Your writer noted one disappointment in the ride department. The remarkably low noise levels characteristic of the new-generation big GM trucks (Silverado and Sierra) haven’t made their way into the Canyon by way of the claimed sharing of DNA between the models. The Silverado, quite seriously, lets less noise into its cabin at speed than some six-figure luxury cars. Your writer had hoped that’d be the case in the Canyon, but it’s not. It’s not loud, it’s just not library-quiet like its big brother. Further, it’s a good thing the 3.6L V6 sounds decent, since if you’re on the throttle, its raspy warble is always there.

Some winter driving notes: with the locking rear differential included, drivers patient with their right foot and not afraid of a little slippage here and there will rarely have to use the four-wheel drive, even in deep snow. With virtually no spin required to engage, it locks the rear axle together and gets things moving straight away. With Canyon’s locking rear diff, there’s no sitting and spinning while you try to get up a hill out of a four-way stop as everyone points and laughs at your unlimited-slip differential.

Remarkable too is the combined effect of the rear locking diff and the hill start assist, which prevents roll-back on icy hills. Without engaging four-wheel drive, Canyon made it up a steep, very slippery hill, with hardly any wheelspin at all. And that’s on factory rubber (not winters) and with nothing in the box. Turn on the automatic four-wheel drive setting to send power to all four wheels in milliseconds when the going gets slippery.

The chassis electronics, and the locking rear end, help make great use of available traction. Proper winter tires will provide more actual traction to work with too – though the tester rolled on factory all-terrain rubber with minimal issue other than excessive stopping distances. Also notably, the stability control dials up its sensitivity with vehicle speed, and even the light-in-the-back Canyon rarely turned in anything other than reliable grip.

Gripes? Aside from the oddly-shaped rear under-seat floor area and the higher-than-expected noise levels, I was left with just one: the wish for a display in the fancy driver computer to check which four-wheel drive mode I had engaged, if at all. The mode is indicated via the selector dial’s position, though that’s blocked by the steering wheel.

Ultimately, a power, feature content and technology advantage over the competition, along with nice touches and a fresh look throughout should help this new Canyon move from dealer lots with ease. Check one out, along with proven mid-size truck performers from Toyota, Nissan and Honda.

Warranty:
3 years/60,000 km; 5 years/160,000 km powertrain; 6 years/160,000 km corrosion perforation; 5 years/160,000 km 24-hour roadside assistance

Competitors:
Chevrolet Colorado
Honda Ridgeline
Nissan Frontier
Toyota Tacoma

Pricing: 2015 GMC Canyon SLE 4WD LWB
Base Price: $36,200
Options: All Terrain Package – $1,400, Off-Road Assist Steps – $780, Convenience Package – $550, Bedliner – $525, HD Trailering Package – $275, Block Heater – $100, Wheel Locks – $60.
Freight: $1,695
A/C Tax: $100
Price as Tested: $41,725

Crash Test Results:
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

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