We recently drove all four trim levels of the 2023 GMC Canyon at a GM-hosted media event in Asheville, North Carolina, coming away impressed with the truck as a whole. In this write-up, we’ll focus on the Canyon Elevation, which is the base trim level. In subsequent installments, we will cover the other trim levels, namely AT4, AT4X and Denali.
As per (recently-established) tradition, we’re making our first drive review available in video format, which you can watch below.
How We Got Here
Running from the 2015 thru the 2022 model years, the last-generation GMC Canyon was a product somewhat lost in no-man’s land. When it landed in North America after a brief hiatus for the Canyon nameplate, one that cost GM dearly in the midsize truck segment, the Canyon was riding on underpinnings that were already somewhat dated, as the GMT 31XX architecture that it was based on was already around for a few years in overseas products like the Chevy S-10. Beyond that, the Canyon wasn’t particularly all that impressive. Though, it offered a baby Duramax diesel engine – likely the most unique selling proposition for the last gen truck, we’d argue that the overall formula didn’t really live up to GMC’s “Professional Grade” positioning. All that translated to mediocre sales performance, with the Canyon consistently placing last in its segment by sales volume. The all-new, 2023 GMC Canyon – which represents the third generation of the nameplate – aims to change that, and in a big way.
Last-gen 2019 GMC Canyon SLE Elevation
Last-gen 2019 GMC Canyon SLE Elevation
First and foremost, the all-new Canyon is positioned very differently than its predecessor. The base model, the Elevation, now carries a starting price of $36,900, which is only $300 less than the starting MSRP of a 2023 Sierra 1500. By comparison, the last-gen Canyon started at $26,800. In other words, the all-new truck is $10K more expensive right out of the gate.
However, all third-gen Canyons are built exclusively in the Crew Cab, Short Box configuration, with the Extended Cab, Long Box and Crew Cab, Long Box configurations no longer available. Additionally, all 2023 Canyons have the high and wide treatment, featuring a two-inch suspension lift and a wide track, straight from the factory. In other words, GMC has completely repositioned the all-new Canyon, giving it more content and a higher price, to boot.
Exterior
The 2023 Canyon Elevation is a looker, which is really good news for a base model. The high and wide treatment pays instant dividends when it comes to exterior appearance, as this midsize truck has a (arguably) perfect, level stance, helping it look mean and sinister right out of the box. “Even on the base trim, Alex?” Yes, even on the base trim, dear reader.
I’m a big fan of the dark grille and the new headlight treatment, which – for the first time ever – interrupts GMC’s signature C-shaped lighting elements using a piece of the front fascia. The hood has some attractive surface development, and it’s unique when compared to the Canyon’s corporate relative and platform mate, the Chevy Colorado.
Rounding out the front end are a set of fog lights (part of an optional package on the Elevation trim) along with the front recovery/tow hooks (standard on 4WD models).
From the side, the 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation features an attractive profile, assisted by the modern proportions of the Crew Cab, Short Box setup as well as that high and wide treatment I keep bringing up. Gone is the last-gen truck’s raked, “nose-forward” appearance that seemingly everyone wanted to correct with a leveling kit, which GM started offering toward the end of the model’s lifecycle. Also gone is the last-gen model’s relatively aggressive, forward-leaning cutline at the bottom of the cab; it’s been replaced with a more traditional, vertical cutline treatment. I also love the fact that all 2023 Canyons no longer have an air dam. In case there was any doubt about this, GMC does listen to customers.
The Elevation features 18-inch Dark Grey painted Aluminum wheels (RPO code RQ8) wrapped in 31.6-inch Goodyear Wrangler Territory All Terrain tires as standard. Housing these rollers are a set of attractive wheel wells with an integrated marker light at the top of each wheel well, complete with a GMC logo, to boot. Incidentally, these marker lights are just for show, as they are not required to meet Federal Motor Vehicle safety standards.
At the rear, the tail lamps feature Big Red’s C-shaped signature, while the tailgate’s EZ-Lift and Lower feature (optional on Elevation) makes one-handed use a breeze.
