2023 GMC Canyon AT4—Test Drive Review

This is a great time to be considering a new midsize pickup truck. That’s because Ford, Toyota and GM are all launching all-new trucks right now. And each manufacturer has seriously increased the back country capability of their rigs. Yes things are heating up for off-road enthusiasts hunting for a small pickup. GM is the first midsize to market (https://www.4wheelparts.com/the-dirt/2023-chevrolet-colorado-first-look/) with their redesigned machines and there is plenty to get excited about. 

Both the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon boast a serious breadth of product range. However the more upscale GMC brand makes selecting a dirt-friendly 4X4 easier. That’s because 4WD Canyons delivers a standard 2-inch lift and wider track on all three of its conventional trim levels, Elevation, AT4 and Denali. Chevrolet requires opting for the Trail Boss trim to get these goodies on a Colorado. GMC’s AT4X is in another league in terms of capability with an even taller suspension, increased wheel travel, 33-inch tires and front and rear lockers. However we decided to focus in on the meatiest part of the product line for an off-roader—the AT4. At $45,395 it comes in about $12,000 less than the AT4X and yet potentially has enough mettle to handle real trails. 

GMC cut loose a Volcanic Red Tintcoat AT4 loaded with the Premium package ($1,840), sunroof ($1,000) and more to bring the total up to $49,395. We spent a week with the rig on the recently weather torn Southern California streets and logged hours in the dirt with up at our local off-road park, Hungry Valley SVRA in Gorman. So is the new Canyon worth considering in this competitive new midsize truck landscape? Read on and find out. 

The Hardware

The old Chevy Colorado and Canyon were last made new back in 2015. But even then, these trucks were updated versions of trucks that GM had been selling in Thailand for years. It was a good truck sure, but it wasn’t exactly designed for the US market straight away. All that has changed with this new one. Under the swanky new sheetmetal, GM has utilized a modified and upgraded version of the frame system used in the old trucks. In terms of cab choices, there’s just one now. Every Canyon comes as a four-door crew cab riding on a 131.4-inch wheelbase with a five-foot shortbox. That wheelbase is about three inches longer than the old truck.

The front suspension of every Canyon 4X4 comes standard with upgrades like a factory two-inch lift and a three-inch wider track. And they are upgrades to be sure because the engineering team recently told us that these models use a completely different suspension compared to the standard-issue chassis. First, the Canyon 4X4s have longer upper and lower control arms. And as one might imagine there are taller coils as well as longer shocks which provide a slight increase in wheel travel over the base chassis. Like most midsize trucks, the AT4 has an open front differential. The enhanced suspension provides room for 265/65R18 Goodyear Territory A/Ts that measure just shy of 32-inches tall and provide 9.6-inches of ground clearance at the diff. 

In the rear, Canyons have an new 8.9-inch solid axle that’s both wider and stronger than before. It’s suspended by leaf springs as usual. However to get the additional lift over the standard Colorado/Canyon chassis, there’s a small lift block under the spring pack as well as longer dampers. Inside that axle is the familiar Eaton G80 automatic locking differential. This unit requires no buttons to push to lock up and distribute torque across the axle to both wheels. Instead, the diff locks when it senses a generous amount of wheelspin on one side. Every Canyon comes with 3.42:1 gearing in the axles.

Perhaps the most controversial part of the new Canyon is under the hood. Every powertrain you might remember from the old truck is gone. The smooth and silky 3.6-liter V6 from the Camaro that generated 308 hp at 6,800 rpm and 373 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm is history and so is the relatively slow-selling diesel option and the previously standard normally aspirated 2.5-liter four-cylinder.

Replacing all three engines is one 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. This engine made its first made an appearance in fullsize GM trucks a few years ago. And every GMC truck has the “high output” tune of this engine which makes 310 hp at 5,600 rpm and 430 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. The boosted four-cylinder is hooked to the same 8-speed automatic with a 4.56:1 First gear and overdrives in Seventh and Eighth gears as before. Splitting the power down to the axles is a two-speed 4WD system with modes for 2WD, Auto (all-wheel drive), 4 High and 4WD Low Range with 2.72:1 gearing.

The Canyon has real potential off road and part of that comes from clearance. Just by looking at it, one can tell that GMC spent time massaging the bodywork to deliver excellent numbers. Our AT4 had an approach angle of 33.3 degrees, departure angle of 22.3 and a breakover angle of 20.9 degrees. That’s a better approach angle than the old Chevy Colorado ZR2 and even the Ford Raptor with 37-inch tires, although it trails the old TRD Pro Tacoma by 3 degrees. That level of clearance for the mid-pack offroad package is excellent. Need more? The higher-performance AT4X boosts all those numbers significantly.

The AT4 is no slouch when it comes to real work either. Our truck had a GVWR of 6,250 pounds and could carry a payload of 1,499 lbs. A comparable previous generation Canyon would be rated at 1,460 lbs. It’s also rated to tow 7,700 lbs. That was the same max trailering number as the old truck. But to get that top rating before you would have either had to opt for the diesel or the extended cab model. 

