It’s geared well to answer most needs through an 8-speed automatic, but we wish GMC would enable manual gear control in Drive from the shift-lever toggle; driver’s choice only comes when the shift lever is placed in Low. In its normal drive range, the transmission can linger too long in low gears when speeds vary widely, like on twisting roads.

A dial on the console changes all manner of shift and throttle and traction systems in the Canyon through four modes: Normal, Tow/Haul, Off-Road, and Terrain, which acts as a low-speed cruise control for rock-crawling. A fifth mode, Baja, comes only on the ATX4 (see below).

On all but the AT4X, the Canyon’s rear suspension uses leaf springs, while the independent front suspension features coil-over shocks. The latest GMC mid-size pickup handles much better as a result of its wider track and its improved body structure. The suspension generates some chop when it rumbles over divots in the pavement or ruts in the dirt. Though they piston over bumps and scrabble for traction, the Elevation and AT4 seem flatter and better controlled than Denali versions, which get bigger 275/60R 20-inch wheels and sit higher, with 10.5 inches of ground clearance. 

Across all versions, vastly improved steering response generates stable and predictable inputs, as we found rolling through paved switchbacks and forestry paths around Asheville, North Carolina. The Elevation and AT4, no surprise, have a better sense of the road, with their lower ride height and smaller wheels and tires. They’re the best choices if the Canyon’s used as a light-work-duty commuter vehicle, as so many have been used in the past.

Is the GMC Canyon 4WD?

Only the base Canyon Elevation has rear-wheel drive standard; four-wheel drive is an option. All other versions have four-wheel drive standard. The Elevation gets a single-speed transfer case, while AT4 and Denali models get a limited-slip rear differential. 

While the Elevation has 9.6 inches of ground clearance like the AT4, it’s the AT4 Canyon that presents the best choice for drivers who go off-road more than occasionally. It shares the 18-inch wheels and 32-inch 265/65 tires with the Elevation, and like the Elevation (and Denali), the AT4 has a 33.3-degree approach angle, the best in the lineup. With identical powertrain output, the AT4 has the limited-slip diff to pull it more confidently through unpaved terrain. 

GMC says the Canyon can tow up to 7,700 pounds, a big gain for those who pull trailers, and its bed payload has risen to 1,640 pounds. We weren’t able to put those factors to the test during our North Carolina test drive.

GMC Canyon ATX

The Canyon AT4X is GMC’s answer to the Chevy Colorado ZR2. The Canyon AT4X rides higher than other grades, due in part to a 3.0-inch factory lift that enables a ground clearance of 10.7 inches. It also comes with three skid plates and uplifted front and rear bumpers for better approach and departure angles. 

AT4X adds front and rear lockers, and Multimatic internal-bypass shocks to handle extreme compression off-road while still allowing enough stiffness for on-road comfort. 

It rides on 17-inch wheels wrapped in 33-inch mud-terrain tires, gets a specific Baja mode for high-speed cruising off-road, and has an approach angle of 36.9 degrees.

There are compromises. Payload drops to 1,250 pounds, and tow ratings sink to 6,000 pounds. But the ATX4 rumbles through the woods with go-anywhere attitude. Our test drive chewed up a half-day’s worth of muddy pits more than two feet deep, executing tight squeezes through saplings, and hardly needing the Edition 1 package it wore, with all the off-road gear—from safari bars to winches on the front bumper and 17-inch beadlock capable wheels.