The 2024 GMC Canyon includes some sold updates from last years all-new design. We look at powertrain, interior trim and more in our review.   

What’s New for the 2024 GMC Canyon?

GMC introduced its third-gen Canyon just last year with a heavily revised look and powertrain configuration designed to help it compete in the newly competitive midsize pickup truck segment. You can read all about our thoughts on the 2023 Canyon with this behind the wheel piece, but suffice it to say, GMC has an impressive truck on its hands.

The 2024 GMC Canyon arrives with an enhanced Baja drive mode, Over-The-Air software update capability, and a new AEV Edition based on the AT4X model. Like the Colorado ZR2 Bison Edition, this hardcore off-road variant is an out-of-the-box trail monster.

2024 GMC Canyon - gmc.com

2024 GMC Canyon – gmc.com |  Shop 2024 GMC Canyon on Carsforsale.com

Carsforsale.com Score
8.5/10
Powertrain
Score
8.25/10
Interior
Score
9/10
Technology
Score
8.5/10
Value
Score
8.25/10
Body Style

Starting Price

MSRP $37,595

Drivetrain

Drivetrain

RWD / 4WD

Drivetrain

Fuel Economy

19 City / 23 Hwy

Number of Seats

Seating

Seats 5

The Breakdown

Big towing figures

Torque-rich motor

Handsome cabins

More than $70,000 fully loaded

Skips base engine from Colorado

One body configuration only

An expensive, but compelling pickup

2024 Canyon Specs

Trims & Pricing

Elevation - $37,595
AT4 - $44,595
Denali - $52,595
AT4X - $55,895

2024 GMC Canyon Powertrain 8.25/10 

2024 GMC Canyon - Jimmy Mak on Youtube
2024 GMC Canyon - Jimmy Mak on Youtube

You can have any engine in the 2024 GMC Canyon as long as it’s the TurboMax. That’s the automaker’s name for the turbocharged 2.7L inline-4 under the hood. Max is a good name for it considering the output figures of 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque.

It pairs with an 8-speed automatic that routes power to the rear wheels on base models. Four-wheel drive with a dual-range transfer case is standard on the AT4 models and above or a $3,000 option on the Elevation trim line.

The Canyon used to offer a diesel powertrain that helped it land on this list of pickups with impressive fuel economy. But the ratings of 19 mpg city and 23 mpg city for the latest RWD Canyon means it’s no longer impressing anyone in this department. With 4WD, those figures drop by 1 mpg across the board.

2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition - media.gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition - media.gmc.com

Where the 2024 Canyon does impress is with towing and off-roading. The Elevation, AT4, and Denali models can tow up to 7,700 pounds, while AT4X trim sees that figure drop to a still usable 6,000 pounds. With the AT4X in AEV spec, the tow rating comes down to 5,500 pounds, but in exchange, you get a serious off-road machine.

Base Canyons feature a 9.6-inch ground clearance, but the AT4X approaches 11 inches. It also has trick Multimatic spool-valve dampers and driver-selectable locking differentials at both ends. But the AT4X AEV Editon goes further with more than 12 inches of ground clearance, Boron steel skid plates, 35-inch tires, and more.

2024 GMC Canyon Interior 9/10

Cabin accommodations in the 2024 Canyon include room for 5 across two rows of seating as every model is a crew cab. A 5-foot cargo is also the only option on these third-gen trucks, though it can be optioned with a new tailgate that has a shallow lockable compartment integrated into the lower half.

GMC does a nice job of differentiating the 4 Canyon trim lines with cabins that range from basic black cloth on Elevation models to black and brown two-tone leather on the Denali, which also features laser-etched open-pore wood inlays.

All Canyons come with automatic climate control with heated and ventilated seats available as you move through the trim hierarchy. Other optional niceties include a heated steering wheel and a sunroof, but big-ticket items like massaging seats haven’t made it into this midsize truck – yet.

2024 GMC Canyon Technology Features 8.5/10 

2024 GMC Canyon - gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon - gmc.com

Technology is one of the 2024 Canyon’s strong suits. All models come with an 11.3-inch central touchscreen featuring wireless integration of Apple and Android devices. A Wi-Fi hotspot and a fully-digital gauge cluster are also standard along with a 6-speaker stereo. An optional 7-speaker Bose system is included on Denali and AT4X models.