The tailgate’s new integrated ruler will undoubtedly be helpful to those who need it, as will the new halfway position of the tailgate, particularly useful when carrying long items, but the big news is the MultiStow tailgate, which provides an integrated storage space within the tailgate, one that’s also watertight and drainable. MultiStow can even be equipped with a Kicker sound system, perfect for those tailgate parties.
The bed features two indentations for bicycle or motorcycle tires along with four tie-downs per side as standard. A whole slew of first- and third-party bed accessories are available, including three tie-downs per side and three more at the headboard, LED cargo area lamps, and the typical spray-on bedliner with the GMC logo on the headboard. There’s also GM’s signature CornerStep rear bumper, though the cutouts have been reshaped for this generation.
Powertrain & Acceleration
No matter the trim, all 2023 GMC Canyon models – including the Canyon Elevation – are powered by one engine: the turbocharged 2.7L L3B inline four cylinder, in high output guise. The boosted four banger, now known as TurboMax in the Sierra 1500, is rated at 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. By comparison, the atmospheric 3.6L V6 LGZ gasoline engine in the last-gen Canyon was rated at 308 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque, while the 2.8L I4 LWN turbodiesel Duramax made 181 horses and 369 pound-feet of twist.
In other words, the L3B is more powerful and more torquey than any engine offered in the last-gen truck, and it certainly feels this way when driving it. Power comes on strong, and stays strong through the RPM band. There is a slight bit of turbo lag lasting in the vicinity of a second, but once the engine is in the right RPM range, boy does it pull. And pull. And pull. You get the idea.
This is especially evident when going uphill. I also love the turbo whistle, and it’s worth noting that engineers tuned the sound to be more burly, too. You can see and hear all that in the video above.
GM’s second-generation eight-speed automatic transmission handles shifting duty. Now, we’ve already covered the fact that this updated gearbox addresses many of the issues that plagued the eight-speed in the last-gen midsize trucks. Though this transmission still exhibits some strange behavior, such as keeping a gear too long during spirited driving, I’m happy to report that most of the issues that plagued the last-gen eight have been worked out.
The Elevation is the only 2023 Canyon trim that is offered in 2WD (all other trims have 4WD as standard). Our 2023 Canyon Elevation was equipped with four wheel drive (4×4), and it certainly helped with putting the power down to the pavement.
Handling
While the Canyon has great levels of power and acceleration, it’s in the handling department that it really shines. This truck handles like a dream, exuding confidence at every turn… or anything else I threw at it. Body roll is minimal, steering – though fairly numb, is precise.
Chalk this one up to a completely overhauled suspension working in conjunction with the bulldog-like track, again a byproduct of that high and wide configuration. Also, those Wrangler Territory All Terrain tires (measuring in at 265/65R18) are TPC-spec, meaning they’re running a special compound made specifically for the Canyon. While the AT tires don’t have the gnarly off-road grip of Mud Terrains, they can hold their own. They’re also substantially more quiet and have a lot more “give” in the sidewall, with the latter bit helping during spirited on-road driving.
Though I didn’t conduct any kind of instrumented braking tests, the brakes felt incredible. Not only was brake pedal modulation spot on, with a short amount of pedal travel before the pads started to make contact with the rotors, but the truck as a whole felt very stable while braking. I actually started looking for reasons to apply the brake pedal, which I must admit is not a common desire for me.
And when not being pushed in the twisties, the Canyon Elevation was calm and collected. The wheelbase, three inches longer than the outgoing model, is a big part of what makes this possible.
All in, the 2023 GMC Canyon’s handling is the perfect answer to the question, “Why get a midsize truck when you can get a full-size?” While the full-sizers are certainly larger and more spacious, a back-to-back comparo with a midsizer shows that the larger trucks have too much malaise about them, feeling more sloppy, floaty and way too disconnected from the road. By comparison, the Canyon is sure-footed, precise, while being much more lively and dynamic.
Cabin, Seating & Tech
Opening the door to the 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation reveals a black cabin with black seating surfaces and gray-black accents (with a hint of chrome). While one can have any interior colorway on this model as long as it’s Jet Black, the seating surfaces are available in either cloth or leatherette, the latter branded as CoreTec.
