With the redesigned 2023 Canyon, GMC narrows the midsize pickup's mission to focus on what personal-use truck buyers want most. That's why it comes only in a crew-cab, short-bed configuration with a factory 2-inch suspension lift and why all but the base trim level include 4-wheel drive (4WD) as standard equipment.
For now, you won't find a stripped-down, vinyl-lined, commercial-grade variant in the new 2023 GMC Canyon lineup. Wheezy, underpowered 4-cylinder engines are also off the menu. And every Canyon now has a high-tech cabin boasting digital instrumentation and a widescreen infotainment system.
Intrigued? Well, you'll also want to know that the 2023 Canyon lineup includes Elevation, AT4, Denali, and AT4X trim levels. And base prices range from $41,695 to $56,995, not including the $1,495 destination charge.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The GMC Canyon competes in the Midsize Pickup market segment. According to data collected from verified new-vehicle buyers for the JD Power 2023 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study, 83 percent of new Midsize Pickup buyers are male (vs. 61 percent for the industry), and the median age of a new Midsize Pickup buyer is 58 years (vs. 56).
As part of the APEAL Study, owners rated Midsize Pickups in 10 primary categories. Listed below in descending order, you'll find their preferences, from their most favorite thing about the vehicle to their least favorite:
In the sections that follow, our independent expert analyzes a 2023 GMC Canyon AT4 equipped with the following options:
The test vehicle's price was $50,050, including the $1,495 destination charge.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Getting into and out of a Canyon is more challenging than before, thanks to the standard lifted suspension. It didn't bother me—a 6-foot-tall adult with long legs. But my partner found it hard to climb aboard despite the robust grab handle mounted to the windshield pillar on her side of the truck.
Once aboard, you'll find the Canyon AT4 includes a standard dual-zone automatic climate control system, an 8-way power-adjustable driver's seat, and heated front seats. The test truck's AT4 Premium package added leather upholstery, ventilated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a 6-way power-adjustable front passenger's seat, memory for the driver's settings, and a rear center armrest.
Every 2023 Canyon has an 8-inch (Elevation and AT4) or an 11-inch (Denali and AT4X) digital instrumentation panel and an 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system. GMC wisely preserves separate physical climate controls, arraying them beneath the infotainment screen where they are easy to find and use even when wearing gloves. A knob controlling radio power and stereo volume lives to the left of the touchscreen display, and hidden buttons on the back of the steering wheel spokes control the volume and radio tuning. GMC also makes it easy to turn the lane-keeping assistance system on and off using a toggle switch on the dashboard.
Nevertheless, the minimalists on the GMC design team exercised their power in a couple of odd ways. First, there isn't a headlight control panel in the new Canyon. If you want to adjust the settings or manually use the lights, you must find the correct menu on the touchscreen display and dig a few screens deep to change them. Second, GMC groups the turn signals and wipers together on the same stalk, which causes momentary confusion until you acclimate to the design.
My Canyon AT4 test truck had a caramel contrast color on the dashboard, door panels, seats, and stitching. In addition, GMC uses a mix of textured trim, gloss black surfaces, and polished metallic accents to convey an upscale appearance. However, considering the as-tested price tag of more than $50,000, some of the detailing inside this truck is shockingly cheap in appearance and feel.
If you are a broader person, like me, the front seats may feel like they're pinching your hips, and this causes fatigue on longer drives. But the benefit is a wider center console with decent storage. I found an excellent driving position with good visibility in all directions, and the ventilated front seats proved worthy during a hot summer testing week. As is the General Motors tradition, the air conditioning blew hard and cold, transforming the Canyon AT4 into a blissful sanctuary from the sweltering temperatures in only minutes.
Rear passengers gain room with the Canyon's redesign, and while legroom remains tight, the softly padded front seatbacks and supportive bottom cushion make it a non-issue. The test truck had the available center armrest with cupholders, and rear air conditioning vents ensure your passengers are just as cool on a hot day as you are.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
According to the 2023 APEAL Study, people love Android-based infotainment systems with Google Automotive Services. GMC installs that kind of system in the 2023 Canyon, but I prefer the previous truck's technology.
I know. So contrarian. But I will explain.
First, the Canyon's standard 11.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google Built-in is undeniably impressive, and not just for the midsize pickup truck segment.
Standard equipment includes:
Available upgrades include:
Overall, the Canyon's infotainment system is excellent. For example, it has a Home panel showing two different data sources simultaneously, a convenience Toyota recently tossed into the trash heap with its Toyota Audio Multimedia technology.
In addition, it offers excellent graphics that you can see and read on a bright, sunny day, which is a challenge in a Ford equipped with Sync 3 or Sync 4. For the record, high-contrast, bold graphics are necessary when referencing a touchscreen infotainment system while driving because you only have a second or two to glance at the screen, see, and comprehend what's shown on it.
