Used 2019 GMC Canyon All Terrain Extended Cab Review

The 2019 GMC Canyon is closely related to the Chevy Colorado. The Canyon receives a few more optional upscale features, a nicer-looking grille and fancier wheels, but that's about it. Really, these two trucks are the same, with just minor differences in pricing and available equipment.

Either truck will work out great if you plan to tow. The Canyon's base engine is an unremarkable four-cylinder, but you can upgrade to the available V6 engine or the torque-rich turbodiesel engine. With the diesel, the Canyon's maximum towing capacity is a stout 7,700 pounds. Inside, the GMC has the same cabin design as the Chevy, making it harder to justify paying more for the Canyon. Buttons, touchpoints and even touchscreen fonts are very similar.

So should you get a Canyon? For the most part, you can save some money by getting the Colorado. Or you might want to check out the refined Honda Ridgeline or new Ford Ranger. Overall, though, the Canyon will surely satisfy, especially if you are looking for an upscale midsize truck.

Notably, we picked the 2019 GMC Canyon Diesel as one of Edmunds' Best Trucks and the 2019 GMC Canyon as one of Edmunds' Best Trucks for Towing and Best Gas Mileage Trucks for this year.

The 2019 GMC Canyon is a midsize pickup offered in two- and four-seat extended-cab and five-seat crew-cab body styles. There are two bed lengths and five trim levels to choose from: SL, base Canyon, SLE, SLT and the top-of-the-line Denali.

The SL is offered only with the extended cab. It lacks rear seats, and it comes standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine (200 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque), a six-speed manual transmission, 16-inch wheels, air conditioning, a four-way power driver's seat (with manual recline), a tilt-only steering wheel, power windows, a rearview camera, Bluetooth, a 7-inch touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, voice commands, a USB port and a six-speaker sound system.

The next step up is the base Canyon trim, which is available in both extended-cab and crew-cab body styles and adds a six-speed automatic transmission (optional or standard, depending on the configuration) and fold-up rear jump seats (extended-cab models only). A 3.6-liter V6 engine (308 hp and 275 lb-ft) paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission is also optional or standard, depending on the configuration.

Significantly, the base Canyon can be ordered with some option packages that aren't available on the SL. Notable features to look out for include remote keyless entry, an EZ-Lift and Lower tailgate, cruise control and a trailering package.

Instead of picking option packages for the base Canyon, you could just upgrade to the SLE. It gets you most of the above as standard, plus 17-inch wheels, power side mirrors, upgraded interior trim materials, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, an 8-inch touchscreen, satellite radio, OnStar connectivity (with 4G LTE and a Wi-Fi hotspot), a high-resolution rearview camera, and three extra USB ports.

Much like the base Canyon, the SLE gets most of its options in packages. The optional SLE Convenience package includes automatic climate control, remote start and a sliding rear window. The All Terrain package (GMC's version of the off-road-focused Colorado Z71) bundles 17-inch dark-tinted alloy wheels and all-terrain tires, an off-road-oriented suspension, a rear locking differential, hill descent control, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, a four-way power passenger seat, and distinctive cloth upholstery.

Even with all those available options, there's still some equipment missing from the SLE that you can get with the SLT trim. It gets all the SLE's standard equipment plus the contents of the SLE Convenience package. It also comes standard with the 3.6-liter V6 engine, 18-inch wheels, leather upholstery, wireless charging for compatible cellphones, and the All Terrain package's front seating upgrades (power adjustments and heating).

Both the SLE and the SLT can be equipped with the optional Driver Alert package that features forward collision warning and lane departure warning. Other optional extras include the turbocharged 2.8-liter four-cylinder diesel engine (181 hp and 369 lb-ft) paired to a six-speed automatic. An upgraded seven-speaker Bose audio system is also available for the SLT and the All Terrain-equipped SLE.

For maximum creature comforts, there's the Canyon Denali. The Denali gets the SLT's equipment plus the contents of the Driver Alert package, the upgraded Bose audio system, navigation, chrome-clad 20-inch wheels, cargo lamps, heated and ventilated front seats, and a spray-in bedliner.

Each vehicle typically comes in multiple versions that are fundamentally similar. The ratings in this review are based on our full test of the GMC Canyon Denali Crew Cab (3.6L V6 | 8-speed automatic | 4WD | 5-foot-1-inch bed).

NOTE: Since this test was conducted in 2017, the current Canyon has received some minor revisions to trim-level features as well as an update to the infotainment interface. Our findings, however, remain broadly applicable to this year's Canyon.