2018 GMC Canyon

The 2018 GMC Canyon comes in two cab styles – an Extended Cab and a Crew Cab. The Short Box is only not available in the Extended Cab. The base 2018 GMC canyon SL is only available with Extended Cab and starts at $22,095. Apart from the base 2.5L I4 and 3.6L V6 gas engines, a 2.8L Turbo Diesel is also available albeit at a steep price of $5,000.

Trims	Canyon SL	Canyon	SLE	All-Terrain Cloth	SLT	All-Terrain Leather-Appointed	Denali
MSRP	$22,095	$28,195	$31,395	$35,795	$35,795	$36,695	$40,595
Features	Rear Vision Camera	7″ diagonal GMC Infotainment System	8″ diagonal GMC Infotainment System	Off-road suspension	Off-road suspension	20″ ultra-bright machined aluminum wheels
	4-way power driver’s seat	16″ cast aluminum wheels	4G Wi-Fi Hotspot	Hill Descent Control	Jet Black/Cobalt leather-appointed front seating	8″ diagonal GMC Infotainment System with Navigation
	DURALIFE brake rotors	Projector headlamps with LED signature	4 USB ports	Transfer case shield	Hill Descent Control	Bose Premium 7-Speaker Audio system
	CornerStep rear bumper	CornerStep rear bumper	17″ cast aluminum wheels	Unique 17″ Dark Argent metallic cast-aluminum wheels with painted accents	Unique 17″ Dark Argent metallic cast-aluminum wheels with painted accents	Center console with wireless charging mat
	Vinyl floor covering		Automatic locking rear differential (4WD models)	Body-color bumpers and grille surround	Transfer case shield	Spray-on bed liner with Denali logo
	Rear seat delete		Leather-wrapped steering wheel	Carbon-fiber-inspired interior accents	17″ All-terrain Blackwall Tires	Heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
			Aluminum interior trim	All-Terrain exclusive contrasting red stitching	All Terrain specific black grille center	Polished exhaust tip (V6 engine only)
			Tilt/telescoping steering column		Body-color outside mirrors
			EZ Lift and Lower locking tailgate

Too many to choose from? We help you find the best trim

Of all, we think the GMC Canyon SLE ($31,395) is the best value as it equipped with features like 8-inch touchscreen infotainment, 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. Moreover, you can also option plenty of off-road goodies and advanced active safety features.

The GMC Canyon comes with three engine options. Out of all, we will advise staying away from the base 181 hp 2.5L naturally aspirated I4. It feels anemic in such a large vehicle and even some sedans can tow more than it. Next up is the throaty 3.6L V6. Its 308 bhp power output and 275 lb-ft torque make the Canyon one of the quickest truck in the market.

Models	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
MSRP	$21,800	$21,195	$25,200	$18,990
Engine	2.5L I4 DI DOHC engine	2.5L DI 4-cylinder engine	2.7L I4 DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine	2.5-liter DOHC 16-valve 4-cylinder engine
Transmission	6-speed manual	6-speed manual	6-speed automatic	5-speed manual
Power	200 hp @ 6300 rpm	200 hp @ 6300 rpm	159 hp @ 5200 rpm	152 hp @ 5,200 rpm
Torque	191 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm	191 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm	180 lb-ft 3800 rpm	171 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm

For most of us, the V6 will fit the bill perfectly. However, if you want to use your GMC truck as a truck, a 2.8L Turbo Diesel inline-4 engine churning out 181 hp and an impressive 369 lb-ft of torque is on the menu.

While the base 2.5L gas engine comes mated to a 6-speed manual, the V6 is equipped with either a 6-speed automatic or an 8-speed automatic. For mud pluggers, 4-wheel drive with locking differentials is on offer. However, if you are serious about escaping apocalypse, check out the hardcore Chevy Colorado ZR2.

Acceleration

The Canyon with the base 2.5L inline-4 does 0-60 in a yawningly slow 9.0 seconds. However, upgrade to the GMC Canyon 3.6L V6 with 308 hp and you will be rocketing to 60 mph from rest in a mere 6.3 seconds. It’s properly fast for such a large vehicle.

