Don't take this the wrong way, but I enjoy hearing you get frustrated. Not because I want you mad, but because you're being so completely honest that I trust your judgement. I guess that's a complement isn't it!
Figured it out Stephen and his dad are running shine, them barrels, always in a different rig, fancy Canadian shine operation is what we got here! Great review!
GMC is now offering a off road performance package for the Canyon AT4 which removes the air dam, adds a one inch lift / leveling kit , different wheels, different exhaust tip, spray in Bedliner , rocker protection and extra skid plates. 2000.00 option
Gentlemen, This is another very comprehensive test video with the strengths and weaknesses on display. You are correct that the trailer brake #controller ought to come from the factory with any vehicle rated for such a high tow capacity.
I agree with you completely. Earlier this year I bought a Colorado Z71 and a specified trailer brake controller as a requirement as soon as I walked into the dealer. I looked at a Canyon Elevation and a Canyon All Terrain. Neither had the integrated brake controller. Although I like the look of the Canyon more than the Colorado, the lack of integrated brake controller was a deal breaker for me.
@@garym81 It seems like the GMC brand is more plain when it comes to offroad and towing whereas they excel at luxury with their Denali trim (compared to what Chevy has to offer).
All good points and good review. That being said, I own an '18 Canyon and have removed the air dam and installed a 2" leveling kit which fixes the clearance issue on the front. And with the G80, that trail would be fairly simple to navigate.
Agreed. I have one too. Removed the Nascar air dam. The truck is a pretty good little scratcher. Leveling kit would be nice but as it sets it's just the right height to get in\out without side steps. Wish the manufacturers would go back to grease zerks on vehicles. That cartridge oil filter is really nice.
I own a 2021 Canyon and am considering removing air dam. Could you give more detail on the leveling kit as to what it does and how much it cost? Thanks, Robert
The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "Why didn't they make it the same as the Colorado Trail Runner package?" Add a 2-inch lift, add rock rails, and most of all, get rid of that spoiler, then you would have a decent AT4.
Seems I am in the minority here. At 65 I wanted a vehicle that could full fill mission specific travel plans. We have an all wheel drive Highlander, but, its lacks a spare, low range, heavier duty suspension, paper thin sidewalls making exploring forest service/BLM off-grid roads very iffy at best. For mostly on pavement travel, Highlander is great. Very smooth, comfy. Handles snow and ice great during the winter pavement travels. We bought the GMC AT4 because its basically a exploration vehicle, my version of maybe a Subaru, only with limited slip, low-range, downhill decent control, select-tronic manual shift automatic that, once I became familiar how it functioned, what its capable of, I fell in love with it. Works really great. Power: Merging or having to get on the gas at a train crossing had me smiling. Bitchin’! Gasoline. Note: Shell gas pump nozzles tend to stick inside the gas fill pipe. Very tight fitting. Last week I wasn’t a happy camper when I discovered this. No gas cap. Just a door. I suppose its some California Air Quality improvement thing. There is a wider mouth emergency fuel funnel in the glove box. However, I plan to put a emergency essentials bag together when it cools down to keep in my truck at all times. Towing: We plan to tow a Teardrop 2000lbs trailer behind our truck. With a trifold ARE Tonneau cover, we now have a bit of security for our camping gear secured in the pickup bed. There is NO A.C. Inverter plug in in the pickup at all. FYI. Electronics: Basic as basic can be. Sirius/XM is a pain in the butt calling them up and signing up for the free trial. Same same for the AT&T hot spot, its spendy spendy spendy. Like the Internet, everythings easily deducted from your credit card making it so frilling easy... Once they get your email address, LOOK forward to tons of spam! Even text messages on your phone. IMPORTANT: This trucks computers/Serius/XM can track every garsh damned button dial, brake, accelerator, button you push, even traces tracks phone usage in the event you, the driver, are involved in some-kind of nefarious activity as folks like me, an investigator by trade, can and will obtain by means of a warrant to use either for you defense, or against you as evidence. When I mean tracking, I mean driving reckless, speeding, etc etc. Numerous apps come on the computerized radio system. The owners manual tells you all this tracking shit is so that GM service techs can better assist you... My dark side speaks volumes of, yeah(?) like denying you engine warranty by stating on this day and date Over-Revving occurred at this location and time. Blah blah blah. Its getting spooky for this consumer. Believe me folks. Seating. Its darned nice. Fully electric adjustable both front, only no lumbar for the passenger. Drivers seat can be raised almost three inches making for excellent over the hood trail driving easy-peasy. Moving the seat forward toward the steering wheel is advised. If needed. The air damn is problematic. I have scraped it numerous times. It will be going bye bye soon. Now. Lets discuss suspension. In serious big-assed holes to pot-marked holes that look like an A-10 Warthog did two or more gun-runs on moving at speeds under 10 to 15 MPH are fine. Its called patience. Being old, slow, its just not so bad. GM indicates the suspension is enhanced, but exactly what that is I have yet to determine. But, for me, its ok for now. I’m not going to take any pickup on a gnarly trail period. I don’t wanna work- at all period. Under body protection is there. It just wasn’t mentioned. AirDam prevents ever needing skid protection I suppose. Value: Our dealer made us a great deal on our truck. We intended on buying a Toy TRD PRO, but, as you all know, thats like asking for a discounted bar of Pure Virgin Gold bars for cheap. Ain’t gonna happen, and, during this pandemic, having issues getting them... Blah Blah Blah- Heard it all before. I’m out kids
Here is the reason why I love your reviews the most!.... You never set off my "BS" alarm. You always seem to know what you are talking about and I can tell you put some thought into what you are saying... and that it is based on your own personal Real World experiences. Thank You EDIT: Also, I have a 18' Colorado Z71 Crew Cab Short Bed that I bought new for $32.5k. I removed the air dam, installed ZR2 skids, and OEM ZR2 style skids (but the ones for non-ZR2 trucks) for less than $700 total. I now have a 4x4 with a rear locker and decent protection for just over $33k. It has been nothing short of AMAZING so far for the first 45k miles. I just wired in an aftermarket trailer brake controller. Turns out that GM pre-installed the 7pin trailer brake harness for trucks with the factory tow package. So it was an easy upgrade.
