Like its corporate partner Chevrolet, GMC is getting back into the mid-size truck game. The new Canyon made its debut at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The new Canyon looks and works like a seven-eighths scale Sierra, offering big-truck capability in a smaller package.
A choice of 193-horsepower four-cylinder or 302-horse V6 engines is offered. Both feature direct fuel injection and variable valve timing, and six-speed automatic transmissions are standard. A six-speed manual is available with the four-cylinder. A 6700-pound trailer towing capacity and 1450-pound payload give the Canyon significant capability, and a diesel engine will be available later in the production run. GMC paid a lot of attention to making the truck work for the long haul, using extended-life brake rotors and giving the Canyon a tight turning radius to make urban driving easier.
The styling’s clearly influenced by big brother Sierra, with projector headlamps and a purposeful, bosy look. The interior is similarly upright and businesslike.
Safety equipment includes a forward collision alert and a lane departure warning system.
The new Canyon goes on sale late in 2014.
