U.S. sales of the Tacoma topped 237,000 last year, more than double its nearest competitor, the Chevrolet Colorado, which GM also redesigned for 2023. GM sold 27,819 Canyons during a supply-constrained 2022, the fewest in the segment but a 15 percent bump from 2021, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center.
Midsize pickup buyers want to be able to navigate narrow, rugged terrain, GMC says. As such, the Canyon has been redesigned with a 2-inch factory lift standard on the Elevation, AT4 and Denali trims and 3 inches on the AT4X, GMC said. The AT4X has a new off-road mode, more premium appointments and advanced technology.
GMC said it expects half of Canyon buyers to choose the AT4 or AT4X. That compares with about 20 percent among Sierra light-duty buyers.
Pricing starts at $38,395 including shipping for the Elevation trim and climbs to $56,995 for the AT4X.
The Canyon offers one standard engine, a 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four that generates 310 hp and 430 pound-feet of torque, paired with an eight-speed transmission.
Off-road capability is helped by the “high and wide” stance of the redesigned truck, said Dan Dokter, the Canyon’s program engineering manager.
“Our mission when designing the Canyon was, how can we engineer the most advanced, off-road-capable, midsize truck possible?” Dokter said.
“Like every engine that we make, we beat the crap out of it, so that way it provides our customers consistent off-road performance, trail after trail,” he told reporters. “This engine is a torque monster and is one of the key enablers for Canyon’s off-road capability.”