Models	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
0-60 MPH	9.0 sec	8.1 sec	9.8 sec	7.5 sec
Quarter mile	17.1 sec @ 82.4 mph	16.2 sec @ 84 mph	14.7 sec @ 91 mph	16.5 sec @ 90 mph
Engine	2.5L	2.5L	2.7L	2.5L
Emission Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year	8.1	8.1	8.4	8.4

Ride and Handling

Despite being a ladder frame truck with rigid rear axle and leaf spring rear suspension, Canyon rides with surprising compliance. That does not mean it’s softly sprung because the Canyon can handle off-road roads without bottoming out. Even fast turns are executed flat despite the high ride height of this midsize truck.

Braking

The GMC Canyon gets 12.2-inch brakes on the front wheels and 12.7-inch brakes on the rear wheels. These brakes can haul the close to 4000 pounds Canyon from 60 to 0 in 121 feet. That’s second only to the Toyota Tacoma which can stop from 60 in 119 feet.

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Brake – front (in)	12.2	12.2	10.8	11.10
Brake Rear (in)	12.7	12.8	10.0	11.30
Curb Weight (lbs)	3943	3986	4425	3785
60-0 MPH (ft.)	121	123	119	125

Towing Capacity

When it comes to hauling, this GMC midsize truck is right up with some full-size pickups. When equipped with the torquey 2.8L turbo diesel belting out 369 pounds-feet of torque, the Canyon can tow 7700 pounds. That’s up with the full-size trucks and better than all other competitors except its corporate cousin – the Chevy Colorado.

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Drive Train	RWD	RWD	RWD	RWD
Power Train	2.8L	3.6L	3.5L	4.0L
Weight (lbs)	7700	7700	6800	6710

The Canyon with the base 2.5L inline-4 gas engine delivers 20 mpg in city and 26 mpg on the highway. The far more capable and recommended 3.6L V6 delivers 17 mpg in city and 24 on highway. Then comes the torquey turbo diesel delivering an impressive 20 mpg in city and 28 mpg on highway. However, you also have to factor in the $5000 premium you have to pay for the diesel at the dealer.

“A diesel 2.8-liter that’s EPA-rated at 28 mpg highway highlights a triumvirate of fuel-efficient engines available in the Canyon. In our real-world tests, the diesel was a match for its EPA rating, but the gasoline-powered version fell short of its rating by 2 mpg.” – Car and Driver

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Mpg city mpg	20	20	20	17
Mpg highway mpg	26	26	23	22
Mpg combine mpg	22	22	21	21

“The 2018 GMC Canyon’s interior is a fine blend of modern style with truck practicality. The wide seats are big-body friendly and most of the functions are in a big center stack, with large knobs that should be easily operated by gloved hands. There’s ample center-console storage, and the Crew Cab handles four adults comfortably and five in a pinch.”  – Kelley Blue Book

Seating and Comfort

The GMC Canyon interior is more upscale than the Chevy Colorado with good quality materials and plenty of soft-touch surfaces. The front seats are large and supportive but since it’s a mid-size truck, it’s not as spacious as a full-size pickup. The rear seat backs are too upright in the Crew Cab models. There are plenty of in-cab storage space for stowing away laptops and bottles.

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Passenger capacity	2	2	4	4
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	41.4/57.5/45.0	41.4/57.5/45.0	39.7/58.3/42.9	39.7/58.3/42.4
Rear (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)	38.3/56.2/35.8	38.3/56.2/35.8	34.9/56.5/24.6	38.3/54.9/25.4

Infotainment System

All configurations of 2018 GMC Canyon comes equipped with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While the base 2018 GMC Canyon SL gets a 7-inch touchscreen infotainments system, a larger 8-inch touchscreen infotainment is available from Canyon SLE onwards. The top end Canyon Denali also gets 2D and 3D GPS navigation and a booming Bose 7-speaker audio system.

“2018 GMC Canyon looks like a scaled-down version of GMC’s own Sierra full-sizer, and that’s all right with us. We’ve given it a point each for its chunky exterior and its car-like interior” – Carconnection

The 2018 GMC Canyon resembles the Full-size GMC Sierra pickup with same chunky exterior lines and similar imposing grille. However, this being a mid-size truck is far more manageable within the city. You can spice up the exteriors with large wheels, plenty of dark or chrome accents, all season tires and more. Corner Step makes accessing the bed a breeze and spray-on bed-liners are an option.