The good news is that the cabin is pretty nice overall, with soft elbow/arm rests, a soft dash, a thick-rimmed leather-wrapped steering wheel, and an optional sunroof – new for this generation and not available for the last-gen model. The screens, including the 11.3-inch center stack screen and the 8-inch gauge cluster (Driver Information Center / DIC), are crisp, bright, and display modern graphics and animations. The fact that the center stack has hard buttons for HVAC controls is much appreciated, as is the switch bank below the center stack. I’m sure many will appreciate the dual-zone climate control, though the feature is part of an optional package. Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is standard.
Getting in and out of the 2023 GMC Canyon with no assist steps or running boards was not particularly difficult, but also not all that easy, at least for my 5’9″ stature. Thank the “high” part of “high and wide,” for that. Luckily, two types of assist steps are available straight from GMC as first party accessories.
The seats were overhauled for this generation, and are much more comfortable than those used on the last-gen Canyon. I was able to find a comfortable seating / driving position fairly quickly and easily thanks to the eight-way power driver seat with a power lumbar adjustment. Unfortunately, this is optional, as the Canyon Elevation has a measly four-way manual driver seat adjuster as standard. That’s not exactly “Professional Grade.” Visibility is good thanks to a large windshield and fairly large side windows.
Designers moved the shifter away from the driver – a welcome move that not only opens up the space within the center console, but also eliminates the possible issue of the shifter getting in the way of the driver’s knee, a circumstance that happened on occasion in the last-gen Canyon.
I should also note that the LED projector headlights, standard on the 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation, do a great job at illuminating the road ahead. I’m happy to report that these lights are a substantial improvement over those used on the last-gen model, much appreciated in pitch-black tunnels.
As is the case with every GM vehicle that has the feature, the Surround Vision system – an optional extra in the Elevation – is downright excellent. The picture is crisp, the colors are vivid, and there’s no lag. This system, which helps when parking, backing to a trailer, or anything else you want to see, should be benchmarked by all other automakers, it’s truly industry-leading.
But all that doesn’t come without some demerits. First, I would like to see more options when it comes to interior colorways on the Canyon Elevation. Two new color options – a brown and a gray – would be exactly what the doctor ordered. This should go without question for a truck that starts at over $40K and reaches well into the high $40K to low $50K range with a couple of options. I will note, however, that other 2023 Canyon trims offer more pleasant-looking colorways.
That brings me to the knee rests / pads, which are plastic-fantastic, and not in a good way. While all other 2023 Canyon trims have these covered in a soft material, the Elevation gets hard plastic bits here. I fully imagine that these will get uncomfortable on long drives or when the driver or front passenger use them to stabilize themselves while off-roading. For a brand whose slogan is “Professional Grade”, this simply does not cut it. The same logic can be applied to the rear seat center armrest, which is optional (!!!) on the Canyon Elevation.
And then there’s the 8-inch DIC / instrument cluster. While, as I mentioned earlier, the 8-inch unit is perfectly functional, I would love to see the 11-inch unit – standard on AT4X and Denali trims – offered as an option on Elevation. Now that would be something I’d happily fork over some of my (very) hard-earned ad dollars. I’d also pay for wireless phone charging, which is not even an option on the Elevation trim.
Two other items are not necessarily demerits, but more like things to get accustomed to. First, it’s no longer possible to control the trip computers using the buttons on the steering wheel. This is now done via the center screen. The same goes for the truck’s light controls: like on the 2023 Colorado, the physical light control buttons are gone. The lights are now controlled via the center stack display. At least the graphics are nice and easy to read, and the screen is responsive.
Final Thoughts
All in, the 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation is a huge improvement over the outgoing model. It looks awesome, drives incredibly well, and presents a very capable and attractive package. It also makes the case for why one would actually want a midsize pickup, instead of settling for one.
However, the price of entry – less than $1,000 short of $50K in our tester – just begs for a few features to be included as standard, and for others to become available as an option. Open it up for an interior colorway (or two) that’s not black, and GMC will have an undisputed winner of the midsize truck segment, one that can unabashedly claim its “Professional Grade” status.