A lot of newer vehicles I think kind of have a shared wiring harness, get a lower trim level and you can add all the upper trim stuff by simply buying the accessory and plugging it in...Toyota was that way, at least my 08 Tundra was. It was the Base model but the wiring harness was the same across all the trucks so simply buying the accessory and plugging it in was easy to upgrade stuff...I never did outside of adding the brake controller, but I'm sure people have done a few upgrades to their base model trucks and probably other makes and models do similar sharing of wiring.
My wife and I ordered a brand new Canyon last year and got a bit of a unicorn spec: Elevation Crew Cab 2WD with the Duramax. We don't need to do anything more off-road than rough gravel or dirt roads and even living in the Perth County snowbelt we find our Michelin X-Ice winter tire package is more than enough to get us through anything Lake Huron dumps on us. I think the Duramax package addresses all of the shortcomings of this test truck: standard trailer brake controller, diesel exhaust brake and we can easily get 10L/100km while towing. When we aren't towing, we can easily get 6-7L/100km on the highway which rivals our 2014 Civic 5-speed.
I bought the GMC Canyon ..and I love it. And yes you can go off road easily but you have to make some adjustments. GMC off road package is weak....but dont underestimate this mid size, she's solid. Not your old clunky raddling GM crap...it's meant to be abused.
I’m not even in the market for a truck, but I watched this because I enjoy your reviews. I love that you pointed out the features that limit this truck. Yes, people can remove and alter those features, but as you noted, if it’s being sold as an “Offroad truck” a buyer shouldn’t have to immediately alter the truck to make it capable of driving the most basic trails.
Removing the air dam, which I did will decrease your mileage by 2 mpg. In order to represent their listed MPG they add the air dam. Though they did smarten up this year by screwing the screws up rather than down so removing it is really easy to do
No one is commenting about this. 2 mpg is important to me. If the ultimate rock crawler is what your into, then take a look at a used log skidder. Unless your rock crawling everywhere, every day, chances are 2 mpg gas saving might be a good thing, but if your going to spend $45K to thrash the hell out if it for shits n giggles then take it off and throw the thing in the recycling bin. Ever try trail walking? Just you against the elements, crawl all over rocks till yer heart’s content.
With the older style with the screws coming in from above, its also very easy to remove, just go find a 8-10 inch high rock and drive over the rock, then backup, removes those air dams very nicely....useless as they are in the first place. If someone is that worried about fuel economy they shouldn't be looking at a truck, maybe a Prius, a bicycle, or walking LOL.
Great review! I've already bought one and took off the air dam right away. I also added combo rock guards/side steps. I don't do trail driving but I hunt a lot and go down some sketchy roads. I traded in a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk that I loved, but needed a truck bed. That Trailhawk was stuck only once in about 18" of watery mud. Otherwise it was a beast. I am hoping this will be the same with some modifications
I'm back after getting my new 2022 GMC Canyon Elevation the air dam had to go you guys was right, I put a 2'' leveling kit in the front and tires and wheels and Line X bed liner it mad such a difference and I painted my hooks red it looks like a AT4 but I was not going for that look tho I love my truck the only thing I hate is the key it needs push button start I dont know why but my payload is 1434 lbs and its a long bed the short beds dont have that payload.
I like you and your videos, so please don't get me wrong... but if you read the manual, it says to remove the air dam when you're off roading, they even redesigned it specifically for 2021 placing the bolt heads down to make it easier to remove, an estimated 15 minutes. This would change the approach angles you spoke of as well as complaints regarding it off-roading :(
Great vid👍 I like the front end more on Can then the Col - but yes, 'GM should have that off road design team should give their collective head a shack for this one. Thank you from Richmond hill Ont Cheers
My brother had the canyon with the diesel 2017 I think and it had the brake controller included. It pulled my old 27 foot trailer like nothing. Ps great job on your videos 👍
@@craigquann Did they change the orientation of the screws mounting the airdam in place? I removed the air dam on my '17 SLT, but the bolt heads were in the top. Took a bit of time to finangle them out of there. If they were on the bottom I could see 10-15 minutes, but on the top...a bit longer.
Impressed it squats less then the full sized trucks you guys tested. Would need to know more what the AT4 comes with cause honestly doesn't seem much off an offroad package. The approach angle is terrible, does it even have a limited slip at minimum? Steel skid plates?
The air dam is flexible, it just bends out of the way. I scrape mine all the time and it's fine. But yeah, you should have put the tire on that rock and you would have rolled over it fine. It's also removable if you go offroad a lot. I leave mine on for the tiny bit of fuel economy it gives, and then just scratch it up a bunch offroad.
