The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 is a good lookin’ mid-size truck with some great off-road capabilities. (Photo by Tim Esterdahl)
With a starting price of $40k, the GMC Canyon is a popular midsize truck. But what happens when you add an off-road package that costs another $5k, bringing the 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 off-road special edition to $45,780? Publisher Tim Esterdahl walks us through some of the extras in his video below where he points out the good and bad things about this midsize truck.
The GMC Canyon is a really good-looking little truck. With its bright red tow hooks, beveled bed-side panels and side steps on bed corners, GMC has done a great job of creating an attractive vehicle.
Esterdahl also gives GMC props for the quiet ride and the comfort — both on and off-road thanks to sound-dampening and good suspension. Even with the big off-road tires, the truck rides smoothly on Nebraska’s washboard dirt roads.
The 3.6-liter V-6 is a well-suited engine for this truck. It’s fun to drive off-road, even with the controversial 8-speed transmission. The locking rear-differential and auto 4-wheel drive that kicks in when the truck senses slippage means less guesswork while off-pavement.
A few more things to like include auto-dimming interior lights, really nice fog lamps and a nice tailgate.
Again with the uncomfortable seats. There just isn’t enough padding to make for a comfortable ride for more than a few miles. And in the same vein, the interior design feels lacking in the materials chosen. Esterdahl points out a lot of cheap plastic parts, a very small driver’s display, and a lackluster infotainment screen that just isn’t that exciting for a $40k truck.
Compared to some of its competitors, the Canyon is equipped with a pretty low-quality backup camera which seems very pixilated. It also does not have a 360-degree view or overhead shot like we are starting to see on other trucks.
No lights in the truck bed? No bueno.
We know you’re wondering just what the 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Special Edition Off-Road package will include so here’s a little breakdown:
What do you think? Is all of this worth $45k? Join Esterdahl for a walk around, and see for yourself.
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