Overview & Reviews

Though not as popular as full-size pickups, compact and midsize pickups fulfill an important role. For the many truck buyers whose towing and hauling needs don't require the capabilities of a full-size, these more nimble and fuel-efficient trucks are the perfect choice. GMC's entrant in this segment is the Canyon.

The GMC Canyon is handsome-looking, thanks to its square jaw and broad-shouldered stance, and its impressive crash test scores offer peace of mind to owners. It also offers available V8 power, a rare treat in this segment. When it comes to negatives, however, the Canyon is plagued with more than its fair share. For much of this truck's life, its standard four- and five-cylinder engines have been lacking in the power department, which has limited the truck's ability to comfortably haul cargo or tow heavy loads. Build quality is average at best, and many items within the truck's cabin feel flimsy and cheap.

Though the snazzy, affordably priced GMC Canyon will no doubt hold a certain charm for budget-conscious shoppers with an eye for style, we think most compact or midsize pickup truck buyers will be better served by more capable rivals like the Nissan Frontier or Toyota Tacoma.

Current GMC Canyon

Three configurations are available for the GMC Canyon: standard cab, extended cab and crew cab. Extended-cab and crew-cab models feature four doors; crew-cab Canyons have four standard-sized doors and a 60/40-split-folding rear seat that can seat three adults, while extended-cab versions offer two small reverse-opening doors and rear jump seats. Canyon crew cabs haul loads with a 5-foot bed, while the other two configurations get the job done with a bed that measures 6 feet.

Three trim levels are available: Work Truck (WT), SLE and SLT. WT models offer features like air-conditioning, cruise control and an AM/FM stereo. The Canyon SLE model adds an improved stereo and a more extensive options list, though power accessories are an extra-cost option on regular-cab SLEs (standard on extended-cab SLEs). The SLT steps it up with leather upholstery and power seats. There are also two optional suspension packages. The Z71 suspension improves the off-road performance of 4WD trucks, while the ZQ8 package for 2WD trucks enhances on-road handling and grip.

GMC Canyon buyers have a choice of three engines. A 2.9-liter inline four-cylinder produces 185 horsepower, and is standard on WT and SLE models. It comes with either a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic. The 3.7-liter inline five-cylinder is more robust, offering 242 hp. Both a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic transmission are available. The available 5.3-liter V8 cranks out 300 hp. Two-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are offered; the 4WD system has a dual-range transfer case and push-button controls.

The GMC Canyon has met with middling reviews from our editors. Its interior has been criticized for being below average in build and material quality. Its engines, too, have been panned as lackluster, though the optional V8 is possibly the most enjoyable engine in the compact truck segment. In consumer reviews, owners have praised the truck for its stylish exterior and quiet ride, but have expressed reservations about its build quality. In sum, unless you can't live without V8 power in your midsize truck, there are better choices.

Used GMC Canyon Models

The GMC Canyon was launched for the 2004 model year. It debuted with less powerful engines: a 175-hp, 2.8-liter inline four-cylinder and a 220-hp 3.5-liter inline-5. The ZQ8 package didn't become available until 2006, and the five-cylinder engine received a power boost to current levels in 2007, along with a revised four-speed automatic transmission with better shift quality. The V8 engine option didn't debut until 2009; this was also the first year for stability control and satellite radio.

Consumers shopping for a used GMC Canyon would probably be wise to expand their search to include its corporate twin, the Chevrolet Colorado, which offers basically the same attributes.

User Reviews:

• 

  I got the lemon - 2004 GMC Canyon
  By jcanyon - July 6 - 12:23 am

  Initially, I loved this thing! Over some time, I realized that many small things would add up to make me hate it! The plastic molding is of poor quality, the rear seat cup holder has broken 3 times. Brake light recall sent me to the shop twice. Front turn signal wiring harness only works when bumped in just the right way. Gauges poorly located behind steering wheel. Musty air conditioner. Rear cloth seats that no one sits in have torn in the seams. Rear seats squeak constantly. Rear seats very uncomfortable when used. Computer acts up intermitently - alarm sounds when truck unlocks! Worst is that it is the same exact truck as the Isuzu I-370! Is it a GM or Isuzu?

• 

  2006 GMC Canyon - 2006 GMC Canyon
  By jeff smith - June 10 - 10:59 pm

  Have had the truck 7 months and have 7k on it.The truck is OK but nothing to write home about. Has 5 speed that is hard to shift when cold. A/C seems to cycle too much and does not cool well on hot days. I still have 93 S-10 2.8 V6 5 speed with over 200K miles that get the same mileage (avg. 26) but runs, brakes, and shifts better than this new one. I know this a base truck but will beat you on a trip of over 3 hrs.

• 

  Somethings missing - 2007 GMC Canyon
  By oscarcat - September 15 - 7:39 pm

  Nice quiet ride, smooth shifting automatic. The good ends there. Unless you opt for the $500 power package available on upscale or special order vehicles, there is no way to unlock the passenger door from the outside. Unsafe and inconvenient. The front has 4 cup holders, but none hold a 1 liter water bottle or adjust. In the extended cab, the rear seat cup holders do hold a 1 liter water bottle. With standard upholstery the seatbacks do not recline. Seems GM could have made the tilt-forward access handle on the seatback recline as well. Unless you get an upscale model I would think before buying this vehicle due to the inconvenience factor.