On the Street

It doesn’t take long to become a fan of the 2023 Canyon and it starts with the design. The new look with wide fenders and sculpted bodywork make it look so much more muscular and purposeful than the old truck. The previous Canyon and Colorado looked a bit too tall and narrow. Overall, GMC did an excellent job making the new Canyon AT4 look tough without overdoing it. 

Climb up inside the Canyon and the changes are even more dramatic. The Canyon AT4’s cabin is so much better in terms of design, execution and detailing that it almost seems like it came from a luxury manufacturer. The touch screen and digital gauge cluster are similar to the ones used in the new full-size Sierra, and so are the materials. On the dash there’s a soft padded middle section with a contrasting color scheme that looks very upscale. Every dial we twisted felt nicely weighted and again, expensive. And GMC thought about how folks really use their trucks this time. A perfect example of that is the location of the 4WD knob. 

For years, we’ve hammered GM for locating the 4WD switch in a part of the dash that’s difficult to see and reach. In the old Canyon this switch was a cheap plasticky knob placed in a terrible spot behind the left side of the steering wheel. No more. The new Canyon has well-made knob right next to the shifter where it belongs. And it works well. The new knob also controls the drive modes (Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road and Terrain) displayed with graphics on the infotainment screen. The new screen displays the off road modes, has off-roading gauges like an inclinometer in the pages too as well as an off road camera system. Although that camera system doesn’t provide as many views as some we’ve tested. One neat function we found was the air down mode. It allows you to set a target tire pressure and when you’ve hit that lower pressure, the horn will honk. Smart. 

Comfort and utility in the Canyon are quite good. Our luxurious AT4 came with heated and cooled front seats that were great for long drives. Although there’s slightly less headroom in the rear seat area than before, it’s still a fine place for adults to ride with plenty of legroom. Like most midsize trucks, the backrest in the second row could use more rake. GMC added two cupholders up high on the back of the center console that make carrying extra drinks for everyone easy. The Canyon’s bed is fairly unremarkable save for the 110V outlet and the very cool lockable in-tailgate storage bin.

Dip into the throttle and the new turbo-four cylinder engine leaps to action. It’s a little beast. There’s a big wave of torque right away in this truck thanks to the turbo and plenty of horsepower too. Flat-footing the throttle in 2WD will easily break the rear tires loose. It’s the quickest and most responsive midsize truck—by a wide margin. But as snappy as this powertrain is, the new motor is coarse and gravelly sounding. And it gets worse the more you rev it. You can hear the turbo spooling and whistling very clearly too. We had similar complaints about the last Ford Ranger we tested. Despite those gruff sounds coming from under the hood of the GMC, the racket doesn’t ruin the experience. And that’s because this engine is an absolute powerhouse. Need to pass someone on the freeway? Not a problem. This rig can move from 60 to 80 mph in short order. One thing that is missing from the experience is a sport drive mode. There were several times where the lazy transmission shifts and pokey throttle could have used some help.

Around town the Canyon’s chassis soaks up small bumps with ease. This is a fairly smooth-riding truck that at times seems to behave more like an SUV than a typical hauler. In other words you tend to forget there’s a bed back there. And that speaks to the refinement that GMC has baked into this rig compared to the old one. Still, sharp potholes can upset the supple ride and send a bit of a quiver through the cab and chassis to let you know that yes, this is still a pickup truck riding on a ladder frame. On the freeway we were surprised the Canyon had a bit of freeway hop. And checking our notes, that was true of the last-generation GM midsize truck as well as the Ranger we tested on this very same route back a few years back. So that seems to be typical of trucks of this wheelbase and size class.

The EPA rates the GMC Canyon at 17 mpg city and 21 mpg on the highway. We must have been a little heavy on the throttle in the dirt because the average fuel economy for our 300 or so mile test was a dismal 14.7 mpg. Surprisingly, that’s well below the city rating. The last TRD Pro Tacoma we tested averaged 16.2 mpg. We definitely look forward to sampling another GMC or Chevy midsize truck to see if this was an anomaly.

On the Trail

Just looking at the approach angle and the clearance underneath the Canyon AT4 gave us the confidence to really take on tougher lines and challenges without fear of scaping metal or plastic. The previous generation GM midsize trucks were terrible in terms of body clearance. The main culprit was the low-hanging front airdam. It was a dirt plow—even on mild trails. But the new Canyon can nose its way into a gulley, or up to a berm and have plenty of room to let the tire make first contact instead of the bodywork. That said, we were disappointed to discover that the bright silver “skidplate” that can be seen between meaty red tow hooks is just a slab of plastic garnish and offers no protection at all. Lame. There is a small metal plate under the front diff but other than that, the GMC comes up a little short on protection.

