GMC Canyon getting high-end off-road AT4X trim

DETROIT — GMC's next-generation Canyon will include high-end features and off-road capability as the brand adds its new AT4X trim to the midsize pickup.

GMC teased the updated Canyon on Thursday, ahead of a full reveal this summer.

The Canyon will be the second GMC nameplate to add the AT4X trim, which was introduced on the 2022 Sierra full-size pickup this year. The AT4X and new Denali Ultimate trim build on the success of the AT4 and Denali subbrands, which already make up half of GMC's sales mix, officials said during a media event last month.

The AT4X trim could give the Canyon an edge against competitors in the midsize pickup segment. The Canyon had the segment's lowest U.S. sales in the first quarter, behind the Toyota Tacoma, Nissan Frontier, Chevrolet Colorado and other entries, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center. First-quarter Canyon deliveries fell 14 percent from a year earlier.

The current-generation Canyon was introduced in 2014. Since then, GMC has added the standard AT4 trim and an off-road performance package. U.S. sales peaked at 37,449 in 2016.

The teaser photo shows the Canyon with AT4X badging, rock protectors and 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels, a feature often used while driving off-road.

The AT4X trim delivers both a luxury and off-road experience "to a pinnacle," Tim Demetrio, General Motors' engineering group manager for performance, said at a Sierra event in October.

"It's one thing to go off-road with a truly capable vehicle. It's another thing to go off-road and have massaging seats," he said at the time. "We really wanted to elevate the off-roading experience for customers to a place that's not out there in the marketplace."