The plight of the truck buyer is options. Now with sizes ranging from small to medium to large, powertrain options from gas to diesel to electric and options for on and off-road accessories, it’s an embarrassment of riches. The only problem is deciding. Does a buyer want looks or capability, style or range, a workhorse or a show pony?
The 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition (American Expedition Vehicles) is ultra capable off-road in its medium size, and comes with styling desert racers love, including the full-size 35-inch spare mud tire mounted on a rack in the bed and a 1.5-inch factory lift.
However, when packing and hauling cargo in the bed it takes logic and skill to make up for that spare tire, which shrinks the area significantly. That’s the tradeoff for the 2024 Canyon AT4X’s good looks.
It can tow up to 7,700 pounds.
The AT4X tested here comes with the High-Output engine, delivering 310 horsepower (hp) by 430 pound-feet (lb-ft) of torque making for quick and smooth launches from a stoplight, even when the bed is full to the brim with coolers, tents, games and other camping equipment. Helpfully, the Canyon has plenty of attachment points.
General Motors
General Motors
The 2024 Canyon feels nimble with that torque both in takeoffs and in passing maneuvers. The brakes are traditional, no regeneration here, and have a firm feel with a small pedal stroke for confident stops no matter the load.
The AT4X also has a special suspension setup made for harsh impacts off road. In normal driving that makes it feel a little stiff, but again that’s part of the tradeoff with such a cool-looking vehicle. On the plus side, there doesn’t seem to be a pothole big enough in Michigan to upset this vehicle, try as the state might.
In addition the factory lift and bed-mounted spare, the AEV Canyon comes with a special front fascia, stamped steel bumpers, skid plates for protecting the sensitive under parts, three auxiliary switch that can be ran to lights or a winch, and unique AEV badging.
The 2024 Canyon AT4X AEV Edition has a 38.2-degree front approach angle, a 26.9-degree breakover angle and a 26.0-degree departure angle with those modified front and rear bumpers. That height and those angles are good for clambering over rocks, but they do make entry and exit a matter of hopping and pulling yourself up.
General Motors
General Motors
The cabin of the GMC Canyon is a step up from the usual General Motors offerings with metal and leather trim, accented stitching and red accents in this AT4X. The seats are supremely comfortable and with a lot of height adjustment to get a good view over the high hood.
The Canyon now has up to 10 available camera views to assist with seeing areas behind, underneath and in front of the bumper.
Upgraded Canyons come with an 11.3-inch infotainment touchscreen with Google Built-in but no Apple CarPlay. The media system works fine, and buyers can log into Spotify and everything else, but the layout still isn’t as clear or user friendly as CarPlay.
A head-up display on the windshield is optional while the customizable digital driver cluster is standard. Less expensive trims get an 8-inch display while Canyon AT4X and Denali have an 11-inch screen.
The controls are excellent to use with physical touchpoints for volume and climate along with easy-to-read buttons and dials for drive modes and four-wheel drive.
General Motors has traditionally done well with smartly designed, ergonomic cabins and this truck is no exception.
The back seats are usually small in a medium-sized truck, though everyone gets their own door. It has space for two booster seats and two kids, but it can also take suitcases and duffle bags between passengers. The seatbelts are easy to reach and attach for kids and adults.
The 2024 Canyon comes with an array of driver assistance and safety technologies including emergency braking for cars, bicycles and people, a following distance indicator, lane keeping and lane departure warning, and blind zone assist. These work when a trailer is attached.
General Motors
All of the medium-sized trucks have base prices around $30,000. However, with the GMC Canyon AT4X Crew Cab with AEV package the out-the-door pricing is an eye-watering $68,030. It’s competition here would be against the specialty models like the Ford Ranger Raptor ($55,620), Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro ($63,900), and GM’s own Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. ($48,395).
Big-tired, high-riding pickups are excellent at the weekend warrior-type events: boating, dirt biking, trail-riding, etc., but less good at real truck work like hauling two-by-fours or maxing out the bed payload, which is easier when it’s not four-and-a-half feet off the ground because of the suspension lift
The Tacoma TRD and Ranger Raptor are the same type of specialty truck as this GMC, excellent for creeping through a forest trail and speeding over sand dunes, but not as good for hauling lumber or drywall.
The Toyota has the best reputation for that sort of thing. One of the high-desert trims like the Canyon tested here is are best if there will be a lot of dirt running and trail crawling in your future, but for those who need a pickup truck to do chores and work, a more traditional Canyon, or better yet a lower-trim full-size truck, which will do the job far better.