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Curb Weight (lbs)	3943	3986	4425	3785
Length(in)	212.4	212.7	212.3	205.5
Width(in)	74.3	74.3	74.4	72.8
Height(in)	70.4	70.4	70.6	68.7
Ground clearance(in)	8.4	8.4	9.1	8.7
Wheel base(in)	128.3	128.3	127.4	125.9
Track width(in) F/R	62.4/62.4	62.4/62.4	63.0/63.2	61.8/61.8

Payload Capacity

The GMC Canyon comes with two bed sizes – the short bed and the long bed. The short bed measures 61.7 inches in length and is available only with Crew Cab. The long bed measures 74 inches and is available in both Crew Cab and Extended Cab. The GMC Canyon has a payload rating of 1316 pounds. That’s second only to the Nissan Frontier.

Model	GMC Canyon	Chevrolet Colorado	Toyota Tacoma	Nissan Frontier
Capacity (lbs)	1316	1228	1175	1496

While the 2018 GMC Canyon comes standard with basic safety features, active safety features like forward collision warning and lane-departure warning are only available with Driver Alert Package in Canyon SLE and Canyon SLT. The GMC Canyon Denali gets them as standard. Apart from these, the 2018 GMC Sierra comes with following safety features:

• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• All-speed traction control
• Daytime Running Lamps
• 6 airbags
• Rear Vision Camera
• Teen Driver
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

NHTSA Safety Rating

The 2018 GMC Sierra has scored 4-star safety rating in NHTSA crash tests. The result is similar to other mid-size pickup trucks like the Toyota Tacoma.

Overall Rating	4-Star
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Driver	4-Star
Frontal Barrier Crash Rating Passenger	4-Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Front Seat	5-Star
Combined Side Barrier and Pole Rating Rear Seat	5-Star
Side Barrier Rating Driver	5-Star
Side Barrier Rating Rear Passenger	5-Star
Rollover	3-Star

IIHS Safety rating

The 2018 GMC Canyon has not received Top Safety Pick rating from IISH. Still, it has performed well in the crash tests as can be seen in the following table.

Small overlap front driver side	Good
Small overlap front passenger side	Not Rated
Moderate overlap front	Good
Side	Good
Roof strength	Good
Head restraints & seats	Good

2018 GMC Canyon Crew Cab vs.Chevy Colorado

The Chevy Colorado is the corporate cousin of the GMC Canyon and hence is similar mechanically. This means both trucks share same tow rating and deliver similar performance on the road. However, there is a difference. The Canyon moves upscale as it’s from the GMC brand with better interior materials and appointments. Also, a hardcore off-roader like the Colorado ZR2 is not offered by the GMC.

2018 GMC Canyon Crew Cab vs. Toyota Tacoma

The Tacoma is surpassed by other mid-size trucks in terms of interior comfort, towing capacity and fuel efficiency. However, if you need an off-roader, few can match the all-terrain prowess of the Tacoma equipped with the TRD package. Add Toyota’s bulletproof reliability and strength to the mix and you have a truck that you can trust when crossing Martian terrain.

2018 GMC Canyon Crew Cab vs Nissan Frontier

The 2018 Nissan Frontier is outclassed by most rivals. Whatever you decide to compare – towing capacity, payload rating, comfort, fuel efficiency or on-road performance, all other mid-size trucks trump it. A low price tag and high predicted reliability rating do not do much to make this Nissan Mid-size truck a viable alternative.

The GMC Canyon hits a sweet spot combining the capability of a full-size truck in a far more manageable dimension that’s easy to putter about and park within the city. Over this, the Sierra boasts a comfortable, well built and luxuriously appointed interior and a compliant ride.

It does lack a few active safety features and there is no hardcore off-road ready version on offer either. Moreover, the torquey 2.8L Turbo Diesel costs a chunky $5,000. Still, if you don’t need the massive capability of a full-size pickup, the Canyon is highly recommended as it will save you lots of dollars and parking lot hassles.