Out in the dirt, the AT4 was a solid performer. The new 4X4 switch next to the shifter worked to quickly move the transfer case in or out of 4WD. GMC’s strategy for 4WD modes is unique amongst truck makers. Instead of offering a wide variety of modes that correspond to the type of trail or trail condition, they have two somewhat confusingly named modes—Terrain and Off-Road. Terrain mode is meant for slower speed crawling, with a quicker acting traction control system as well as a one-pedal drive mode that drags the brakes as you drive forward or back up. It sounds odd but in practice it can be helpful. Off-Road mode is more for trails that require wheel spin like sand, mud or snow. A simpler and more effective mode strategy to us would be to go the route of the other manufacturers and label the modes for their specific purpose like “rock crawl” or “sand”.

But despite the funky nomenclature for the drive modes, the AT4’s systems worked well. is a solid performer in the dirt. On one somewhat tricky uphill climb Terrain mode’s one-pedal driving helped make the climb smooth and elegant. The clearance all around the truck is so good we ended up taking challenging lines. And when the chassis ran out of wheel travel, that automatic rear locker would eventually pull us up. However the amount of throttle and tirespin needed for it to engage makes it less than ideal on trails where you need slow, precise control.

Overall, the Canyon’s articulation seemed to be better than most midsize trucks. Of course the more serious off-road package trucks have more wheel travel but when we crossed up this little GMC, we were impressed by how much the suspension moved at both ends while keeping the tires in contact with the ground. And thanks to the nearly 32-inch tall tires, the GMC can handle obstacles on par with the current TRD Pro Tacoma. And that’s certainly good company. 

On our steepest hill climb, the Canyon AT4 made it about 75 percent of the way up and then dug itself into a hole crawling at around 4 mph. Not a bad showing. We then tried with more speed at 8-9 mph and the rig made it about a foot further before digging pits at both ends. This is a hill that for most trucks requires an rear locker (that locks before wheel slip happens) and an excellent traction control system. The last TRD Pro Tacoma was able to crest the hill—barely. But the wheelspin required to get that rear locker to engage in this GMC created a hole every time we tried. And the traction control system isn’t quite aggressive enough. The results were the same whether the truck was in Terrain or Off-Road mode. If this truck had the electronic lockers of the AT4X, this hill would be almost certainly conquered.

In the sand, the AT4 wasn’t as happy as some trucks we’ve had here. Drive into the wash in 2WD and you won’t get far before the rear tires dig holes. In high range 4WD the truck performs best in Off-Road mode, which allows for some slip. The GMC can get moving at a fairly good pace in this sandy stretch of trail but the transmission isn’t up for fun. It always defaults to a higher gear. The AT4 could use a Sand mode that wakes up the transmission and holds the gears longer. Yes, shifting the transmission manually with the tiny thumb shifters works but a smarter transmission would be more elegant. Once up to speed, you can slide the Canyon around a bit. The truck gets a little jiggly at times and the suspension beats you up a bit. But it feels like it can take the punishment.

On the higher speed service trails, the Canyon can edge its way up close 30 mph but it’s not a controlled ride. The rear end of the truck slides around quite a bit at that speed and requires counter steering. And the cab begins to quiver on the harder hits. This truck prefers a slightly slower speed in the low 20s. By contrast, trucks with better suspensions like the last TRD Pro Tacoma we tested can maintain 30 mph or more and feel planted smooth and secure. Still for a midsize truck with essentially a mild off-road package, the AT4 is competent.

On the mogul climb the Canyon was more impressive than we anticipated. The sculpted body and bumpers up front allowed us to take any line we wanted to. And that definitely wasn’t the case the last time we had a previous-generation Colorado Z/71 on this climb. That truck couldn’t make its way up without contorting the pliable aero spoiler and scraping the harder plastic dam above it. 

As we flexed the GMC across these deep ruts we selected the Terrain mode for maximum traction control. And it worked well. Although once again the wheel spin needed to engage the rear diff made the climb a little less graceful than we would have liked. Still, the AT4 was able to lift a front tire and maintain forward progress with enough control to complete the climb. Another run up the climb in Off-Road mode proved successful too. However since this mode is better suited for slippery conditions like sand or mud, the GMC spun its tire more and made plenty of dust and somewhat sketchy side slipping. Either way, the Canyon did a fine job on this trail section.

The Bottom Line

The new Canyon is a very impressive midsize truck. At this point it’s clear this truck leads the class in many ways. And our test truck, the AT4 is a great blend of off-road capability and daily usability. However the GMC AT4 is expensive. It comes in at around $5,500 more than the Chevy Colorado Trail Boss. Sure, the GMC has more standard features and is trimmed with a more luxurious interior but if saving money is key, the Chevy is just the better deal. The AT4 and Trail Boss are excellent trucks but we have our eye on testing the Canyon AT4X, Colorado ZR2 or even the ZR2 Bison with its 35-inch tall tires. Like we said earlier, it’s a good time for midsize truck fans.