Redesigned GMC Canyon flexes ‘off-road muscle'

DETROIT — GMC is forging further into luxury and off-road territory as it redesigns the Canyon midsize pickup with premium customers in mind.

GMC will offer four trims, plus a limited edition model, of the 2023 Canyon, which goes on sale early next year. GMC is adding the AT4X off-road performance trim along with the limited production AT4X Edition 1, while dropping the base Elevation Standard trim.

The Canyon was updated in 2020, but next year's redesign will mark the first significant overhaul of the pickup in several years.

"It's a pretty fierce competitive set out there with the [Toyota] Tacoma and [Jeep] Gladiator. This is GMC's chance to make a stand," said Rob Hunwick, exterior design manager.

GMC opened reservations for the Canyon AT4X Edition 1 on Thursday, Aug. 11, at a starting price of about $64,000 before destination charges. The base trim — Elevation — will start around $40,000, GMC said, a jump from the below-$30,000 starting price for the Elevation Standard on the 2022 Canyon.

Eliminating the base trim aligns with GMC's strategy to prioritize its premium subbrands. The AT4 off-road trim already makes up about a third of Canyon volume, and the Denali luxury trim accounts for 20 to 25 percent, GMC said. The brand expects the AT4X trim to grab a large share of deliveries when it launches on the Canyon.

"GMC is flexing the might of our off-road muscle," said GMC Global Vice President Duncan Aldred. "Canyon benefits from key learnings gained from our AT4 strategy to bring customers the most advanced off-road midsize truck."

The Canyon comes with one standard engine — a 2.7-liter turbo with a General Motors-estimated 430 pound-feet of torque — and one cab configuration — a short bed crew cab.

With the previous generation, "we had multiple engine lineups, multiple cab lineups, but every truck had the same interior," said Nick Katcherian, chief engineer. "We want to put the premium content where the customers see it and feel it the most. That's what drove us into having the overall architecture approach."

Across lower trims, the redesigned Canyon, like its Chevrolet Colorado counterpart, will stand 3 inches wider and 2 inches higher than the outgoing model. It will feature four new drive modes plus an AT4X-exclusive Baja mode for high-speed off-road driving.

The AT4X sits 1 inch taller than other trim levels, and it is the only trim that offers the Edition 1 package. Edition 1 includes underbody cameras, an off-road front bumper, a 30-inch off-road grille light bar, 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, a reconfigurable bed rail system, a performance front skid plate and an Edition 1 tailgate badge.