When the Canyon came back to the midsized truck market GM wanted it to be the class leader of the entire segment. This has quickly become the case as the Canyon offers three engines, more towing capacity, better fuel economy and some of the best looks and equipment on the market. For a few years Toyota and Nissan enjoyed the fact GM was not part of the segment, but with the Canyon and the Colorado back in action these brands have been put on notice to upgrade their midsized truck offerings, which can only be a positive for those of us looking to buy these great trucks.
The beauty of driving the Canyon over the larger trucks is the ability to make this a daily driver much better than the other versions. This truck is easier to park, fits in smaller spaces and is versatile in its ability to give you a truck that can get work done and still be enjoyable to drive. For 2016 the Canyon adds a turbo diesel engine that adds what we felt was missing from this truck in the past couple years, giving you the full power you want to enjoy.
Not only will you have a great truck to drive that is closer in size to the sedans and SUVs you’re used to driving but you will pay a much lower price than for a full size truck. If you choose the SL Extended Cab 2WD with the four-cylinder engine the price comes in around $22,000 but a fully loaded long bed 4WD Crew Cab SLT can cost you as much as $45,000. Adding the turbodiesel to power this truck will add $4,000 to the price, but with this great range of prices you can certainly find the truck that will work great for you and your needs.
Inside the cabin of this truck you will see a beautifully laid out style that is adorned with some metal trimmings to give you the look and feel you will enjoy. Control elements come in the form of large knobs and dials to offer you a comforting feel that can quickly become familiar when you take a ride. There is plenty of room to give you the ride you want and let your passengers relax while you head on toward your destination, whether it’s the hardware store or to the lake for the weekend.
ON the outside the Canyon looks very much like a smaller version of the GMC Sierra and carries some of the class and style you have come to expect from the larger model. The grill carries a style that resembles a big rig that is flanked by two gorgeous projector beam headlights to give you the classy appearance you want. With large fender openings you have the ability to add larger off road tires to this midsized beauty to head out on some rugged terrain when you just want to get away from the noise and the intrusion of the city.
With a new engine in the lineup let’s see what power the Canyon. The base engine is a 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder model which shows up with both a manual or automatic six-speed transmission attached and the power of 200 horsepower along with 191 lb.-ft. of torque. This powertrain delivers 19 city/25 hwy mpg for the 2WD manual, 20 city/27 hwy mpg for the 2WD automatic and 19 city/25 hwy mpg on the 4WD version. This is some excellent fuel mileage for you to enjoy on this midsized truck, but there are two more engines to take into consideration.
The second engine is the 3.6-liter V6 engine that gives up 305 horsepower and 269 lb.-ft. of toque. Making use of only the automatic transmission this setup delivers 18 city/26 hwy mpg for the 2WD model and 17 city/24 hwy mpg for the 4WD version. At the top of the power lineup, at the price of $4,000 more is the 2.8-liter turbodiesel inline four-cylinder engine to deliver 181 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft. of torque. This engine gives you 7,700 pounds of towing capacity and delivers the best fuel mileage in the lineup to offer you 22 city/31 hwy mpg for the 2WD version and 20 city/29 hwy mpg for the 4WD diesel powertrain.
The standard features you will enjoy on the Canyon offer you the 4.2-inch infotainment screen, a six-speaker audio system, power windows and locks, a power driver seat, a rearview camera, the CornerStep rear bumper, cargo-box lighting and a locking tailgate on the base model. Moving up to the SLE trim you add in an eight-inch touch screen for the infotainment system, cruise control, a rear defogger, remote keyless entry, steering wheel audio controls, fog lights, 17-inch wheels and more convenience items. The SLT shows up with automatic climate control, a remote starter, heated front seats, a rear sliding window and 18-inch wheels and tires to be a well-equipped standard offering.
Looking at the options on the Canyon you can have the Convenience Package, the SLE Convenience Package, the All-Terrain Package and the Driver Alert Package. The Autotrac automatic 4WD makes it easier to move from 2WD to 4WD and other features you can add include the Bose premium seven speaker audio system, a variety of wheels and tires, some great off road equipment, extra storage racks, and much more to bring you a truck full of amazing equipment and features to be the right choice for you.
Driving a midsized truck, especially now that these trucks are larger than ever before is a choice in versatility and capability. With the variety you can have on the Canyon to enjoy a basic truck or one that is full loaded and ready to work makes it easy for you to have the truck you want for just about every possible situation. The Canyon is a truck you can enjoy driving without the feeling of a full size truck making it easier to park and closer to the size you want to have on this beautiful midsized truck that has put the others on notice.
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