The GMC Canyon->ke1781 first came on the scene in 2004 as the replacement for the GMC Sonoma pickup that dates back to 1982. While both the Sonoma and Canyon were corporate twins to the Chevrolet S-10 and Colorado->ke1193, the GMC had it own styling. The Canyon proved to be a great improvement over the Sonoma, offing stronger engine choices and better fuel economy. Canyons were available in single, extended, and crew cab forms, with bed lengths to suit each cab. Now for 2015, the GMC Canyon is back in production, having been on hiatus since 2012. The 2015 model is completely new, with an overhauled exterior and interior, new engine options, and a far superior overall design. Like the years prior, GMC’s->ke32 latest Canyon shares most of its underpinnings with its Chevrolet->ke199 counterpart.

The Canyon comes with two initial engine options for 2015: a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder and a 3.6-liter V-6. Both are gasoline mills. However, for 2016, a 2.8-liter, I-4, Duramax, turbo-diesel engine will be offered. Automatic and manual transmission are available, both sporting six gears. The truck rides on a fully boxed, hydroformed steel frame.

Updated 09/22/2014: General Motors has announced the EPA fuel economy estimates for the Canyon. At its best, the midsize truck achieves 22 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined. GM also released payload ratings, listing the V-6 Canyon at 1,620 pounds. Both stats are class-leading.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 GMC Canyon.

2015 GMC Canyon

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2015 GMC Canyon
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 200 @ 6300
  • Torque: 191 @ 4400
  • Transmission: six-speed automatic
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Update History

Updated 01/13/2014: The 2015 GMC Canyon made its world debut at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show, so we've added all the official details, images and specs.

Updated 04/29/2014: GMC unveiled a new video in which it explains how the rear can be adjusted to accommodate a child's car seat.

Exterior

The 2015 Canyon comes with many of the same features its big brother, the GMC Sierra, comes with. These standard features include projector-beam headlights, GMC’s signature C-shaped LED daytime running lights, a similar grille design, and step pockets in the rear bumper.

The Canyon comes in a number of different configurations that include an extended cab with a six-foot bed and crew cab with a standard five-foot bed and optional six-food bed. Trim levels include SLE and SLT. Within the SLT comes the All-Terrain package, which adds an exterior appearance package and loads of off-roading equipment to the chassis.

Active areo shutters behind the grille help increase highway fuel economy, closing when the extra air isn’t needed and opening when the engine needs a larger supply of cool air. A strutted tailgate prevents slamming while tons of cargo tie-down options in the bed keep things in their place.

Exterior Dimensions

Extended Cab (6’2” box)

Crew Cab (5’2” box)

Crew Cab (6’2” box)

Wheelbase (in / mm):

128.3 / 3258

128.3 / 3258

140.5 / 3568

Length ( in / mm):

212.4 / 5395

212.4 / 5395

224.6 / 5705

Height (in / mm):

78.7 / 1998 (2WD incl. antenna)
78.9 / 2005 (4WD incl. antenna)

78.7 / 1998 (2WD incl. antenna)
78.9 / 2005 (4WD incl. antenna)

78.7 / 1998 (2WD incl. antenna)
78.9 / 2005 (4WD incl. antenna)

Width (in / mm):

74.3 / 1886

74.3 / 1886

74.3 / 1886

Front track (in / mm)

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)

Rear track (in / mm):

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)

61.8 / 1570 (2WD)
62.4 / 1586 (4WD)


Interior

The Canyon’s interior is much improved over the last generation. Much of the design is taken straight from the full-size Sierra, including the eight-inch infotainment screen. Similar toggle switches reside below and upscale materials making the GMC look high class.

The two trim levels dictate what options come standard and which are available. Cloth seats are the norm and leather is available. A smaller 3.4-inch infotainment screen without navigation is standard of SLE trim levels.

Regardless of trim, all crew cab Canyons gets a swanky, new rear bench seat. The unit’s seat bottoms fold up, revealing a large storage cubby, while the seatbacks fold forward, revealing a large spot for big boxes and such. All trucks comes with a console-mounted shifter, with automatics getting a manual shift gate. A redesigned gauge cluster shows important information in a concise area.

Interior Specifications

Front headroom (in /mm):

40 / 1016

40 / 1016

40 / 1016

Rear headroom (in / mm):

36.7 / 932

38.3 / 973

38.3 / 973

Front legroom (in / mm):

41.7 / 1059

41.7 / 1059

41.7 / 1059

Rear legroom (in / mm):

28.6 / 726

35.8 / 909

35.8 / 909

Front hip room (in / mm):

55 / 1397

55 / 1397

55 / 1397

Rear hip room (in / mm):

52.2 / 1326

53.3 / 1354

53.3 / 1354


Drivetrain

Under the Canyon’s new hood lies two engine options: a standard 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder and an optional 3.6-liter V-6. Both engines are variations on current GM engines that are optimized for truck duty. They feature direct fuel injection, variable valve timing, and an oil-jet cooling cooling system that squirts oil on the underside of the pistons, helping keep temperatures of the aluminum engine blocks in check.

Outputs for both engines are respectable; the 2.5-liter I-4 puts out 200 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, while the 3.6-liter V-6 pumps out 305 horses and 269 pound-feet. Both engines come with the six-speed automatic transmission, though the four-cylinder is available with the optional six-speed manual transmission.