In addition, the GMC's infotainment system has a mostly logical user interface and rewarding user experience. However, some functions, such as resetting the trip computer (or finding the manual headlight controls), require some irritating hunting until you memorize where to find them.
Lastly, the available Google Assistant voice-recognition system easily understands you and quickly responds to requests. But this is also the source of my dissatisfaction with the technology. Often, the system ignores a typical command such as "Cancel" or gives an unexpected response.
For example, I asked for directions to the nearest Starbucks, and the system provided three possibilities. But after skipping the first suggestion, I wanted to cancel this request, so I said: "Cancel." The Google Assistant instead asked me about the second and third choices. Only after the third one did it give me an off-ramp to halt my search.
In addition, I had trouble tuning the radio. While listening to SXM satellite radio, I told Google Assistant I wanted to hear reggae music. You get two reggae channels with an SXM 360 L subscription, but the technology told me to try Spotify instead. I rejected that choice since I don't have a Spotify account (the horror). The Canyon's tech ultimately automatically recommended an AM radio station that had nothing to do with reggae, Bob Marley, or even music. This entire interaction with the technology made no sense.
Indeed, the Canyon's Google-based system suffers due to language quirks and how you issue the commands, which is true of any artificial intelligence. But, in my experience and opinion, the Android-based tech isn't as good as the previous GMC Infotainment System.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
GMC equips the 2023 Canyon with a turbocharged 2.7-liter 4-cylinder engine making 310 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 430 pound-feet of torque at 3,000 rpm. When properly configured, the 2023 Canyon can tow up to 7,700 pounds and carry as much as 1,640 pounds of payload.
The turbocharged engine pairs with an 8-speed automatic transmission featuring Powertrain Grade Braking and Cruise Grade Braking algorithms. The Powertrain Grade Braking system is a little too aggressive, drawing unwanted attention to itself.
In addition, the Canyon AT4 has a standard Autotrac electronic 2-speed transfer case providing 2-wheel drive (2WD), automatic 4WD, 4-Hi, and 4-Lo settings. A limited-slip rear differential is also standard in the Canyon AT4.
Driving modes for the AT4 include Normal, Terrain, Off-Road, and Tow/Haul. The AT4X adds a Baja mode for high-speed desert driving. All 2023 Canyons boast a 2-inch suspension lift from the factory, and the AT4 has a standard hill-descent control system.
The Canyon's new engine is powerful enough. Still, I can't help but feel that a midsize truck with this much torque should offer more thrilling acceleration. In addition, the engine note isn't as enjoyable as that of the 2.3-liter EcoBoost 4-cylinder in the Ford Ranger, and according to official Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) fuel-economy ratings, the Ranger is more fuel efficient. (In Tremor form, it matches the Canyon AT4's mileage number of 19 mpg in combined city/highway driving).
Fortunately, while driving the Canyon AT4 in Normal mode with Auto 4WD engaged, the truck returned 18.6 mpg on the evaluation loop, which included an off-roading section. That suggests Canyon owners considering the official EPA rating before purchasing shouldn't complain too loudly about gas mileage. However, over an entire week of driving the Canyon, the AT4 averaged 16.9 mpg with lots of running around in a Los Angeles suburb. That's not good.
What is good is the Canyon feels exceptionally robust, a sensation ruined only by a creaking driver's door panel if you brace your left leg there and turn right. From how the doors sound when you slam them to the utter absence of structural shimmies and shakes, the Canyon drives like it's carved from a single piece of high-strength steel.
Not only that, but it feels unstoppable off-road. On a trail that no mere crossover could ever hope to tackle, except maybe for a Subaru in Wilderness spec, the Canyon AT4 just scrambled along, feeling like it could conquer or mow over everything in its path. The standard Goodyear Territory all-terrain tires provided excellent grip, and the Canyon slipped only momentarily on the loose dirt and rocks. But, I'd forgotten to switch to Off-Road mode, and I left the transfer case in Auto 4WD, so consider that an example of driver error and not the truck's fault.
On pavement, the all-terrain rubber is less confidence-inspiring concerning outright traction. However, the Canyon displays a flat cornering attitude and decent steering. While the suspension feels firm, it isn't too stiff, so the ride and handling mix is agreeable during the daily.
Better yet, in urban and suburban situations, the Canyon AT4 shrugs off speed humps and bumps, drainage dips and driveway aprons, cracked and broken pavement, and curbs and parking blocks. They simply aren't worries like they might be in a small pickup like a Ford Maverick or Hyundai Santa Cruz, let alone a typical crossover SUV or car.
In addition, at highway speeds, the Canyon is remarkably quiet inside despite the all-terrain tires. There is a hint of wind noise from the top of the windshield pillars and front windows, but that's about it. In addition, the Canyon's steering wheel feels great in your hands, but the effort level is a little heavier than I prefer (due to a shoulder injury). The brake pedal feels good underfoot, too.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
GMC equips every 2023 Canyon with a GMC Pro Safety package, including forward-collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection, automatic emergency braking, lane-departure warning, lane-keeping assistance, and automatic high-beam headlights. In addition, as part of the optional AT4 Premium package, the test truck had a GMC Safety Plus package adding blind-spot warning, Blind Zone Steering Assist (active steering to prevent an unsafe lane change), rear cross-traffic warning, and rear parking sensors.