The good news is that The General can do all of these things as a rolling update, either during a model year or for a subsequent model year. The million dollar question is whether it will actually do it. The other million dollar question is when these will actually begin to ship en masse to dealers from the GM Wentzville plant.
Vehicle Vitals
- 2023 GMC Canyon Elevation 4WD
- Exterior color: Sterling Metallic (color code GXD)
- Interior seating material: CoreTec (leatherette)
- Interior colorway: Jet Black
- Starting price: $41,695 USD
- Price as tested: approximately $49,315 USD
- Engine: turbo 2.7L I-4 L3B High Output
- 310 horsepower @ 5600 RPM
- 430 pound-feet of torque @ 3000 RPM
- Transmission: second-generation 8-speed automatic
- Axle ratio: 3.42
- Curb weight: 4,630 pounds
- GVWR: 6,250 pounds
- Maximum trailer weight: 7,700 pounds
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Comments
Please please please GM authority do some investigative reporting find out what is going on with all of these vehicles sitting in Wentzville Missouri for those of us who have been waiting for 4 to 5 months to get a vehicle is ridiculous. Trust me I will be watching Toyota when they unveil the 19th of this month and let’s see how their rollout is. This is pathetic. No dealers in Florida have a single truck. All of them say they’re in transport but no date come on GM authority HELP!!!!!! And please do not give us a video like you did with a nothing burger
Way to keep it on topic Rob.
“At no point in your rambling, incoherent response was there anything that could even be considered a rational thought. I award you no points.”
Well, I guess I’m extremely frustrated along with so many other people why are they doing all of these topics on a vehicle that you can’t even get, I mean, you must understand the frustration of everybody not to mention myself sorry it’s not what you wanted to read about but it truly is a huge let down for all of the GM fans that are waiting for their vehicle with no information
They just started production in late January. EPA approval didn’t arrive until more than a month later. Grow some patience. Stop throwing a 2-year old tantrum and grow up!
Throwing a temper tantrum no all I’m trying to do is get information just like lots of other people and unfortunately I blame all of this on GM truly if you’re going to unveil vehicle start to build it, you should have all your ducks in a row so that once that car comes off the production line, it can go to the consumer I guess I was a fool for thinking that way Never mind I guess I’ll go back to the pasture and when they call me, I will come back you know the sheep
@ Rob
You’ll have to forgive some of the people on here. They are nothing more than GM nut swingers that do nothing but sit at their parents’ house and swoon over the 37 pictures that they have of Mary Barra hanging on their bedroom wall. It is irrational and immature, but when you’re on the internet, you’ll come across many illogical people.
I am a GM fan through and through, but over the past several years, it seems that they have slipped. They are only pushing their boring, cookie cutter EV CUV’s, their rollouts have been met with a litany of recalls and on top of that, many people have been waiting on vehicles for months and months with no real explanation other than “wait patiently”. IMHO, it is a black eye for GM. And if you say anything about Mary Barra, they immediately use the #1 Marxist excuse and call you a misogynist. *eyes rolling* It has nothing to do with Barra being a woman. A company begins at the top and she is the CEO. This shouldn’t be difficult to understand, but when you’re speaking to children and adults with the intelligence of a child, I guess it makes sense that they would use this pathetic tactic.
The biggest delay was GM not getting EPA certification of fuel economy before introduction. With the new power train EPA had nothing to compare to from last year. GM’s rush to get it to market caused the shipping delay.
Why would they need something to compare it with? The real problem is that the EPA doesn’t just take the keys and drive one for a weekend and report what they consumed. It’s got to be simulated, complicated, paying to many bureaucrats to push papers to make sure the gov unions get enough dues.
Whoever is in charge of GM logistics needs fired. I have 7 Colorados built since Feb 10th just sitting their pending dispatch. Thank God they aren’t built in Canada too. Dealers are getting vehicle quicker coming from Korea than you can Canada or Missouri. Unacceptable
You better be careful I Mr. GM fan will tell you you’re throwing a temper tantrum. It’s just amazing the GM authority can’t do anything to get more information. This is absolutely ridiculous. I hope everything goes well for you because obviously you’re in the business that’s affecting your bottom line. If you get any information, we would love to hear anything.