When I bought my 2008 Toyota Tundra, it was $2k less than the Tacoma....and the Tacoma still has an anemic V6 in it and cramped interior it seems. Wasn't impressed with the Tacoma at all. I got stuck with a 4Runner for a week while my Tundra was in the shop waiting on parts, I have to say the 4Runner has completely outgrown the V6, they offered it with a 4.7L V8 for a while they were stupid by dropping the V8 option, and now the 4Runner is even larger and more bloated....same goes for that Tacoma. I haven't been in a Colorado or Canyon so I don't know how the interiors are in them for room, but the Colorado/Canyon look better than the Tacoma. There's really no reason to even offer a "mid-size" anymore they're just as bloated as a full size truck but with HD truck prices.
This canyon and I believe most trailbosses and at4 sierras are fitted with Rancho monotube shocks . They are top notch . Ive had them on my jeep jk for the last two years and theyre great both on and off road .
So pull air dam off, and its the same as the Colorado trail? I would prefer this suspension over the zr2, ashamed you can't get front locker in this trim though. Duratracs are quiet on my tacoma.
Hey Stephen, can you do the Honda ridgeline? I dont need to tow more than 3500 lbs, and the ridgeline is larger inside than any other midsize pickup. Figured it’d be a good match.
In all honesty GM really half baked the updates for the Canyon/Colorado. I bought a 2016 Canyon All Terrain w/ the diesel when it was brand new. At that time the generation was new and IMO a definite leap forward. Overall the platform is still competitive but in usual GM fashion they are sitting on their a** now. That air dam has been an issue for 6 years now and GM can't get it in their head to fix it. Granted I took mine off in about 20 mins but still shouldn't be there on an off road model. Trailer brake should be standard at this point (I honestly thought it was now). Mine came with it on the diesel. They could of done more than just change up the front end a bit. Some new headlights and taillights would of been appreciated.
I bought a canyon at4 and the manual says if going off road take off air damn. I took it off the second I brought it home and I take it to many off road parks this things better than what u said
Keep up the great work 👍! Rumor had it for 21’ the air dam was supposed to be easier to remove then prior years (can you confirm)? My opinion only but I like the all black interior on the GMC AT4 vs the greenish turquoise with black in the Chevy Colorado Z71 (I know you can get black seats on the Colorado Z71 but the center console and dash are still that greenish color, looks after thought’ish to me).
Steve, can you do Ranger vs Canyon or Colorado? TFL ranked Ranger ahead of Canyon, but I doubt they have ever driven Ranger in a foot of snow or for a long distance, and so many youtube videos complain that long rides on Ranger FX4 make them dizzy. Would be nice to get an opinion other than TFL. In general would be nice to have a series of reviews for the mid-size trucks, which one is best offroad (not in the desert but in the East Coast or Canada mud and snow), which one does best as a work truck with hauling, which one is best overall. I liked how when you driven Ridgeline with the same barrel moonshine test you said that it feels like the truck is at its limit, but here with the same load you say that it feels like Canyon can take even more , which is great to know because we all often are forced to overload our trucks to avoid doing another hour back and forth trip, so little things like that are very helpful when deciding on a new truck for me. Thank you.
We will test every truck we can get our hands on. However, so you and others know, our source is the media fleets from each manufacturer. They decide what to put on the fleets and in which trims. Obviously they want to push whatever is new/hot for them. Typically these trucks are available for around six months - then they are retired and the new ones come in. They don't always have every model on the fleet. Priority goes to whatever is new for the year. For instance Ranger was on last year but not this year.
@@TruckKing Thank you! Something else I would be interested to see is how well some of the regular trucks perform real-world off-road. I mean for somebody like myself who doesn't do hardcore desert rock climbing, but sometimes travels some sketchy muddy hunting trails, do I really need ZR2 (which I have), or a regular Colorado version would have been enough? Maybe set up some real-life light-muddy/snowy version of an off-road trail and drive all your trucks through it?
woow im very impressed with your great review.!!!! even my wife who does not enjoy my off road enthusiasm she was very much enjoying your video kudos!!!👌👌
Can you do 0 to 60mph runs in these trucks unloaded as well (just you and your dad). That’s how we drive them 90% of the time. I bet that Canyon isn’t much slower then the 5.3L in the half ton empty.
I have a diesel version of this (at4 cloth package) and I’ve towed my travel trailer with it, (max weight 7500lbs) but it was basically empty. I’d say sitting around 6000lbs and it didn’t like it one but. Needs more power honestly. My Tahoe pulled it much easier with the 5.3. I’d agree to stay around 5k lbs. going more makes me feel sketchy.
It seems a retractable chin spoiler would be fairly easy to create (raise it for the off-road, lower it for the highway); it could even be automatic, raised when stopped and going less than 20/30/whatever, self lowering when the speed increases (when it would matter for mpg).
Maybe it's only in Canada that the AT4 has the air dem because the one that Roman & Tommy saw it did not had that plastic air dem. AT4 stands for (all terrain 4x4). It's the same as the older Canyon all terrain.
Good review. I do hate the dissing of the air dam, it is how they pass regulations and don’t get fined. Doing things like that that will save .1 mpg probably lol same idea as the angled wrangler grill that I don’t like but every bit counts for mpg requirements. If you’re planning on offroading any modern truck you have to remove the air dam in this case I felt it should have been removed instead of complaining it takes 2 minutes to take it off practically. No one will offroad these trucks anyway, if you want to do serious offroading on a bone stock vehicle a wrangler/gladiator truck is the only way to go.
There's another GM a package I've seen on city trucks - X31 ?? My GMB had a spoiler that caught on parking stops because it was a short distance between the front wheels and lip. It was metal and easy to remove to dedent. Ford had electric shutters on some not very expensive vehicles. Doesn't seem too costly to fight drag these days.
