[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Canyon is an all-new midsize truck for 2015 giving GMC one of the only three truck lineups in the industry.
Designed for capability, comfort and refinement inside and out, Canyon has a commanding exterior with bold front-end styling that incorporates standard projector beam headlights and LED daytime running lights.
Three body configurations are available:
• Extended cab model with a six-foot, two inch bed;
• Crew cab with a five-foot, two-inch bed, and
• Crew cab with a six-foot two-inch bed. With the tailgate down, the longer bed accommodates cargo items as long as eight feet.
The Canyon has one of the more plush pickup truck interiors on the market today and the ride is quiet, balanced and refined. It is an efficiently sized and maneuverable pickup and perfect for hauling cargo and towing a trailer or boat.
Under the hood
Canyon comes standard with a four-cylinder engine and a V-6 is an option. The base 200 hp 2.5-liter I-4 engine delivers adequate power and makes Canyon a good choice for everyday driving tasks. If you need a truck with a little more power, then the available 3.6-liter 305 hp V-6 (18/26 mpg) is a good alternative capable of towing up to 7,000 pounds. An automatic transmission is available with either engine, and a manual gearbox is an option for four-cylinder models.
Canyon is the only truck in the midsize segment to offer AutoTrac automatic four-wheel drive, which allows a driver to select manual 4WD engagement or automatic engagement.
The Canyon cabin design is modern and upscale. The front seats are supportive and the cabin is quiet at higher speeds.
Canyon comes standard with a rearview camera and a USB connection and optional features include the GMC IntelliLink infotainment system, navigation, Bluetooth, a sevenspeaker Bose audio system, lane-departure warning and forward-collision alert. The IntelliLink is intuitive and the system controls are easy to reach, though difficult to quickly operate because of the multiple steps necessary to access some audio functions.
Canyon is offered in base, SLE and SLT models, in 2WD and 4WD, and with an aggressively styled All-Terrain package offered on SLE models. The package includes 17-inch painted aluminum wheels wrapped with all-terrain tires, a body-color grille surround with horizontal chrome bars, a body-color rear bumper, front tow hooks, hill descent control and specific suspension tuning. It also includes a power-adjustable front passenger seat.
Customer-focused technologies include available OnStar 4G LTE and its standard built-in Wi-Fi hotspot provides a mobile hub for drivers and passengers to stay connected.
The hotspot is on whenever the engine is running and comes with a three-month/threegigabyte data trial, whichever comes first.
Price
The MSRP on the 2015 GMC Canyon ranges from $20,955 to $37,250.
[author image=”http://www.samaonline.org/Ron.jpg” ]Ron Beasley is the automotive editor for Miami’s Community Newspapers. He may be contacted by calling 305-662-2277, ext. 261, or by addressing email correspondence to LetsTalkCars@aol.com.[/author]