I guess you missed the EPA comments noted above?
I absolutely did not. I have been following this since the unveiling back in July and August 2022 the EPA held up a little bit. They have the OK to ship those vehicles that was more than a month and a half ago now what is going on? Seems to be kind of strange that there’s these tense over the top of some of these vehicles that are in a parking lot again investigative reporting would unveil what is going on but I guess I’m supposed to be a sheep and do as I’m told crazy I also was told when the first delays began it was a 4 Wheel Dr. constraint now they’re saying there was hail damage and possibly some quality control issues that got overseen. Does anybody know I guess not
Rob – Don’t let the GM apologists get to you. They probably work for GM and could be part of their lack of customer focus problem. I ordered my Canyon in mid-December and only know that it was built in early February. Recently I have noticed that several have trickled into Pa. Perhaps there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Awesome great news I know I’ve been following this since the unveiling back in July and August been super excited but obviously with all of this going on it sure deflate enthusiasm that’s for sure Well best of luck to you and thanks again for the update.
Glad to hear all the positive comments on the new Canyon and Colorado. I can wait to test drive one. I hope with future year models, GM will start to offer more options and configurations on bed length and motor options (like diesel or a V6) to accommodate the different strokes for diffent folks !
So……..when are they going to start shipping? Be honest please
Best buy for your buck honestly . If you don’t want go over 43k I’d recommend this one . Comes with more standard equipment etc . Rare the gmc is priced better than Chevy version
A solid entry with many good features, improved torque ands some useful items for the working/off roading types. With that said GM didn’t hit a home run with this one and made several missteps that should be addressed. Starting with this Elevation trim their needs to be some options for wheels as the one and only choice is a dull drab dirty looking dark color wheel with no options offered unless you go aftermarket or super expensive GM parts. Then their is the interior color choices which are limited to black. For a vehicle starting around 42k the lack of a power driver’s seat, fog lamps, advanced safety features, rear armrest and padded center console is rather ludicrous! It signals exactly what it is- cost cutting and profit maximizing. Also note to get some of these things your literally forced into 3 option packages which raises the price close to 47K!
The engine is an improvement for sheer torque which is great for daily driving, hauling and towing. The problem is the sound track it emits and the reduced fuel economy compared to last years 2.5/3.6 and especially the diesel option. You are stuck with one setup here and in 4X4 trim, which will be the volume seller, you get the same city and combined as last year’s V6 and 3 less highway MPG. With such instability in the energy sector and unstable gas prices that can be an issue.
The other problem here is the single body and bed configuration being offered. That puts the Colorado and Canyon at a disadvantage compared to all of its current competitors. I still see loads of extended cab trucks and long beds driving around so don’t believe GM’s decision was sound as they seem to be laser focused on profit above all else.
And that brings us to price. Yes there are improvements and the ride/handling and features are done well. But to command such steep prices this truck should have more std equipment, more interior color choices, some wheel options other than dark grey or black, better mileage and more bed/body choices.
Give this guy a drink couldn’t have said it any better!!!!
Give Alex and his team at GM authority a drink while you’re at it. The most in depth and most informative review of this truck I’ve seen yet.
All valid points Joe and I agree with all of them. Not sold on the new 8 speed being any less problematic but we shall see. Turbo lag from a stand still I believe is in the tuning more than just turbo lag. It seems like modern vehicles are de-tuned at takeoff and some at first to second shifts to reduce strain and wear on the drivetrain. It’s all electronically controlled which makes it easy to retard timing or reduce the electronic throttle to slowly build up to full throttle. BMW reduced their turbo lag years ago with a new exhaust manifold design and lighter weight metal for turbines allowing them to spool up faster. I don’t need performance car response but I would enjoy a smooth consistent delivery of power. Lets make them fun to drive again. I understand the crew cab short box as this is what 85% of how people want them, but give us the option for a long bed. I would love an AT4 but I want an all black interior. Elevation is the only place you can find this and then its $50,000 when you option it out. Wheels are pretty lame and mileage isn’t great with the 430ft/lb torque tune, but that’s alot of torque.