When you get into a GMC Canyon, you first should adjust the gap maintenance setting using the control on the steering wheel. GMC delivered the test truck with this on its most sensitive setting, and the number and frequency of false forward-collision warnings made me hate driving the Canyon. It was ridiculous.
However, after I figured out that adjusting the gap maintenance to its least sensitive setting eliminated about 75 percent of those false alerts, the truck was far more enjoyable to drive. Of course, you can go into the infotainment system screen and turn the system off entirely, but that seems like a bad idea.
Nevertheless, even after making the change, the Canyon's forward-collision warning system kept itself busy letting me know about guard rails I wasn't going to hit, a motorist who cut into the gap ahead that I had already seen, and sharp transitions between bright sunlight and dark shadows, like when entering the tunnels on Kanan Road in the Santa Monica Mountains. Lower trailers with flat metal backs perked the forward-collision warning system right up. While powering up the Conejo Grade out of Camarillo into the morning sun, the Canyon issued two false alerts related to, umm, who knows?
Have you ever worked with someone who constantly yammers about their daily achievements thinking it will keep them employed? Yeah, the Canyon's forward-collision warning system is like that. A significant source of irritation that you wish would go away.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
The 2023 Canyon Elevation, AT4, and Denali boast a maximum towing capacity of 7,700 pounds. The AT4X is less capable, as it can handle only 6,000 pounds (5,500 pounds for the limited-production AT4X Edition 1).
GMC mounts a 41.9-cubic-foot cargo box behind the cab and equips the Canyon with handy bumper steps to make it easier to climb in or tie cargo down. A new feature for 2023 is a MultiStow tailgate storage area with a drain, accessible from inside the tailgate when it's dropped. It is standard, starting with the AT4 trim level.
The Canyon's maximum payload capacity ranges from 1,250 pounds (AT4X) to 1,640 pounds (Elevation 2WD). The limited-production AT4X Edition 1 can carry no more than 1,010 pounds of payload.
The EPA says you can expect between 18 and 20 mpg in combined driving, depending on which version of the Canyon you get. Versions with 4WD earn 19 mpg; if you choose mud-terrain tires, they bring the rating down to 18 mpg.
The test vehicle averaged 18.6 mpg on the evaluation route, including some four-wheeling. Based on that result and the truck's 21.5-gallon fuel tank, you can expect a maximum driving range of around 400 miles. But you'll probably stop at 350 miles or so to fill up.
As of this writing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) have yet to perform crash testing on the new 2023 Canyon. Therefore, I cannot state whether this truck is safe.
However, many owners will turn that technology off unless GMC fixes that super-sensitive forward-collision warning system. And that means the truck will inherently be less safe without it.
Prices for the 2023 Canyon range from $41,695 for the Elevation with 2WD to $56,995 for the AT4X with standard 4WD. Remember to add the $1,495 destination charge.
In the JD Power 2023 Initial Quality Study (IQS), the Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator rank highest (in a tie) in the Midsize Pickup segment. The Ford Maverick* is the next highest-ranked model.
In the 2023 APEAL Study, the Hyundai Santa Cruz* ranks highest in the Midsize Pickup segment. The Nissan Frontier and the Ford Maverick are the next highest-ranked models.
Other competitors to the 2023 Canyon include the Chevrolet Colorado and Toyota Tacoma. The Colorado is essentially the same truck as the Canyon but with minor differences. Also, note that the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma get complete redesigns for the 2024 model year.
Photo: Christian Wardlaw
Overall, I am impressed with the 2023 GMC Canyon. It supplies good power, agreeable driving dynamics, seemingly unstoppable off-roading capability, a quiet cabin, and stout structural integrity. Plus, it looks terrific, inside and out.
Aside from the inexpensive interior details, narrow front seats, hyper-sensitive forward-collision warning system, oddities associated with the infotainment system, and disappointing fuel economy, GMC perfectly executes the new 2023 Canyon. It should prove competitive, even if its two primary rivals from Ford and Toyota are all-new for 2024.
We'll know for sure after we review the 2024 Ranger and 2024 Tacoma in the year ahead.
*JD Power groups the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz in the Midsize Pickup category rather than creating a Small Pickup category with just two entrants. That may change if more small pickups become available in the U.S. market.
Christian Wardlaw is a veteran automotive journalist with nearly 30 years of experience test-driving vehicles. He began his career at Edmunds and now owns Speedy Daddy Media, Inc., an automotive content creation company serving several automotive publishers. In addition to JDPower.com, his work has appeared in numerous new and used-car buying guides, newspapers, and automotive industry trade journals.
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