Sweet looking truck. Remove air dam if it's a big deal. Is quick, quiet, tows alot. Needs a sunroof. If it opened up like a chevy avalanche then perfect truck. ..for me.
Even though I am a Toyota guy, I think that the Canyon and Colorado have some good features/qualities, but GM seems to almost always go only part way when they jump into something. This truck would definitely be better with a slight lift,no front air dam (or at least one that is super easy to remove) and have the rear locker, but they just go halfway and have something that is milquetoast instead.
I still to this day think this truck would have been better served by the 4.3l Ecotec. The torque characteristics match it much better, and considering the majority of buyers of the Canyon and Colorado tend to be over the age of 40, choosing an engine for smoothness isn't priority over towing and acceleration. It might even bring cost to build down, but that would make GM profitable, and they can't have that.
Awesome review as always but I do question one thing that I wish more reviewers would do. Test it with the air dam, then take the air dam off and test it again. I think it would be a fully capable off road truck. I'm buying one and I'll leave it on for fuel economy. If I ever off road it, which would be rare if ever, I'll just remove the dam temporily.
The air dam either needs to have an easy flip up or easy take off feature. As a compromise vehicle, they need to make it easy to switch between its jobs.
Wow that's disappointing. Higher trim package and it didn't come with trailer brakes on it. I agree with the air dam. Not sure why they added that to an off road pickup.
Great job, Truck King! GM not for me. Its sad how many poor decisions engineers, head office and the production line have made. After we lost all these GM plants in Ontario I steer clear. Its bad enough they make mediocre cars and pickups. I predict 30,000 subs by Christmas! Just ordered the 2021 Tundra looking forward to it Keep on trucking!! 🤙🏽
I have had my Tundra TRD OFF ROAD for about 6 weeks. No stupid air dams a d lots of bash plates. Only disapointment...came with Michelin P tires...tires are good for ride comfort and fuel economy. I got for steel rims from Toyota and had Duratracs mounted on them. I just wish Toyota offered a rear locker.
Don't take this the wrong way, but I enjoy hearing you get frustrated. Not because I want you mad, but because you're being so completely honest that I trust your judgement. I guess that's a complement isn't it!
Figured it out Stephen and his dad are running shine, them barrels, always in a different rig, fancy Canadian shine operation is what we got here! Great review!
You got us! Keep it to yourself there Poppy, thanks
I might be able to get yourself some free whiskey out of them
This guy does the best reviews
Great reviews as always. Are you done working with TFL?
Borden Webb-Brown im pretty sure he is
He really does.
He was the best thing on TFL. They suck now.
GMC is now offering a off road performance package for the Canyon AT4 which removes the air dam, adds a one inch lift / leveling kit , different wheels, different exhaust tip, spray in Bedliner , rocker protection and extra skid plates. 2000.00 option
Gentlemen, This is another very comprehensive test video with the strengths and weaknesses on display. You are correct that the trailer brake #controller ought to come from the factory with any vehicle rated for such a high tow capacity.
I agree with you completely. Earlier this year I bought a Colorado Z71 and a specified trailer brake controller as a requirement as soon as I walked into the dealer. I looked at a Canyon Elevation and a Canyon All Terrain. Neither had the integrated brake controller. Although I like the look of the Canyon more than the Colorado, the lack of integrated brake controller was a deal breaker for me.
@@garym81 It seems like the GMC brand is more plain when it comes to offroad and towing whereas they excel at luxury with their Denali trim (compared to what Chevy has to offer).
I like how you show squat comparisons for OTHER TRUCKS AS WELL,GREAT VIDEO
This truck looks so good for a midsized truck! This would be my pick👍🏻
All good points and good review.
That being said, I own an '18 Canyon and have removed the air dam and installed a 2" leveling kit which fixes the clearance issue on the front. And with the G80, that trail would be fairly simple to navigate.
Agreed. I have one too. Removed the Nascar air dam. The truck is a pretty good little scratcher. Leveling kit would be nice but as it sets it's just the right height to get in\out without side steps. Wish the manufacturers would go back to grease zerks on vehicles. That cartridge oil filter is really nice.
I own a 2021 Canyon and am considering removing air dam. Could you give more detail on the leveling kit as to what it does and how much it cost?
Thanks, Robert
Yeah I took that stupid dam off right after I bought
...love watching those TK subscription numbers increase everytime I check in with the channel. Keep it up Steve, your content is spot on!
I removed my '19 Canyon air dam and I installed a leveling kit myself.
$60 total into that and it's perfectly fine for off roading.
Does it change the fuel economy at all? Thanks
The first thing I thought when I saw it was, "Why didn't they make it the same as the Colorado Trail Runner package?" Add a 2-inch lift, add rock rails, and most of all, get rid of that spoiler, then you would have a decent AT4.
Your right Stephen that air dam doesn't belong on the front of the truck. Thanks and great review.
Seems I am in the minority here. At 65 I wanted a vehicle that could full fill mission specific travel plans. We have an all wheel drive Highlander, but, its lacks a spare, low range, heavier duty suspension, paper thin sidewalls making exploring forest service/BLM off-grid roads very iffy at best. For mostly on pavement travel, Highlander is great. Very smooth, comfy. Handles snow and ice great during the winter pavement travels.
We bought the GMC AT4 because its basically a exploration vehicle, my version of maybe a Subaru, only with limited slip, low-range, downhill decent control, select-tronic manual shift automatic that, once I became familiar how it functioned, what its capable of, I fell in love with it. Works really great.
