2020 GMC Canyon Review

Name: 2020 GMC Canyon Review
Brand: GMC

Price Range: $20,999 - $36,000

GMC Canyon All Terrain Crew Cab Pickup Exterior

GMC Canyon Denali Crew Cab Pickup Exterior

+311

The 2020 Canyon Denali is a different sort of midsize pickup. It's less focused on off-road adventure (although it's still capable) and more geared toward trailering and on-road comfort. A civilized cabin, punchy V6 engine, smooth eight-speed transmission, and excellent infotainment tech make it a standout in the class.

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Price & Payment

32 cars

$28,343 avg. price

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GMC Canyon types

Crew Cab
Extended Cab

2020 GMC Canyon Review

by the Edmunds Experts

What's new

Newly available remote-locking tailgate
A new tire-fill alert added as standard
Changes to standard/optional equipment and available safety packages
Part of the second GMC Canyon generation introduced for 2015

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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

4/5Excellent

#3 out of 8 among Midsize Trucks

RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.

Cost

^{The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the GMC Canyon from 2008-2022.}

$464/yr

vs. $451/yr
for Average Midsize Truck

Frequency

^{The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).}

0.65x/yr

vs. 0.79x/yr
for Average Midsize Truck

Severity

^{The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).}

14%

vs. 13.6%
for Average Midsize Truck

powered by RepairPal ^{Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.}

GMC Canyon Reviews

Owner Reviews

3.7

36 reviews

5(44%)

4(20%)

3(8%)

2(13%)

1(15%)

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Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Better than all the rivals

M. Levine, 02/23/2020

2020 GMC Canyon Denali 4dr Crew Cab SB (3.6L 6cyl 8A)

This truck is actually fun to drive. Adequate power from the V6, Nice brakes and steering that actually gives feedback. The interior although a bit dated is nice enough. I previously owned a 2016 Colorado but stepped up to the Canyon. All in all a great truck!

2020 Canyon All-Terrain 4x4

Kovich, 03/06/2020

2020 GMC Canyon All Terrain 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB w/Cloth (3.6L 6cyl 8A)

After intensively researching new midsize trucks, I felt it was clear that the Colorado/Canyon twins were the best options (although I prefer the "truckier" front end of the Canyon). The V6/8 speed combo works fantastically well together in the city and on the highway-- it never feels out of breath, even in steep mountain driving. The Canyon drives and handles much smaller than it is-- …

2019 Crew Cab long box SLT

Michael, 10/15/2019

2019 GMC Canyon SLT 4dr Crew Cab 4WD LB (3.6L 6cyl 8A)

I've had my Canyon for three months and I love it. I was driving a 2012 Sierra, but I was looking for something easier to maneuver and park and the Canyon is much better in that respect. Also, I'm not getting any younger, so I like the lower step in height. I will say that finding a Canyon configured like I wanted was quite a journey. Maybe 90% of the crew cab models have the short 5 … foot box, and I wanted the 6 foot box. Plus I don't like black leather interiors, and nearly all have black. I was considering a factory order, but I finally found an emerald blue SLT 4WD with cocoa dune leather 350 miles away in a small town in Ohio. I really enjoy driving this truck! The ride is quiet and smooth, computer is showing 23 mpg. The V6 can really move. I'm impressed with the build quality. Seats are very comfortable, and the back seat area is roomy too. Much easier to park than my old truck, and its great in heavy traffic. The dash is laid out logically, with knobs where they are supposed to be on things that are supposed to have knobs. I don't have to hunt through a maze of buttons like I do with my wife's SUV. If I had to hunt for some gripes, here they are. Keep in mind that I consider these minor design issues. Rear view mirror visibility is limited with a small rear window. About half the view is the inside of the tailgate. Of course having a long bed contributes to that but the large screen HD back up camera helps a lot. The large front air dam is a little unsightly and limits ground clearance, but I don't plan on doing much off-roading anyway. Also, the way the hood is stamped, there is a surface that slopes back downward toward the windshield. This can result in some sun glare even if the sun is at a relatively high angle. Finally, the spare tire seems to be mounted so that most of it shows from the side. Great truck, I highly recommend it. UPDATE: After 15 months and 32000 miles, everything is fine. I have been on several 1000+ mile trips, rides smooth. Haven't towed anything yet. Update 4/22/22: now at 54,000 miles, original tires still look great. Had an issue with the transmission shuddering at highway speeds. Took it in to the GM dealer about 4 months ago, they said it was a known problem and a TSB bulletin had been issued by GM. The torque converter was not locking in properly due to the viscosity of the transmission fluid. The fluid was changed out and it's run perfectly ever since. I get a lot of compliments on the truck, especially the color and the combination of crew cab with a long box. Blue Emerald Metallic was offered only in 2019 and 2020 I believe.

Reliability, thumbs down

BeeDee, 10/18/2020

2020 GMC Canyon All Terrain 4dr Crew Cab 4WD SB w/Cloth (3.6L 6cyl 8A)

Liked the vehicle a lot initially, great off road manners other than the low front air dam, which can be removed. But it threw a rod @ 5000 miles during normal highway driving, getting jerked around by GM with the truck at a dealer 800 miles from my home, ordering a new engine.

We have a limited number of reviews for the 2020 GMC Canyon, so we've included reviews for other years of the Canyon since its last redesign.

See all 36 reviews of the GMC Canyon

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2020 Canyon Highlights

Type:

Crew Cab

Trim:

Base

Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee	$27,600
Engine Type	Gas
Combined MPG	22 MPG
Cost to Drive	$264/month
Seating	5 seats
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive
Max Towing Capacity	7,000 lbs.
Warranty	3 years / 36,000 miles

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Safety

Our experts like the Canyon models:

OnStar System: Provides emergency crash notification, stolen-vehicle notification, and remote locking and unlocking.
Driver Alert Package: Includes forward collision and lane departure warning systems. This package is optional on the SLE, All Terrain and SLT trims (standard on the Denali).
Tire Fill Alert: A new feature for 2020, it provides an audible and visual confirmation when tire pressure is added to a tire that is low.

NHTSA Overall Rating

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration offers independent analysis.

Frontal Barrier Crash Rating
Overall4 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger4 / 5
Side Crash Rating
Overall5 / 5
Side Barrier Rating
Overall5 / 5
Driver5 / 5
Passenger5 / 5
Combined Side Barrier & Pole Ratings
Front Seat5 / 5
Back Seat5 / 5
Rollover
Rollover3 / 5
Dynamic Test ResultNo Tip
Risk Of Rollover21.4%

IIHS Rating

The Insurance Institute of Highway Safety uses extensive crash tests to determine car safety.

Small Overlap Front Driver-Side Test
Acceptable
Small Overlap Front Passenger-Side Test
Not Tested
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Original
Good
Moderate Overlap Front Test – Updated
Not Tested
Side Impact Test – Original
Acceptable
Side Impact Test – Updated
Not Tested
Roof Strength Test
Good
Rear Crash Protection / Head Restraint
Good

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2020 GMC Canyon Review

Price & Payment

2020 GMC Canyon Review

What's new

Reliability Ratings by RepairPal

Cost

Frequency

Severity

GMC Canyon Reviews

Owner Reviews

Most Helpful Owner Reviews

Trending topics

Better than all the rivals

2020 Canyon All-Terrain 4x4

2019 Crew Cab long box SLT

Reliability, thumbs down

2020 Canyon Highlights

Safety

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