The 2022 Canyon Denali diesel features the 4-wheel drive with an electronic Hi-Lo gear selector as standard. Apart from that, there are plenty of creature comforts on offer as standard like the heated steering wheel, heated and ventilated front seats, a Bose audio system, parking assists, and many other features to make the truck feel worth the high asking price.

One can also opt for the optional Denali Black Edition package for an additional $2,295 that blacks out all the windows, bumpers, mirrors, badges and other exterior trims to add the sporty appeal. One can also opt for additional chrome trims if you want that extra bling, that being said, there are cargo tie-down rings, tonneau cover, recovery hooks, and other functionalities also available as options.

We Recommend

As the Denali is in itself the top-end trim of the GMC lineup and there is no further bifurcation available, there’s not much to recommend. That being said, since the truck is already priced higher than most rivals, it is best to leave the options out of consideration other than the absolute essentials. 

2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab Release Date

GMC has already started taking the orders for Canyon trucks from the 1st of July and since there aren’t any major changes as compared to the previous year, deliveries should begin by the fall of 2021. 

The Canyon Denali Diesel is powered by a 2.8-liter Duramax turbocharged four-cylinder diesel engine that is rated to produce a nifty 181 hp and huge 369 lb-ft of torque. The engine is paired up with a six-speed automatic transmission and 4-wheel drive as standard and also features an electronic locking Hi-Lo gear selector for improved and optimized power delivery to aid off-roading and lugging heavy loads. 

With the low power output on offer, the acceleration performance isn’t the greatest but with huge sums of torque in reserve, it manages to tow a class-leading 7,700 lbs and has a payload capacity of over 1,500 lbs. In terms of acceleration, the 0-60 mph is done in under 9 seconds while the quarter-mile run needs 16.5 seconds, both of which aren’t the greatest numbers for this segment. 

As per the handling, the GMC Canyon is a smooth handler and although it may not be as supple as the Honda Ridgeline, it is still one of the better trucks to be driven for daily commute. The engine is pretty refined and there is plenty of noise insulation which keeps the road and ambient noise away from the cabin. The steering is light and direct and the suspension manages to keep the truck from tossing around much at the back unless the bed is absolutely empty. 

The GMC Canyon strikes a perfect balance between comfort over rough surfaces and off-road capabilities. The one that aces in the off-road circuit are the Jeep Gladiator. It is one of the most capable when off the tarmac while when on it, it is much quicker than the Canyon. The Chevy Colorado shares its powertrain and chassis with the Canyon and hence both have identical towing and acceleration performance. 

With a diesel engine under the hood, one would expect high fuel economy figures from any vehicle and though the GMC Canyon is a work truck, it does fare well in this regard. The EPA rates the Canyon Denali diesel for 25 mpg of combined city and highway driving which together with the 21-gallon fuel tank manages to return a healthy driving range of over 500 miles on a single tank of gas. 

Both the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado diesel share their powertrains as it is with one another. They also have an identical fuel tank capacity and therefore, they both offer identical driving ranges. The Gladiator on the other hand has a marginally higher fuel consumption but also employs a slightly larger gas tank, thereby bringing the driving range on par with the GM trucks. 

Although the GMC brand in itself is targeted at being the premium versions of their Chevy counterparts and the Denali is basically the king of their segment, it doesn’t particularly feel as premium or luxurious as they make it sound. They do have a sense of premium appeal to their cabins with premium materials and high-quality finishes being employed, the cheaper plastic toggles and switches that are shared with several GM products bring down the upscale feel. 

In terms of space, there is plenty of room for even the taller people to sit comfortably in the front row of seats of the Canyon. There is no shortage of headroom or legroom at the front but the rear seat is a bit cramped and is on par with the compact sedans. It is acceptable in our opinion but could have been better. With the rear bench seat folded up, one can use the available space as covered storage for the more valuable goods.

That being said, the floor is uneven which makes it a challenge to load the goods and the rear seat cannot be removed altogether for added cargo space, like with the extended cab. The cargo capacity in the short is one of the best in the business at 41.3 cu-ft which can be extended to around 50 cu-ft with the long bed. The Denali comes standard with the EZ-Lift and Lower tailgate along with the optional set of four cargo tie-downs and cargo box LED lighting. 