Power: Merging or having to get on the gas at a train crossing had me smiling. Bitchin’! Gasoline. Note: Shell gas pump nozzles tend to stick inside the gas fill pipe. Very tight fitting. Last week I wasn’t a happy camper when I discovered this. No gas cap. Just a door. I suppose its some California Air Quality improvement thing. There is a wider mouth emergency fuel funnel in the glove box. However, I plan to put a emergency essentials bag together when it cools down to keep in my truck at all times.
Towing: We plan to tow a Teardrop 2000lbs trailer behind our truck. With a trifold ARE Tonneau cover, we now have a bit of security for our camping gear secured in the pickup bed. There is NO A.C. Inverter plug in in the pickup at all. FYI.
Electronics: Basic as basic can be. Sirius/XM is a pain in the butt calling them up and signing up for the free trial. Same same for the AT&T hot spot, its spendy spendy spendy. Like the Internet, everythings easily deducted from your credit card making it so frilling easy... Once they get your email address, LOOK forward to tons of spam! Even text messages on your phone. IMPORTANT: This trucks computers/Serius/XM can track every garsh damned button dial, brake, accelerator, button you push, even traces tracks phone usage in the event you, the driver, are involved in some-kind of nefarious activity as folks like me, an investigator by trade, can and will obtain by means of a warrant to use either for you defense, or against you as evidence. When I mean tracking, I mean driving reckless, speeding, etc etc.
Numerous apps come on the computerized radio system. The owners manual tells you all this tracking shit is so that GM service techs can better assist you... My dark side speaks volumes of, yeah(?) like denying you engine warranty by stating on this day and date Over-Revving occurred at this location and time. Blah blah blah. Its getting spooky for this consumer. Believe me folks.
Seating. Its darned nice. Fully electric adjustable both front, only no lumbar for the passenger. Drivers seat can be raised almost three inches making for excellent over the hood trail driving easy-peasy. Moving the seat forward toward the steering wheel is advised. If needed.
The air damn is problematic. I have scraped it numerous times. It will be going bye bye soon. Now. Lets discuss suspension.
In serious big-assed holes to pot-marked holes that look like an A-10 Warthog did two or more gun-runs on moving at speeds under 10 to 15 MPH are fine. Its called patience. Being old, slow, its just not so bad. GM indicates the suspension is enhanced, but exactly what that is I have yet to determine. But, for me, its ok for now. I’m not going to take any pickup on a gnarly trail period. I don’t wanna work- at all period. Under body protection is there. It just wasn’t mentioned. AirDam prevents ever needing skid protection I suppose.
Value: Our dealer made us a great deal on our truck. We intended on buying a Toy TRD PRO, but, as you all know, thats like asking for a discounted bar of Pure Virgin Gold bars for cheap. Ain’t gonna happen, and, during this pandemic, having issues getting them... Blah Blah Blah- Heard it all before. I’m out kids
Additionally, the GMC fits easily in my garage.
Here is the reason why I love your reviews the most!....
You never set off my "BS" alarm.
You always seem to know what you are talking about and I can tell you put some thought into what you are saying... and that it is based on your own personal Real World experiences.
Thank You
EDIT:
Also, I have a 18' Colorado Z71 Crew Cab Short Bed that I bought new for $32.5k. I removed the air dam, installed ZR2 skids, and OEM ZR2 style skids (but the ones for non-ZR2 trucks) for less than $700 total.
I now have a 4x4 with a rear locker and decent protection for just over $33k. It has been nothing short of AMAZING so far for the first 45k miles.
I just wired in an aftermarket trailer brake controller. Turns out that GM pre-installed the 7pin trailer brake harness for trucks with the factory tow package. So it was an easy upgrade.
A lot of newer vehicles I think kind of have a shared wiring harness, get a lower trim level and you can add all the upper trim stuff by simply buying the accessory and plugging it in...Toyota was that way, at least my 08 Tundra was. It was the Base model but the wiring harness was the same across all the trucks so simply buying the accessory and plugging it in was easy to upgrade stuff...I never did outside of adding the brake controller, but I'm sure people have done a few upgrades to their base model trucks and probably other makes and models do similar sharing of wiring.
I followed you here from TFL. I think your reviews are great. Keep up the good work man and stay stafe.
Much appreciated!
Greetings from Prince Edward Island!!... You guys are the best pickup truck review channel on RUclips!!.. Keep up the great content!!...
Thanks 👍
don’t want your conversions for us US viewers to go unappreciated! it helped a lot!
We appreciate our US viewers.
That truck looks good, too bad looks aren't everything in life.
Im done with TFL since this guy left. This is my fav truck ch by far now!
First timer, great review. Dad on the tractor reminds me of being a kid again.
The AT4 needs to be lifted just the the AT4 in the Sierra. Rather than just a rebadged Elevation trim package.
HUMMER is going to be a GMC sub brand above the AT4
kenya catholic not at all. The Hummer is going to be an all electric vehicle all by itself.
@@bobdennis4801 , There is an SUV and Truck to start, but Mother Barrah has said it will expand into a full off-road sub Brand, including Alpha
My wife and I ordered a brand new Canyon last year and got a bit of a unicorn spec: Elevation Crew Cab 2WD with the Duramax.
We don't need to do anything more off-road than rough gravel or dirt roads and even living in the Perth County snowbelt we find our Michelin X-Ice winter tire package is more than enough to get us through anything Lake Huron dumps on us.
I think the Duramax package addresses all of the shortcomings of this test truck: standard trailer brake controller, diesel exhaust brake and we can easily get 10L/100km while towing. When we aren't towing, we can easily get 6-7L/100km on the highway which rivals our 2014 Civic 5-speed.
The front air dam is there for government regulated mpg ratings.
