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:

• 

  ONLY small pickup that can be towed. - 2012 GMC Canyon
  By tompaine1 - October 9 - 10:34 pm

  Never figgered out why other companies build auto transmissions that CANNOT allow people to tow the vehicle with all four wheels down. And Edminds NEVER mentions it as a HUGE advantage of GM vehicles. There are a BUNCH or RVers out there who buy Canyon and Colorado SOLEY due to this characteristic. Otherwise, it is a small pickup. What do you expect ? Since the S-10 got dumped, its the only game in town.

• 

  Decent Value in a Midsize truck. - 2007 GMC Canyon
  By sdaigle - June 29 - 7:16 am

  This is a review of regular cab "work truck" 3.7L I5 with 4-spd automatic. This truck has come in very handy with home renovations and trips to the dump. The 5cyl. engine has plenty of power and rivals competitors V6s. The 4-spd auto is very smooth. The interior is spacious and relatively comfortable, but horribly cheap in quality. Everything is hard plastic. There are ugly gaps in dash pieces. It looks poor quality. Reliability has not been all that great. The truck was purchased for a very low price, so the myriad problems are easier to swallow. I dont recommend considering this truck unless you can get a fantastic deal on one. Otherwise there are much better trucks for the money.

• 

  Still going strong - 2005 GMC Canyon
  By sullylang - August 4 - 7:18 am

  Coming up on 8 years owning this truck. It still runs great, drives great, very reliable, and good efficiency (18mpg city / 22 mpg hwy). Gas mileage was better with regular hwy tires. Dick Cepek FC-II tires took about 1 mpg off the fuel economy. Just did 120k service on vehicle. I wrecked my brakes, but they would have needed rotors and drums at 120k either way. Only issue thats odd is the rough, or low idle from a dirty throttle body. Very simple to clean, and now runs perfect again. Very satisfied with this truck. The experts have their blinders on when giving it poor performance ratings. Power is great and it tows very well.

• 

  Great looking and performing Truck - 2009 GMC Canyon
  By rhawes - May 13 - 2:19 pm

  Bought a ’09 4x4 Quad Cab SLT fully loaded with Z71 suspension and the 5.3L V-8 engine new for vacation travel and to use when going skiing by our cabin in northern Arizona. This truck has been everything I thought it would be and more! I had looked and test drove other trucks in the mid-size class the Toyota was the only one that came close to it, but Iwould have had to settle for a basic 4x4 quad cab model for what I paid for this truck. Toyota offers a 4.0L engine which didn’t seem to have the pull of the 4.3L that was in my ’98 S10. If GMC hadn’t offered the 5.3L engine, I “might” have considered the Toyota a bit more, but after driving one then the choice was simple.

• 

  This truck saved my life - 2009 GMC Canyon
  By jequines - February 4 - 1:19 pm

  Stabilitrac on this truck is the best thing I have ever had in a vehicle, driving through a blizzard in the mountains for 7hrs with 1/2 a foot of snow on the highway and this truck(2wd) with firestone winterforce tires handled it like a champ, no slipping no sliding it drove perfectly. gets great mileage 20city 28 hwy. By far the most powerful 4cyl pickup I test drove. Looks great and now have 40,000kms on it with no problems. Interior front seats are comfortable rear seat in ext cab are a joke, for children only. Truck tows my 3000 boat no problems and this little 2wd can get through suprisingly deep snow confidently. Would defn buy another.

• 

  gmc canyon - 2010 GMC Canyon
  By canyon - November 5 - 2:00 am

  i was looking to get back into a truck. my local dealer had one z71 sle ext cab on the lot. test drove it and got it. i was a little concerned with all the negative reviews, but did research with other owners. they told me its a solid truck. so far, i love it! only had one headlamp replaced due to condensation.

• 

  Tough Truck - 2007 GMC Canyon
  By Jeff Goods - September 3 - 2:00 am

  I have used this basically for business use the past 2 years. Towing a trailer and snowplowing with a BOSS plow. 4 wheeling is great because of the locking rear dif. It is quiet on the highway. I upgraded the wheels to 18" purchased from GM Parts.

• 

  Rusted brakes - 2006 GMC Canyon
  By D&D P - August 21 - 5:44 pm

  I had to replace the front rotors and beerings due to rust. The rotors where so rusted they could not be turned. The rotors where so rusted it interfered with the anti-lock brakes. Im writing a letter to GMC with the problem i had.

• 

  GMC/Chevrolet - 2010 GMC Canyon
  By gab - August 20 - 11:19 pm

  I have a Chevrolet Colorado as well. I would recommend the 5 cylinderbecause its very fast. I bought the 4 cylinderbecause it has more hp than any other 4 cylindertruck. These are type of cars you buy without having to read reviews (experts are really not too knowledgeable anyways). These are very fun cars to drive. The great thing is that my Colorado has 75,000 miles and the only problem I had was a belt squeak so I changed the belt. That is why I repeated the purchase. Also look at the sierras and silverado bc they are running huge rebates. I bought bigger tires for it and it looks killer.

• 

  Ayayayyy Chevy! - 2006 GMC Canyon
  By Omar - August 19 - 11:25 pm

  Umm not too good experience. Cheap materials, becomes a very noisy interior like a crunchy plastic. Brakes should be checked every 6K miles. Chevy dealers just try to get money since the moment of sale. Beware, dealer is gonna sell you an Extended Warranty without consultation and then the Extended Warranty covers everything except expensive parts. I know this post is gonna bring down my resale price but what the hell! Dont be fool, this is not American Quality!