GMC’s Pro Safety suite of advanced safety nets brings forward collision mitigation, a lane departure warning, and automatic high beams to every 2024 Canyon. The IIHS has not yet tested a new Canyon, but in NHTSA testing, it received 4 stars for overall and frontal crash safety, 5 stars for side testing, and 3 stars for the rollover protocol.

2024 GMC Canyon Trims & Pricing

2024 GMC Canyon Elevation - gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon Elevation - gmc.com

Elevation – $37,595

The entry-level 2024 Canyon comes with 18-inch wheels, all-terrain rubber, and full LED exterior lighting. An 11.3-inch infotainment interface with wireless smartphone mirroring is standard as is a Wi-Fi hotspot, dual front USB ports, and cloth upholstery.

2024 GMC Canyon AT4 - gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon AT4 - gmc.com

AT4 – $44,595

AT4 trim features a special cloth and CoreTec upholstery in black and brown, a treatment that extends to the doors and dash. These models also have the MultiStow tailgate, heated side mirrors and front seats, 120-volt power in the cabin and cargo bed, and additional USB ports for the back seat.

2024 GMC Canyon Denali - gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon Denali - gmc.com

Denali – $52,595

Lux-leaning Denali Canyons bring 20-inch rims, loads of chrome accents, a heated steering wheel, climatized front seats, and real wood trim. Tech upgrades consist of a head-up display, Bose audio, a surround-view monitor, and a wireless phone charging pad. Adaptive cruise control and blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert are also included.

2024 GMC Canyon AT4X - gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon AT4X - gmc.com

AT4X – $55,895

The AT4X adds gloss black wheels, rocker panel protectors, and a snazzy leather cabin trimmed in white, black, and red. For $10,100, the new AEV Edition brings underbody skid plates, steel bumpers, a vertical bed-mount spare tire, and beadlock-capable wheels. Adding this setup and every other option box moves the price tag up to $71,000.

2024 GMC Canyon Overall Value 8.25/10

Considering its price tag relative to its most direct competitor and stable-mate, the Chevy Colorado, a 2024 GMC Canyon in base Elevation trim is a good bet. Add 4WD and the price just cracks $40,000, but you still get all the modern infotainment gear.

But that Colorado represents an obvious threat to the Canyon as it starts more than $6,000 cheaper and the ZR2 model, which offers all the same off-road mechanicals as the AT4X Canyon, is almost $8,000 less. You do get nicer cabin amenities in the Canyon, but that may not be worthwhile for everyone. A 3-year basic and 5-year powertrain warranty is included along with the first scheduled service visit.

CarsForSale.com Overall Score 8.5/10 

2024 GMC Canyon - media.gmc.com

2024 GMC Canyon – media.gmc.com |  Shop 2024 GMC Canyon on Carsforsale.com

There’s a lot to like about the 2024 GMC Canyon. Brawny good looks, off-road capability in every trim, a powerful motor, and impressive towing capacity. For those who want to get really loose in the wilds, the new AT4X AEV Edition offers a nearly unstoppable pickup truck. If it weren’t for the Chevy Colorado, it would be hard to find fault with the Canyon.

But it does exist and offers nearly the same midsize pickup for significantly less money. True, it does not come standard with the TurboMax powertrain, but it is optional. And yes, the Canyon is a bit ritzier inside, but this is a pickup truck at the end of the day, so that may not be enough of a reason for buyers to bypass its Chevy twin.

2024 GMC Canyon FAQ

2024 GMC Canyon - media.gmc.com
2024 GMC Canyon - media.gmc.com

What engine does the GMC Canyon have? 

Every 2024 GMC Canyon has a turbocharged 2.7L inline-4 with 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque.

How much can a GMC Canyon tow? 

The max tow rating of a Canyon is 7,700 pounds.

Is the GMC Canyon a full-sized truck? 

No, the Canyon falls into the midsize category with the Sierra slotting into the GMC full-size pickup slot.

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Niel Stender

Niel Stender grew up doing replacement work on his 1990 Cherokee and 1989 Starion, so it’s not surprising that he would put his mechanical engineering degree from the University of New Hampshire to use in the car world as a vehicle dynamics engineer. Now engineering sentence structures, his writing infuses his auto experience with his time in marketing and his sales experience. Writing about cars for close to a decade now, he focuses on some of the more technical mechanical systems that are found under the hood and throughout a vehicle.

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