The GMC Canyon and Chevrolet Colorado are basically badge-engineered versions of one another and hence have identical interior and cargo space with nothing to differentiate between them at all. The Jeep on the other hand offers more headroom inside its cabin for both the front and rear seat occupants. The legroom is limited at the front but the rear seat passengers will enjoy plenty of space. Some of the features in the 2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab are:

• 6-way power driver and 4-way power front passenger seats with power lumbar control
• Heated & Ventilated Front Seats
• Rear folding bench seats
• Leather-appointed seat trim
• Tilt and telescopic heated leather-wrapped steering wheel
• Automatic climate control
• Chrome door handles

How intuitive is the 2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab’s infotainment unit?

The lower trims of the Canyon feature a smaller seven-inch head unit while the Denali trim comes standard with the eight-inch touchscreen. GMC’s interface is pretty minimalistic with large icons and buttons to compliment it. It gets plenty of other technology on offer and the seven-speaker Bose audio system, optional on lower trims, is standard with the Denali along with the 4G Wi-Fi hotspot. Some of the features in the 2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab are:

• 8.0-inch GMC Infotainment System
• 7-speaker Bose premium audio system
• Android Auto and Apple CarPlay capability
• HD Radio and SiriusXM Radio
• 4G LTE Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Advanced voice recognition
• Bluetooth streaming audio

GMC made subtle revisions to the Canyon last year and gave it a revised front grille and this year nothing seems to have changed. The Denali continues to be the flashier chrome-laden trim of the Canyon’s lineup with the 20-inch diamond-cut machined alloy wheels. For the buyers who do not wish to look gaudy with all that bling on the chrome, there is a Denali Black Edition Package on offer that blacks out many of the exterior trims. 

No points for guessing that both the Canyon and Colorado have identical exterior dimensions, ride height, and weights as one another. The Jeep Gladiator diesel on the other hand is longer in length which also makes it heavier than the other two trucks. It also has a much higher ground clearance as standard which is only available with the off-road-oriented AT4 trim of the GMC Canyon with the larger wheels and tires. Some of the features in the 2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab are:

• Halogen projector-type headlights with LED signature DRLs
• Heated power-adjustable chrome mirrors
• EZ-Lift and Lower remote locking Tailgate
• Spray-on Bedliner
• Chrome beltline moldings and door handles
• CornerStep rear bumper and chrome assist steps
• 20-inch Diamond Cut machined aluminum wheels with painted accents

The NHTSA has already crash-tested the GMC Canyon for the 2022 model year and it gets a solid 4-star overall rating in the tests. The IIHS is yet to do the same, but the Canyon performed well in most aspects of the test conducted by them for the 2021 model year. There are quite a few safety features and a couple of driver aids that make their way as standard with the Denali trim, a highlight of which has been listed below. 

• StabiliTrak stability control system
• Forward Collision Alert
• Lane Departure Warning
• Ultrasonic Rear Parking Assist
• HD Rear Vision Camera
• OnStar and GMC connected services
• Teen Driver Mode
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab vs Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Crew Cab Diesel

Although both the Canyon and Colorado are essentially the same truck inside and out, they both cater to very different sets of audiences. While the Chevy truck is intended to be used majorly as a workhorse, the GMC Canyon Denali is targeted to the business owners who want a hint of premium appeal from their work truck. The price difference between the two is substantial but with the number of luxury elements that add value to the Denali over Colorado, it should not be a difficult choice to make if money isn’t the biggest concern for you.

2022 GMC Canyon Denali Diesel Crew Cab vs Jeep Gladiator Diesel Crew Cab

The Jeep Gladiator is targeted towards the adventure junkies in the pickup truck world. It is not only more capable off the tarmac, but it is also quicker off the mark. It has a more spacious cabin and comes with plenty of customization options. That being said, the GMC Canyon Denali is much more capable of towing and is yet frugal in nature. Add to that the premium cabin and exterior design and the GMC dependability at just marginally higher cost, there is no doubt that the Canyon feels like a more potent and attractive pickup amongst the two.

The new GMC Canyon Denali diesel may not be the first option to come to your mind when considering buying a midsize truck due to its high price tag. But when you consider the massive towing and payload capabilities, high frugality, premium, and feature-loaded cabin, and a handful of styling and functional options, there is hardly any reason to question the high prices of this truck.