Got my 2023 Canyon last week. Neither door on the passenger side will open from the inside. Anyone else have this problem?
Sounds like child locks are engaged. Check out your owners manual.
Thank-you Alex for your driving impressions on this new GMC Elevation. I have to point out your comment on the turn signal stalk is spot on. I have a 2023 Corvette Stingray and the turn signal stalk is way too far from the steering wheel. I find myself checking it often and it is a distraction I could do without. Again, thanks for your thorough review.
First of all it isn’t attractive, it is far from it. Second, the softer tires do not help spirited driving. Third, they movement of the shifter could have solved all the problems by being moved to the column via a column shifter or a shifter stalk (like the new SUV’s should be getting) or with a button or dial. Then you’d have a ton of storage room there instead of a console shifter sticking up, but atleast they made it a little better. Still, GM, get rid of the console shifter, it is unwanted and uselessly wastes space. Literally anything else would be better (even buttons or a dial). The driver changes gears 3 times a drive, they will learn in 1 or 2 drives to comfortable use a button or dial (did that with Dodge and also our new Denali as well as those who bought them and complained but were later comfortable and fine with it being they got all that extra space back).
I’ll play!
First of all, design is subjective. I find it attractive. If you don’t, that’s your prerogative. Don’t pretend like you speak on behalf of everyone out there.
Second, I don’t believe I said anything about the tires being “softer.” What I said is that the All Terrain tires perform very well in spirited driving, more so than the Mud Terrains do. In fact, the Mud Terrains are also good in spirit driving scenarios, but have a tendency to “buckle” earlier because of their even stiffer sidewall.
That’s really a lot of words about the shifter. I personally like it where it is in the Colorado and Canyon. I also like that I can rest my hand on it while driving. Would you gain more storage space by removing it and transitioning to a digital stalk or a rotary dial? Definitely. Doing so will, however, cost you when it comes to aesthetics (these are TRUCKS) while also removing the resting place for the hand. At some point, I have to ask… how much storage space in the center console do you need anyway? Do you carry four big gulps in your truck all at once? If that’s the case, you can store those four big gulps in the center console – two in the front cupholders, and two in the cup holders at the rear of the center console. Point is, there’s no need for even more storage space.
I absolutely love it when Alex gets involved in the comments to bring logic and wit to the conversation. Thank you Mr. Luft.
Rotary dials suck.
If you have ever towed or plowed snow with one you would rather have a stick.
Buttons are ok in our Acadia but it is just not as instinctive for those who have grown up with a shifter stick.
Alex i was thinking the same thing, don’t take away my console shifter where I rest my hand. They look better and no need to store more crap in the center console. Design is spot on, best looking midsize truck out right now. Love that they went high and wide in all trims with the HO engine and tune. Interiors are way better than the last gen but I still want black interior color with red stitching, what’s up with the tan piping in the GMC, and the yellow used in the Colorado ZR2. Tires are very important in the trucks ability to handle decent and give a modern ride quality that expected. Load range on tire can affect these characteristics as well, stiffer sidewalls produce less give while turning improving handling. Love your reviews and keep up the good work.
Alex I find that the last Gen Canyon was just add on profits. The focus was all on the Colorado.
This time they have put more focus on the Canyon and added more content to improve the profitability.
The mid size class has issues. They share few parts vs like an S10 did. They lost the Holden market and it cost nearly as much to build a mid size vs full size. Not my opinion but a mid size marketing manager.
The issue has been sales dropped fast past $40k. I think they are working hard to get people to pay more for a GMC and improve the profits . They will let the Colorado straddle both sides to try to keep the volume.
Will it work? Not sure. The low end Colorado will be fine but will people be willing to pay nearly $60k for many Canyons after the early run?
I own a Denali now and love the new truck but with low Covid miles I held off replacing my truck. I went and bought a Corvette instead.
The new trucks I have been in are great and an improvement but with 23k miles on a Denali it is not worth the added payments when I had none now letting me buy a play car.
Work from home is a game changer in how I buy vehicles.