My 2020 trail boss doesn't have one
Zr2 doesn't have one
If you buy one with the OFF-ROAD PERFORMANCE PACKAGE the dam isn't there..
@@scottydoesntknow254 I think it has to do with the number sold. They have to sell more of the high mileage versions.
I bought the GMC Canyon ..and I love it. And yes you can go off road easily but you have to make some adjustments. GMC off road package is weak....but dont underestimate this mid size, she's solid. Not your old clunky raddling GM crap...it's meant to be abused.
I’m not even in the market for a truck, but I watched this because I enjoy your reviews.
I love that you pointed out the features that limit this truck. Yes, people can remove and alter those features, but as you noted, if it’s being sold as an “Offroad truck” a buyer shouldn’t have to immediately alter the truck to make it capable of driving the most basic trails.
If i did buy the GMC, the front plastic would be the first thing removed.
Don't know why I get all excited like a little school girl when Truck King uploads a new video 😏... great review again Stephen 👌🏽👌🏽
Removing the air dam, which I did will decrease your mileage by 2 mpg. In order to represent their listed MPG they add the air dam. Though they did smarten up this year by screwing the screws up rather than down so removing it is really easy to do
No one is commenting about this. 2 mpg is important to me. If the ultimate rock crawler is what your into, then take a look at a used log skidder.
Unless your rock crawling everywhere, every day, chances are 2 mpg gas saving might be a good thing, but if your going to spend $45K to thrash the hell
out if it for shits n giggles then take it off and throw the thing in the recycling bin. Ever try trail walking? Just you against the elements, crawl all over rocks
till yer heart’s content.
With the older style with the screws coming in from above, its also very easy to remove, just go find a 8-10 inch high rock and drive over the rock, then backup, removes those air dams very nicely....useless as they are in the first place. If someone is that worried about fuel economy they shouldn't be looking at a truck, maybe a Prius, a bicycle, or walking LOL.
I did not find a significant drop in mpg after removing the air dam... Maybe .5 at the worst
Great review! I've already bought one and took off the air dam right away. I also added combo rock guards/side steps. I don't do trail driving but I hunt a lot and go down some sketchy roads. I traded in a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk that I loved, but needed a truck bed. That Trailhawk was stuck only once in about 18" of watery mud. Otherwise it was a beast. I am hoping this will be the same with some modifications
Thanks for sharing!
I'm back after getting my new 2022 GMC Canyon Elevation the air dam had to go you guys was right, I put a 2'' leveling kit in the front and tires and wheels and Line X bed liner it mad such a difference and I painted my hooks red it looks like a AT4 but I was not going for that look tho I love my truck the only thing I hate is the key it needs push button start I dont know why but my payload is 1434 lbs and its a long bed the short beds dont have that payload.
I like you and your videos, so please don't get me wrong... but if you read the manual, it says to remove the air dam when you're off roading, they even redesigned it specifically for 2021 placing the bolt heads down to make it easier to remove, an estimated 15 minutes. This would change the approach angles you spoke of as well as complaints regarding it off-roading :(
Great vid👍
I like the front end more on Can then the Col - but yes, 'GM should have that off road design team should give their collective head a shack for this one. Thank you from Richmond hill Ont
Cheers
Great review. Why did you leave TFL?!
My brother had the canyon with the diesel 2017 I think and it had the brake controller included.
It pulled my old 27 foot trailer like nothing.
Ps great job on your videos 👍
Looking forward to seeing you test out the new f-150 later this year. TFL screwed themselves with Ford so I'll be looking to you for the review.
What happened?
They had the designer from the ranger tremor on the podcast there either day... So maybe there gaining back their traction with ford
@R J hmmm, did not know that, thanks, i quit watching because he was so ford biased. Always doggin on anything not a ford.
@R J i agree.
They've since patched relations with Ford. Andre just had a Ford rep on the Talking Trucks podcast, discussing the new Ranger Tremor package.
Steve in the thumbnail ➡️ the video gets 10x more views than usual. The way to go! Keep up the good work, Steve!
Ha! Definitely seems to help. Appreciate the advice 😃
I have an '18 SLE with the 2.8d. I totally agree with you. The babymax sure is a 'puller' though.
I'm going through reviews and that fron plastic piece is for saving fuel and it comes off with some screws I figured I would take it off when I go out
The most off road worthy Canyon... with an air dam clearance of 5”.
Clearly not a rock crawler, so perhaps people should not be surprised by the results?
Supposed to remove the lower air dam for offroad use. (Its in the manual) takes about 10-15 mins
@@craigquann Did they change the orientation of the screws mounting the airdam in place? I removed the air dam on my '17 SLT, but the bolt heads were in the top. Took a bit of time to finangle them out of there. If they were on the bottom I could see 10-15 minutes, but on the top...a bit longer.
@@blklabel52 not sure. I know on my sierra they were bottom... but that could be different...
@@blklabel52 yes they did I saw them mention it in a TFL review
The air dam is on there for aerodynamics 80% of buyers who buy an off-road truck will never take it off-road.
Impressed it squats less then the full sized trucks you guys tested. Would need to know more what the AT4 comes with cause honestly doesn't seem much off an offroad package. The approach angle is terrible, does it even have a limited slip at minimum? Steel skid plates?
Another great review. That air dam looks ridiculous.
The air dam is flexible, it just bends out of the way. I scrape mine all the time and it's fine. But yeah, you should have put the tire on that rock and you would have rolled over it fine.
It's also removable if you go offroad a lot. I leave mine on for the tiny bit of fuel economy it gives, and then just scratch it up a bunch offroad.
