.
This breaking news story is being updated
All Images from GMC
Two things about this bother me: the new Colorado already appears to be a tall truck, so why does every single one of the GMCs (and most of the chevys) have a lift and ultra wide track? Given that most full sizes with similar engines get the same gas mileage and cost about the same, the only real reason to go midsize is for convenience and drive ability. A low load height would greatly aid convenience and diversify the lineup as all of the Silverado’s got jacked up in the last redesign. Full size interiors are massively more comfortable for family use, and the midsize crew cab beds are much smaller, so it makes little sense to buy one as it gets closer to a Silverado. I’d love to downsize, and the interiors look great, but the pros/cons leans heavily towards full size despite what anyone says. Full size crew cabs double as minivans, mid size trucks double as escapes/rav-4s/etc.
Unless making an off-road rig, the only midsize which makes sense is the ridgeline-if you’re towing over 5000lbs then you’d go full-size anyways, and it maintains most of the full size interior and bed volume in a reasonably sized footprint. Thankfully they finally de-minivanned it a bit as the last gen only looked decent with all of their blackout and adventure packages. They did it right though-cool looking wheels and tires, no lift or Baja pretensions.
Also, and this goes for every single mid size truck ( most half tons and cars for that matter), wtf is wrong with column shifters? That car like handle is taking up half of the center console. On my f150 that’s a very continent cubby which I use constantly. Why take away that space on a small interior which definitely needs it?
it’s all very nice but, $63,000!?!?!?!?!?!? what is happening to our economy!?
The GMC Canyon looks way nicer than the Colorado which from the front end seems like a blatant copy of the face lifted 2020 Tacoma. It’s neat to see 33″ tires from the factory. They are a sweet spot for aggressive appearance, ground clearance and off road capability on a midsize truck that probably spends more than 90% it’s life on pavement.
A $63K “truck” that can’t fit a 4×8 sheet of plywood in the bed?
No one who owns this is going to carry a sheet of plywood. Plus, with today’s prices I only expect people with $100,000 pickups to be able to afford a sheet of plywood.
GM really needs to do less styling.
Is that what that is?
What is the expected longevity of the electronics in these trucks? GM is approaching parity with 1970’s Lucas electronics for reliability these days. I’d rather drive a base model Hilux 4×4 than one of these.
I find it interesting that the increased wheelbase has resulted in less leg room in the back seat area.
(Pickup Truck and SUV Talk pointed this out about the Colorado in their Livestream last week.)
$63k. For a midsize truck. W. T. F.
There are so many thinks I’d buy before dropping $63k on a midsize truck.
Didn’t you see the RED TOW HOOKS? I know colored tow hooks have become a signal for off roadiness as of late, just like black plastic around wheel arches and rockers signifies the excellent Starbucks worthiness of crossovers. It just amuses me that it is important enough to be called out.
Also, new cars aren’t made for the poors anymore. I know there are still lower priced models, such as the Maverick available, but everything seems to be really moving up market. When does that reach a saturation point where people decide that $750+tax+interest a month for 84 months isn’t worth it?
I mean I’m already at that point where I have no interest in buying anything new. I make good money but FFS a $600+ car payment is just ABSURD! For now I’m just gonna keep my ride rolling forever at this point unless some idiot hits it, which is a very real possibility where I live.
Well, If you can get it at that price, it’s not bad at all, compared to say a Telluride that costs $43k with a $22k dealer adjustment.
430 torques from a 4 prompts all sorts of heretical thoughts. Like dropping one in that little Cosworth from yesterday….
with that teeny tiny bed, could they have not placed the rear axle dead center of the box to improve rear departure? would have looked that bad really?
$63,000 mid size trucks ladies and gentleman.
And that’s why it looks angry. Or should that be depressed/resigned?
$63,000 truck for a $15,000 operator.
Mall-Bro’s will be tripping over each other to sign the 96 month paperwork on these.
When I first glanced at the lead image, I thought this was a Toyota Tundra TRD. They both have that squinty look and I had to glance again to make sure.
It’s funny that this looks more closely related to the Chevy Silverado than the new Colorado does.
Chevy always has some kind of strong horizontal line through the grille. GMC always has some kind of central grille polygon. Deciding how to differentiate two badge engineered GM families is half the job over there. Regardless, it’s a great looking machine.
Would it be too difficult for GM to also release the I’m Comfortable With My Masculinity Edition of this AT4X?
They can keep most of the off-road hardware. Just replace the leering, angry, petulant front fascia with something eager or friendly-looking; return those tow hooks to a neutral color; and let’s maybe even slap some big “2.7L INLINE 4” badges on the tailgate and front quarter panel.
Amen. You took the words out of my mouth. So tired of roid rage truck design.
Red Tow Hooks you say? Sign me up, this is clearly the sign of an off-road beast. No pedestrian mall crawler would be caught with red tow hooks. I wonder how much those underbody cameras cost to replace.
Honestly, depends on how much has to be dismantled to get to them. Cameras are actually pretty cheap now – which is why every smartphone has about 100 – and these aren’t going to be especially complicated or require any sort of special lenses. They will require some protection though, so if it takes a lot to get them out of that protection labor costs (or time investment, since time is money too) will add up quickly.
What’s yer approach & breakover angle? Ya got a factory-lift-kit, widened chassis, and 33 inchers? Then yer talkin’ to the wrong crowd.
Has GM dropped the diesel option on this and the Colorado?
Yeah. According to GMAuthority, the last week of diesel production for both vehicles was the July 4th holiday week. Which is in itself a poignant statement on the last hurrah of ICE goodness in America.
Get ’em before they’re all gone friends and neighbors.
Frankly, I’m more interested in the new Toyota Tacoma hybrid coming soon. This is a good looking truck. But $63K for what is essentially a small overstressed turbo, and no hybrid capability, compared the Ford f-150 for instance, is no sale to me.
At least thus far, it seems so. But the 2.7L Turbo gas engine makes ~60 lb-ft *more* torque than the 2.8L diesel did, and damn near double the HP, so it really doesn’t make much sense to have the diesel in the lineup.
Now, the 3.0TD I6 would be absolutely wonderful in this, but I highly doubt it’ll actually fit in the engine bay.
Its apples to oranges, the diesel will always out torque the gasser unless it runs less boost.
And the diesel right off idle is already right in the torque band where as the gasser wont get going until north of 2500 or so. Fuel consumption under load is also vastly different as the gas engine has to enrich under load and the diesel is always running as lean as the load requires.
But yeah its cool its a big four but its all torque and no revs. Very truck like powerband I can assume.
It was charming seeing live comments to the reveal Youtube video claiming that, because it is an I4 it clearly will have no torque.
Apparently those folks haven’t seen the plateau-like torque curves of nearly every modern turbocharged I4. This one will be no different – that plateau just happens to be quite a bit higher.