Introduced late last year as a 2015 model, the GMC Canyon is one half of a pair of mid-size General Motors pickup trucks (along with the Chevrolet Colorado) that has generated a lot of renewed interest in "small" pickups. That's partly due to Toyota's recent redesign of its popular Tacoma, but these GM twins are very good trucks that deserve the attention they're getting.
New for 2016 is a four-cylinder diesel option that puts GM in a league of its own among mid-size trucks as diesel engines gain in popularity in North America, even as Volkswagen (and its associated brands) digs itself out of the diesel emissions cheat scandal that threatens to tarnish the reputation of these torquey power plants. (Overall score: 6.5)
Walkaround
I don't love GMC's tendency toward squared-off fenders, but they work better here and on the big Sierra pickup than on the brand's Terrain and Acadia crossovers. On the whole, though, I prefer the more understated approach Chevrolet's designers took when drawing up the Colorado's exterior. (Score: 6.5)
Interior
Nothing about the Canyon's interior stands out in particular, but as a whole, it all works very well. Loads of front-seat legroom makes for great long-haul comfort for two and a useful back seat makes this a suitable conveyance for four. We had no trouble strapping a kid seat behind my driver's chair to give my cousin's toddler a lift home from a friend's birthday party. Rear doors that swing wide made it easy to get that bulky seat into the cab.
In the rear, the seatbacks fold down to create a flat platform for cargo; flipping the bottom cushions up reveals some hidden storage, but we wonder how many buyers would prefer a flat load floor like you get in GM's big trucks.
Even in the loaded-up trim my tester came in, the dash sports a clean design that's easy to figure out. As in other GM vehicles, I appreciate the stereo volume and radio seek/track skip buttons mounted on the backside of the steering wheel, leaving lots of room on the driver-facing controls for cruise control and trip computer toggles. (Score: 7.8)
More from Autofocus.ca:
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- Ram 1500 EcoDiesel reigns at 2016 Canadian Truck King Challenge
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Tech
GMC's IntelliLink touchscreen setup is standard in SLE and SLT trims. It is one of the industry's most straightforward 'infotainment' systems. Through it, you can access the car's wifi hotspot, as well as stereo and communication functions; it accomplishes the rare task of allowing for a tidy centre stack design without complicating basic features that once would have operated via hard buttons.
Our tester also included safety kit like lane departure warning, a backup camera, and front collision warning. (Score: 7.5)
Driving
The Canyon's diesel brings the least horsepower to this truck, but the most torque. That combo makes for strong performance from a stop, but the 3.6L is a better performer in highway driving. Still, if you're not in a hurry, overtaking slower right-lane expressway traffic feels effortless even in top gear; diving deeper into the throttle pedal will bring the expected downshift, but that seems to generate more noise than additional acceleration.
Noise and vibration are our key complaints about this engine: it's noisier than the 3.0L diesel V-6 you can get in the Ram 1500 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, whose mechanical soundtrack is barely distinguishable from some gasoline V-6s.
What we can't complain about is this motor's fuel consumption: we saw averages of 12 L/100 km in city driving and 8.2 L/100 km on a highway trip at an average speed close to 120 km/h. Canyon and Colorado models we've tested previously with the 3.6L motor averaged 13 L/100 km in mixed driving.
If this truck's smaller size diminishes its capabilities next to full-size pickups, the trade-off is that those tidier dimensions make it easy to thread through tight parking lots where, in our experience, the Canyon and Colorado feel more like big sedans than trucks. (Score: 6.8)
Value
Diesel tends to be a pricey option in any vehicle that offers it, mainly because of the increased costs associated with manufacturing this kind of engine. In the Canyon, it's a $4,400 extra, which helped drive the price of the truck pictured here to nearly $47,000. You can get a nicely-equipped full-size truck (including GM's own Chevy Silverado and GMC Sierra) for less than that.
As much as I like diesel engines, I'd have to think long and hard before springing for this one; the cost could easily be justifiable for a buyer with a lot of towing and hauling in mind, but for a more casual pickup driver, that $4,400 would pay for a lot of gasoline. (Score: 4)
Conclusion
GM has a winner of a workhorse in this engine. It trades some refinement for its generous torque, and if it weren't for the cost of bolting it into the Canyon's engine bay, it's one I'd be willing to make.
Autofocus.ca is a Canadian automotive website dedicated to making car shopping easier and driving more fun. Follow Autofocus on Facebook and Twitter.
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