You forgot to mention the red tow hooks! That right there makes it capable.
I just got a 2020 2500hd crew cab 4x4 for a 1000 more. The price on mid size trucks are crazy
When I bought my 2008 Toyota Tundra, it was $2k less than the Tacoma....and the Tacoma still has an anemic V6 in it and cramped interior it seems. Wasn't impressed with the Tacoma at all. I got stuck with a 4Runner for a week while my Tundra was in the shop waiting on parts, I have to say the 4Runner has completely outgrown the V6, they offered it with a 4.7L V8 for a while they were stupid by dropping the V8 option, and now the 4Runner is even larger and more bloated....same goes for that Tacoma.
I haven't been in a Colorado or Canyon so I don't know how the interiors are in them for room, but the Colorado/Canyon look better than the Tacoma.
There's really no reason to even offer a "mid-size" anymore they're just as bloated as a full size truck but with HD truck prices.
First time viewer, wondered what didn't seem right, then I realized these guys are Canadian no wonder they sound so smart.
This canyon and I believe most trailbosses and at4 sierras are fitted with Rancho monotube shocks . They are top notch . Ive had them on my jeep jk for the last two years and theyre great both on and off road .
So pull air dam off, and its the same as the Colorado trail? I would prefer this suspension over the zr2, ashamed you can't get front locker in this trim though. Duratracs are quiet on my tacoma.
GMC and the AT4 is a pretty boys truck. It has nothing but looks.
Wow! Really surprised by the squat results. Nice.
Hey Stephen, can you do the Honda ridgeline? I dont need to tow more than 3500 lbs, and the ridgeline is larger inside than any other midsize pickup. Figured it’d be a good match.
Stay tuned, Dad and I were out testing a Ridgeline just yesterday.
Love the leader bords
Solid review guys. It's really well thought out. Just curious what app you used to get the 0-60 time?
Its free - called drag racer.
Great review - I agree the air dam must go!
I removed the air damn on my truck... these new ones are more integrated than previous generations of trucks. oh well!
In all honesty GM really half baked the updates for the Canyon/Colorado. I bought a 2016 Canyon All Terrain w/ the diesel when it was brand new. At that time the generation was new and IMO a definite leap forward. Overall the platform is still competitive but in usual GM fashion they are sitting on their a** now.
That air dam has been an issue for 6 years now and GM can't get it in their head to fix it. Granted I took mine off in about 20 mins but still shouldn't be there on an off road model.
Trailer brake should be standard at this point (I honestly thought it was now). Mine came with it on the diesel.
They could of done more than just change up the front end a bit. Some new headlights and taillights would of been appreciated.
No manual mode on the shifter? You need that sometimes towing n hauling
I bought a canyon at4 and the manual says if going off road take off air damn. I took it off the second I brought it home and I take it to many off road parks this things better than what u said
I'll take that gmc not worried about the airdam if it breaks no problem. Locking differential is what I need. But the zr2 is very tempting 🤔
I think the ZR2 Bison gives you front and rear lockers if I'm not mistaken.
That air dam.... Great review. Does your trailer fender need to be welded or have I had a few wobble pops?
Needs attention for sure. Always something...
@@TruckKing Subscribed because of this review, keep up the good work!
Keep up the great work 👍!
Rumor had it for 21’ the air dam was supposed to be easier to remove then prior years (can you confirm)?
My opinion only but I like the all black interior on the GMC AT4 vs the greenish turquoise with black in the Chevy Colorado Z71 (I know you can get black seats on the Colorado Z71 but the center console and dash are still that greenish color, looks after thought’ish to me).
21`s are screwed up not down so the removal is much easier
I trust you when you say more than 5000 lbs would be pushing it. But I also would like to see how it handles that max tow. Maybe a separate video?
Steve, can you do Ranger vs Canyon or Colorado? TFL ranked Ranger ahead of Canyon, but I doubt they have ever driven Ranger in a foot of snow or for a long distance, and so many youtube videos complain that long rides on Ranger FX4 make them dizzy. Would be nice to get an opinion other than TFL. In general would be nice to have a series of reviews for the mid-size trucks, which one is best offroad (not in the desert but in the East Coast or Canada mud and snow), which one does best as a work truck with hauling, which one is best overall. I liked how when you driven Ridgeline with the same barrel moonshine test you said that it feels like the truck is at its limit, but here with the same load you say that it feels like Canyon can take even more , which is great to know because we all often are forced to overload our trucks to avoid doing another hour back and forth trip, so little things like that are very helpful when deciding on a new truck for me. Thank you.
We will test every truck we can get our hands on. However, so you and others know, our source is the media fleets from each manufacturer. They decide what to put on the fleets and in which trims. Obviously they want to push whatever is new/hot for them. Typically these trucks are available for around six months - then they are retired and the new ones come in. They don't always have every model on the fleet. Priority goes to whatever is new for the year. For instance Ranger was on last year but not this year.
@@TruckKing Thank you! Something else I would be interested to see is how well some of the regular trucks perform real-world off-road. I mean for somebody like myself who doesn't do hardcore desert rock climbing, but sometimes travels some sketchy muddy hunting trails, do I really need ZR2 (which I have), or a regular Colorado version would have been enough? Maybe set up some real-life light-muddy/snowy version of an off-road trail and drive all your trucks through it?
@@npast1 We are working on that. Requests are in to the manufacturers - this takes some time, but we'll get these regular trucks as well.
Hey man! I love your reviews from tfl! I'm glad you have your own RUclips, keep up the amazing work! Subscribed!