Fuel efficiency for the Canyon is even more surprising. The 2.4-liter I-4 earns an EPA-estimated 20 mpg city, 27 mpg highway, and 22 mpg combined when mated to the six-speed automatic in the extended cab configuration. By ordering a Canyon with four-wheel-drive, the EPA numbers only sink to 19 mpg city, 25 mpg highway, and 21 mpg combined -- a minimal loss considering the heavy equipment associated with turning the front wheels.

Even with its sedan-like EPA numbers, the Canyon is fully capable of doing work. The truck is rated to tow 7,000 pounds on its hitch and haul 1,620 pounds in its bed, when properly equipped with the V-6 in to-wheel-drive guise. Of course, those max numbers cannot be reached at the same time.

For those looking for even more power, a 2.8-liter Duramax Turbo Diesel inline four-cylinder will be offered for the 2016 model year. While General Motors hasn’t released any other information regarding the oil-burner, the globally available version of the engine produces 197 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. We can expect slightly lower output numbers here in the States, thanks to emissions equipment. We’ll likely see around 185 horsepower and 360 pound-feet of torque.

Speculation suggests the diesel could net the Canyon an EPA rating close to 35 mpg highway, especially considering the Ram 1500 equipped with the 3.0-liter EcoDiesel V-6 achieves 28 mpg highway.

Drivetrain Specifications

Engine Type:

2.5L DOHC I-4

3.6L V-6 VVT DI

Displacement (cu in / cc):

150 / 2457

217 / 3564

Block material:

cast aluminum

aluminum

Cylinder head material:

cast aluminum

cast aluminum

Valvetrain:

DOHC with four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing

DOHC with four valves per cylinder; continuously variable valve timing

Fuel delivery:

high-pressure direct injection and electronic throtle control

high-pressure direct injection and electronic throttle control

Compression ratio:

11.3:1

11.5:1

Horsepower (hp / kW @ rpm):

200 / 149 @ 6300

306 / 227 @ 6800

Torque (lb.-ft. / Nm @ rpm):

191 @ 4400

269 / 365 @ 4000

Recommended fuel:

regular unleaded

regular unleaded

Transmission

six-speed manual/automatic

six-speed automatic


.

Fuel Economy

Drivetrain

Drive

City

Combined

Highway

2.5L, 6-speed Automatic

2WD

20

22

27

2.5L 6-speed Automatic

4X4

19

21

25

2.5L 6-Speed Manual

2WD

19

22

26

3.6L 6-Speed Automatic

2WD

18

21

26

3.6L 6-Speed Automatic

4X4

17

20

24


Suspension and Brakes

Holding the GMC off the ground is the standard truck setup. An independent suspension with coil-over shocks and an anti-sway bar reside up front, while a live axle and leaf springs with twin-tube shocks reside out back.

Aluminum knuckles on the front suspension lower unsprung weight, while disc brakes at all for corners do the stopping. Depending on trim level, customers can choose between 16-, 17-, and 18-inch aluminum wheels. GM’s AutoTrac four-wheel-drive system allows the truck to shift on the fly from two- to four-wheel-drive. A low range is available for lower-speed, high torque jobs.

Chassis & Suspension Specifications

Front suspension:

2WD and 4WD: independent coil-over-shock; twin-tube shocks

Rear suspension:

solid axle with semi-elliptic two-stage multi-leaf springs; twin-tube shocks

Locking axle:

G80 automatic-locking axle std. on All Terrain, avail. on SLE and SLT

Wheel sizes:

16 x 7-in., 17 x 8-in and 18 x 8.5-in.

Tire sizes:

265/70R16, 255/65R17 and 265/60R18

Steering type:

electrically-assisted power rack-and-pinion steering with variable assist

Stability control:

standard StabiliTrak electronic stability control including hill start assist

Brakes:

power-assisted four-wheel disc brakes with Duralife™ long-life brake rotors; standard ABS; hill descent control available


Prices

Model

Price

Canyon 2WD

$27,650

Canyon SLE 2WD

$30,980

Canyon SLT 2WD

$34,345

Canyon SLE 4X4

$35,235

Canyon SLT 4X4

$38,175


Competition

Nissan Frontier->ke547

The current-generation Nissan Frontier has been on the market since 2004, so a new generation should be just around the corner. Until that happens, customers will have to stick with the current one that received a mild facelift in 2009.

The model is offered with a choice of two engines: a 2.5-liter, in-line four-cylinder engine with 152 horsepower and a 4.0-liter, V-6 engine that delivers 261 horsepower.

Toyota Tacoma

Tacoma is definitely not the best truck on the market, but it surely is one of the trucks that will fit the needs of anyone that would consider the Canyon. The best part is that it is priced from $17,875.

Tacoma has the advantage of offering three engines, starting with a 2.7-liter four-cylinder with 159 horsepower. From there is moves into a 4.0 liter, V-6 engine with 236 horsepower and a 4.0-liter supercharged V-6 with an 296 horsepower.

Conclusion

The 2015 GMC Canyon represents a massive leap forward in the midsize truck category -- a segment that hasn’t seen any real change in a decade. With a trio of new engines, a sharp-looking exterior design, a clean-cut interior, and tons of available options, the Canyon and its Chevrolet twin will make huge waves in the segment.

While it’s expected those who need a full-size truck will stick with their Silverado, Sierra, F-150, Ram, Tundra, or Titan, the Canyon and Colorado will likely earn many conquest buyers looking to enter the truck lifestyle without sacrificing fuel economy or drivability.