2023 GMC Canyon Gets More Off-Road Performance, But Will Cost More Across New Lineup

The all-new GMC Canyon AT4X bumps the Canyon AT4 out of the top spot, but it comes with a big price bump.

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The all-new GMC Canyon AT4X Edition 1 will be similar to the Chevrolet ZR2 Desert Boss.
The all-new GMC Canyon AT4X Edition 1 will be similar to the Chevrolet ZR2 Desert Boss.
Photo: GMC

The 2023 GMC Canyon made its debut just a couple of weeks after the release of the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado. The new GMC Canyon is treading in the same direction as its Chevy twin with an emphasis on off-road capability. The new top model will be the GMC Canyon AT4X, which will cost $63,350 for a launch edition. Because, lately, even off-roading in midsize trucks doesn’t come cheap.

That hefty price is for the 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X Edition 1, however, which will come with a few upgrades over the Canyon AT4X, which replaces the outgoing Canyon AT4 as the top trim. But every new trim also costs more than the outgoing ones. The trims for the new Canyon will be the Elevation, Denali, AT4 and AT4X.

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The new GMC Canyon trims start at about $40,000, versus the older ones starting at $26,800. That’s a difference of $13,200, which is a lot. Then again, that tracks given that major automakers are all hiking prices across their lineups. It makes sense, then, that the off-road focused GMC Canyon AT4X would cost more than the older GMC Canyon AT4, which started at $38,400.

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Think of the Canyon AT4X as GMC’s version of the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2. And the Edition 1 is something like GMC’s take on the Desert Boss, although, GMC says the launch edition model will be “extremely limited,” while Chevy’s Desert Boss package will presumably be available after 2023.

Since the GMC Canyon is just a Chevy Colorado in a suit, the trucks share most specifications. The big difference is that the high-output 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine is standard on all trims of the GMC Canyon. So, whether it’s a base model Canyon or Canyon AT4X, it’ll make the same 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque.

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Photo: GMC
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The new Canyon is also taller and will have a wider front track on all trims. The front track width will be from 66-66.3 inches, depending on trim. And ground clearance is from 9.6-10.7 inches. The Canyon AT4X will be the widest (66.3 in.) of the bunch, with the most ground clearance (10.7 in.) while also getting the same DSSV dampers, 33-inch tires, front and rear e-lockers, and underbody skid plates of the ZR2.

There’s a few notable differences, however, between the top trims of the new GMC and Chevy midsize trucks. The Canyon AT4x has an approach angle of 36.9 degrees compared to the Colorado ZR2's approach angle of 38.3 degrees. And GMC says the Canyon AT4X Edition 1 will come with underbody cameras that wash themselves, while Chevy makes no mention of a washing system under the Colorado ZR2 Desert Boss.

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Maybe that’s why the new GMC Canyon AT4X Edition 1 costs so much. And now that we know that prices start at $40,000 for the upscale GMC Canyon, it’s possible to get some idea of what the new Chevy Colorado trims will cost, too.

Image for article titled 2023 GMC Canyon Gets More Off-Road Performance, But Will Cost More Across New Lineup
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Image for article titled 2023 GMC Canyon Gets More Off-Road Performance, But Will Cost More Across New Lineup
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Image for article titled 2023 GMC Canyon Gets More Off-Road Performance, But Will Cost More Across New Lineup
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Image for article titled 2023 GMC Canyon Gets More Off-Road Performance, But Will Cost More Across New Lineup
Photo: GMC