• 

  Mildly disappointed - 2017 GMC Canyon
  By Disappointed - July 8 - 6:50 am

  Pros: nice ride, get lots of complements. Cons: for a mid size truck the height of the vehicle(getting in and out) is slightly difficult(Im 511"). You have to raise your right foot 2 feet to get into the truck. The trucks rear end bumper is about 5 inches higher than the front. It sits at an angle. Level the truck off. Lower the back end about 4-5 inches. This would also lower getting in and out a couple of inches. The top of the back gate is shoulder level. Difficult getting things in and out of the back end. Had to buy a reacher like the old people use and a rake to get things out of the back end. Again, lowering the back about 4" would really help. Really disappointed, NO CD player. Everyone under the age of 30 probably has a CD collection which they cant use. I gotta think this was done to force people to buy Sirrius/XM with GM probably getting a cut. Also, the factory radio antenna adds 9 more inches. Couldnt get truck into garage. Bought after market antenna that works fine and lowered the overall height by 5-6 inches. Why not the shark fin antenna like the suburbans? If GMC would level off the truck and lower it by about 3-4 inches it would be perfect. And put the CD back in. Got a good deal. 6700 off and 0%.

• 

  Needs a V8 - 2016 GMC Canyon
  By T Duffy - March 12 - 9:47 pm

  I have had trucks, suvs for over 25 years, this is a looker but the engine is so sluggish going up the hills of Western, Pa. I cant believe how terrible the power is. It rides nice over 55 and overall nice space, front seats not real comfortable. Bose audio just ok, got a speaker rattle with anything in a decent loudness. Its a company truck so Im cant complain but really needs a V8 for how heavy this truck is. Do not like the break assist while going down hill, i think I know how to break.

• 

  I cant beleive I bought another GM - 2006 GMC Canyon
  By bad decision - October 2 - 11:20 pm

  The build quality is horrendous! The doors do not seal and have no adjustment and are bend to fit. The seat material is garbage and already shows heavy wear at 12k miles. The a/c does not cool in traffic. Alignment was way off. Rear main seal seeps, power window go up crooked, no ash tray. The arm rest on the door is very hard and elbow gets sore after an hour on the interstate. Theres trash in the paint, and vehicle was delivered to me with known defective tires and on and on and on.

• 

  Could be Better - 2004 GMC Canyon
  By Greg - September 30 - 5:13 pm

  Yes, you get what you pay for - many features for lower than competition prices. Materials, fit & finish are poor. 4-cyl + 5 spd manual gives me a 25 mpg avg. Not much power w/ a/c & 500 lb load in back. 5 spd manual has been hard shifting into 2nd gear (dealer says "normal"?). Main (major) problem so far is driver side doors (ext cab) have constant water leak. At the dealer right now for the 3rd time having entire interior removed and carpet replaced + new weatherstripping replaced on both doors. If they can finally get this fixed I would consider the truck acceptable at an average rating. There are better small trucks out there but you would pay more money.

• 

  Very disappointed - 2005 GMC Canyon
  By loveledc - April 8 - 11:48 am

  Interior quality is sad, no padding, and very little comfort. 4 cylinder engine is quite an improvement over the old S-10. The engine is quite noisy at low speeds, and gas mileage is sad for a 4 cylinder. It certainly does not live up to the 27 mpg promised. The truck is certainly over priced for value.

• 

  2004 Canyon - 2004 GMC Canyon
  By Richard1 - August 31 - 2:00 am

  I recently purchased a Canyon, was driving a Dakota. When I purchased this vehicle I was awhere that the truck was a bit smaller than the Dakota but they told me it was a comparible vehicle to the Dakota now after the purchase they are indicating that it is not a comparible vehicle. This truck is very light, tinny and a rattle can, it does not even come close to a Dakota. I am so sorry that I bought this vehicle but it is to late an now I will have to drive a vehicle that I do not like. The only thing that compares in this vehicle to the Dakota is the price. Are there other complains simliar. Thanks

• 

  Good truck with a TERRIBLE transmission - 2016 GMC Canyon
  By Brian - March 31 - 8:47 pm

  First of all, I really do love this truck. I have had it over a year now, and could see myself in it for years. It is very comfortable, handles like an SUV, and the interior is great. I had one small issue with the infotainment not booting one time, but it was quickly resolved by turning the truck off and back on. So now on the bad news. THIS IS THE WORST TRANSMISSION EVER! They have programmed the shift points to make it more fuel-efficient (which its really not). MPGs are great, but not at the expense of driver comfort and safety. The thing just will not downshift when it needs to. So the scenario would be like this.. Youre cruising along at 45 mph and its rolling in 5th gear. You come to a slight incline and give a it a bit more gas to stay at 45. A normal transmission would drop to 4th gear as soon as it started to struggle. well NOT this one. It tries to stay in 5th gear until you can literally feel the torque converter giving up. The only way to get it to downshift is to quickly press the gas pedal to ask for more power. But THEN, does it downshift to 4th? No, it drops 2 gears so now youre revving high in 3rd gear for no reason. GMC could easily fix the shift points with a new ECU flash, but for some reason just continue to ignore us.