2023 GMC Canyon: Most of the Good Stuff Is Standard

There's never been a meaningful reason to choose any GMC pickup truck over its mechanically identical Chevrolet sibling. But that might be changing with GM's latest generation of mid-size trucks, the GMC Canyon and Chevy Colorado, both of which are redesigned for 2023. The two are still twins underneath, but the Canyon now packages the Colorado's best optional elements across its lineup, making it an enticing choice if you can stomach the price.

Both these trucks offer fewer configurations than before, with the regular-cab and long-bed options discontinued. That means a crew cab with a shorter five-foot bed is the only combination left, and a turbocharged 2.7-liter inline-four is standard across the board. But while the Chevrolet offers five trim levels and three engine-output levels, GMC has simplified things even further. Every 2023 Canyon has the 2.7-liter's top output configuration—producing 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque—which costs extra on the Colorado and requires checking two separate boxes on most trim levels (the Chevy's medium-output tune has the same 310 horsepower but less torque, at 391 pound-feet).

Four-wheel drive is also standard across the Canyon's trim levels, save for the base Elevation. And every Canyon features the wider front track from the Colorado's off-road-oriented trims, in addition to all-terrain tires. This gives the truck a mean-looking stance, although the funky split headlights may be more polarizing than the Chevy's cleaner front-end look. Along with Elevation, there's also the rugged-looking AT4 trim and the gussied-up Denali, which has nicer interior appointments and a healthy serving of chrome trim.