2024 GMC Canyon Deep Dive: Off-Road Beast or Overpriced Pickup?
Discover the 2024 GMC Canyon's bold redesign, powerful turbo engine, off-road prowess, and premium interior—an unbeatable mid-size truck experience.
When I first laid eyes on the 2024 GMC Canyon, that massive grille and aggressive stance had me doing a double-take 😲. Forget everything you knew about previous generations—this third-gen redesign isn't just playing catch-up with the Colorado; it's flexing its own identity. Under the hood? A turbocharged 2.7L inline-4 pumping out 310 hp and 430 lb-ft torque—no diesel option anymore, folks. But is this premium mid-sizer worth your hard-earned cash? Let's rip off the band-aid.

⚙️ Performance That Actually Surprises
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One Engine to Rule Them All: Unlike the Colorado’s tiered outputs, every Canyon trim gets the max-spec 2.7L turbo. 0-60 mph in ~6 seconds? In a truck?! Yeah, I choked on my coffee too.
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Off-Road Monsters Unite: The AT4X trim was already gnarly, but the new $10,100 AEV Edition turns it into a trail-conquering mutant:
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35-inch Goodyear mud-terrain tires 🛞
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Stamped steel bumpers with recovery points
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Extra 1.5 inches of ground clearance
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Front/rear locking diffs + skid plates
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Towing Champ?: 7,700 lbs max (beating Ford Ranger’s 7,500). Payload? 1,805 lbs in the RWD Elevation—thanks to that "first-in-class" tailgate toolbox.
🛋️ Interior: Premium or Pretend?
GMC’s playing luxury games here, but the execution’s patchy:
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Denali’s the Star: Perforated leather seats, cross-stitched dash—almost justifies its price tag.
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Tech Flex: All trims get the slick 11.3-inch infotainment with wireless CarPlay/Android Auto (RIP soon, thanks GM 😒). Google Built-in and Alexa? Voice commands for days.
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Annoying Upsells: Heated seats/steering wheel? Only in pricey packages. Base Elevation’s cloth seats feel like a betrayal at $37k.

💸 The Wallet Punch
| Trim | Starting Price | Max Price (AEV) | Who’s It For? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elevation | $37,000 | $45,000 | Budget-conscious |
| AT4 | $48,000 | N/A | Off-road casuals |
| Denali | $52,895 | $60,000+ | Luxury seekers |
| AT4X AEV | $55,000 | $65,100 | Mad Max cosplayers |
Fuel Reality Check: 21.4-gallon tank + regular gas = 428-mile range (Elevation). AT4X guzzles like it’s offended by efficiency.
🔥 Canyon vs. The World
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vs. Ford Ranger: Canyon tows more, but Ranger’s Raptor variant laughs at rocks. Interior? Canyon’s screens win, but Ranger’s physical knobs don’t freeze.
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vs. Hyundai Santa Cruz: Canyon dominates specs, but Santa Cruz costs $30k less. Canyon’s for show; Santa Cruz’s for... actually parking in cities.
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vs. Jeep Gladiator: AEV package’s 35s and lockers are fierce, but Gladiator’s sway-bar disconnect? That’s cheat-mode territory.
❓FAQ: What You Actually Wanna Know
Q: Does the diesel exist?
A: Nope. GM murdered it. The turbo-4’s torque almost makes up for it... almost.
Q: Real-world MPG or lies?
A: Elevation hits EPA estimates (20 MPG combined). AT4X? Bring a gas station map.
Q: $65k for a mid-size truck?!
A: I know. But if you’re crawling Moab daily, the AEV’s skid plates pay for themselves in not cracking your oil pan.
Q: Why not just buy a Colorado?
A: Canyon’s interior materials, Denali prestige, and AEV exclusivity. But if badge-snobbery isn’t your thing... save $5k.
Q: Reliability time bomb?
A: JD Power hasn’t rated this gen yet. Last gen scored 83/100—decent. Maintenance: ~$8,700 over 10 years (per Car Edge).
So—off-road beast or overpriced poser? If you’ve got cash to burn and trails to ravage, the AEV Canyon’s a monster. For grocery runs? Maybe stick to the Elevation... or that Santa Cruz 😉.
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