Hey, thanks!
woow im very impressed with your great review.!!!! even my wife who does not enjoy my off road enthusiasm she was very much enjoying your video kudos!!!👌👌
Thanks so much!
Miss you on TFL - glad I found your new channel
Does the AT4 have front and rear locking diffs?? Like my ZR2?
No, it has a g80...
Can you do 0 to 60mph runs in these trucks unloaded as well (just you and your dad). That’s how we drive them 90% of the time.
I bet that Canyon isn’t much slower then the 5.3L in the half ton empty.
I raced a 5.3L, and the only reason I lost was that I didn't remove the limiter.
Hey Steve, big fan here. Could you look into showing review loading atvs into the midsizes?
I have a diesel version of this (at4 cloth package) and I’ve towed my travel trailer with it, (max weight 7500lbs) but it was basically empty. I’d say sitting around 6000lbs and it didn’t like it one but. Needs more power honestly. My Tahoe pulled it much easier with the 5.3. I’d agree to stay around 5k lbs. going more makes me feel sketchy.
It seems a retractable chin spoiler would be fairly easy to create (raise it for the off-road, lower it for the highway); it could even be automatic, raised when stopped and going less than 20/30/whatever, self lowering when the speed increases (when it would matter for mpg).
No, this is the basic AT4 package. The full off-road version is more off-road capable and has a different front end.
Maybe it's only in Canada that the AT4 has the air dem because the one that Roman & Tommy saw it did not had that plastic air dem. AT4 stands for (all terrain 4x4). It's the same as the older Canyon all terrain.
Good review. I do hate the dissing of the air dam, it is how they pass regulations and don’t get fined. Doing things like that that will save .1 mpg probably lol same idea as the angled wrangler grill that I don’t like but every bit counts for mpg requirements. If you’re planning on offroading any modern truck you have to remove the air dam in this case I felt it should have been removed instead of complaining it takes 2 minutes to take it off practically. No one will offroad these trucks anyway, if you want to do serious offroading on a bone stock vehicle a wrangler/gladiator truck is the only way to go.
With the price of gas now here on the Oregon coast every little savings would help.
Hey i was looking for u on TFL.. still remember the awesome 4runner ice torture test u did on that channel..glad u got ur own channel.. subscribed.
Love this guy’s review👌🏼
Love your channel cause your soooo real like me!
I wonder what it will do to payload if I lower it (a 2wd).
There's another GM a package I've seen on city trucks - X31 ??
My GMB had a spoiler that caught on parking stops because it was a short distance between the front wheels and lip.
It was metal and easy to remove to dedent.
Ford had electric shutters on some not very expensive vehicles. Doesn't seem too costly to fight drag these days.
So much better than tfl.
I agree with that. It's nice to get a total review in one video!
Is he no longer with TFL? I thought he might be doing both?
And living in Ontario the plastic air damn is the worst! I bumped a snow bank with mine and cracked it and the fog light!
Sweet looking truck. Remove air dam if it's a big deal. Is quick, quiet, tows alot. Needs a sunroof. If it opened up like a chevy avalanche then perfect truck. ..for me.
So its like a gmc z71?
Can the damper be removed?
Can that air dam be removed ???
The chin spoiler was the first thing to go on my Canyon..... second thing was the side steps. (Insert roll-eyes emoticon here).
Even though I am a Toyota guy, I think that the Canyon and Colorado have some good features/qualities, but GM seems to almost always go only part way when they jump into something. This truck would definitely be better with a slight lift,no front air dam (or at least one that is super easy to remove) and have the rear locker, but they just go halfway and have something that is milquetoast instead.
I still to this day think this truck would have been better served by the 4.3l Ecotec. The torque characteristics match it much better, and considering the majority of buyers of the Canyon and Colorado tend to be over the age of 40, choosing an engine for smoothness isn't priority over towing and acceleration. It might even bring cost to build down, but that would make GM profitable, and they can't have that.
Awesome review as always but I do question one thing that I wish more reviewers would do. Test it with the air dam, then take the air dam off and test it again. I think it would be a fully capable off road truck. I'm buying one and I'll leave it on for fuel economy. If I ever off road it, which would be rare if ever, I'll just remove the dam temporily.
The new canyon looks great. Wondering when GM is going to release a new model for the Colorado & Canyon.
Good review keep it up
Great review
I think it’s a good looking truck but would have been better if it followed the 1500 AT4 with a lift and rear locker.
I really like this review
If they put the new 4.3l in this truck it would be perfect. I'm not a fan of the 3.6l, it makes nice power but you gotta Rev it more than the 4.3l.
The air dam either needs to have an easy flip up or easy take off feature. As a compromise vehicle, they need to make it easy to switch between its jobs.
Wow that's disappointing. Higher trim package and it didn't come with trailer brakes on it. I agree with the air dam. Not sure why they added that to an off road pickup.
Great job, Truck King!
GM not for me. Its sad how many poor decisions engineers, head office and the production line have made. After we lost all these GM plants in Ontario I steer clear. Its bad enough they make mediocre cars and pickups.
I predict 30,000 subs by Christmas!
Just ordered the 2021 Tundra looking forward to it
Keep on trucking!! 🤙🏽
I have had my Tundra TRD OFF ROAD for about 6 weeks. No stupid air dams a d lots of bash plates. Only disapointment...came with Michelin P tires...tires are good for ride comfort and fuel economy. I got for steel rims from Toyota and had Duratracs mounted on them. I just wish Toyota offered a rear locker.
How about 8.4 liters per 100 with the diesel. That is a BIG difference. And that is a mix highway and city
Just get a gmc z71 package with the duranax and lifted