Midsize pickups are now very popular. The segment has been enlivened by new models, returning models, and the crazy high cost of full-size pickups. During our summer, we had a chance to try out one of the most luxurious and well-equipped vehicles in the segment, the 2023 GMC Canyon in a Deanli Crew Cab trim. We found it to have many great attributes, but these four things really stood out for us.
2023 GMC 4WD Canyon Denali Crew Cab Pickup - Infotainment
The infotainment system of the 2023 GMC 4WD Canyon Denali the best system in its class. It has a great 11.3” touch screen of the perfect size. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are wireless and, in our testing, worked smoothly and quickly. Paired with GMC’s head-up display and driver information display behind the wheel, the system was as perfect as we could imagine one being. Your phone charges wirelessly as you drive. It’s a shame that GM plans to move away from this and eliminate Android Auto and Apple CarPlay in favor of a system that will drain owners’ bank accounts for the same functionality. Get one now while you can.
2023 GMC 4WD Canyon Denali Crew Cab Pickup - 2.7-Liter Turbocharged Engine
The engine in the 2023 Canyon we tested was the 2.7-liter Turbo. Power is ample, but the torque is fantastic. 430 lb-ft of torque in a vehicle of this type is a big bonus. We found the engine to be ideally suited to the vehicle.
2023 GMC 4WD Canyon Denali Crew Cab Pickup - Cabin Quality
Our Denali trim seemed very luxurious to us. The materials used on the dash, door cards, and seats seemed to be of an old-school high quality, hard to find today. Heated and ventilated seats, along with a heated steering wheel, mean you are always comfortable. We loved the optional moonroof with manual sunshade.
2023 GMC 4WD Canyon Denali Crew Cab Pickup - It’s Just Trucky Enough
The fourth thing we found great about the Canyon was that it is a real body-on-frame truck. Although it is plush, it’s clear that the bed and trailer hitch are the real deal. During our testing, the roads were often flooded a foot deep. We traveled with confidence, knowing we were up above the danger level.
Our test vehicle had a sticker price including destination of $53,990, and it returned a fuel economy of about 20 MPG in our everyday driving. Those looking for a premium midsize truck will find the GMC Canyon Denali Crew Cab hard to top.
John Goreham is an experienced New England Motor Press Association member and expert vehicle tester. John completed an engineering program with a focus on electric vehicles, followed by two decades of work in high-tech, biopharma, and the automotive supply chain before becoming a news contributor. In addition to his eleven years of work at Torque News, John has published thousands of articles and reviews at American news outlets. He is known for offering unfiltered opinions on vehicle topics. You can follow John on Twitter, and connect with him at Linkedin.
Image of 2023 GMC Canyon by John Goreham