GMC redesigned the Canyon midsize pickup truck last year and we really liked it. Now it gets a fully off-road-ready model in the AT4X with the AEV package.
The AEV add-ons include a lot of boron steel upgrades to bumpers, wheels, and skid plates. These go with the 35-inch mud-terrain tires and 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels. A full-sized spare in the cargo bed and recovery points are also there. Just in case.
There is a lot of wheel flex, solid rock rails, a one-inch lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers, locking differentials both front and rear, a towing package, and more. The 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV package is a great setup for off-roading.
Our chief complaint with the Canyon is the 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. It outputs 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque and is very smooth to drive and off-road with. Despite the turbos, it doesn’t get jumpy or too excited when doing off-road slow crawls and climbs. But it also sounds like a sewing machine with terribly clacky heads.
This cacophony of lifter tick belies the powerful build of the Canyon. It’s hard to imagine that GMC’s engineers were perfectly fine with this and let it go to production that way. We complained about it last year and heard it again this year. The GMC’s near-twin at Chevrolet, the Colorado, has the same spine-shuddering noise.
If you can ignore the clattering, the 2024 Canyon AT4X is a wonder off the pavement. It eats dirt for breakfast and spits out mud for lunch without complaint. Most terrain is not a challenge, if the driver is up to going there.
The AT4X package already includes good angles with 37, 24.5, and 25 degrees at approach, breakover, and departure. Total ground clearance is 10.7 inches and crawl ratio is an impressive 42.4:1.
Adding on the AEV package, though, raises the bar significantly. Angles go to 38.2, 26.9, and 26 respectively and ground clearance raises to 12.2 inches. Crawl and such remains the same as the powertrain doesn’t change with the AEV add-ons.
Those are crazy good numbers for a production pickup. Compared to the Ranger Raptor (which we’ll review soon), they are phenomenal. The Ford has numbers even worse than the standard AT4X package.
Overall, sans the engine noise, the 2024 Canyon AT4X AEV is a great off-road truck. We had no issues chewing up trails with it. The added weight means a loss of some truck functionality, with towing and hauling dropping a few hundred pounds. But this is a purpose-built rig. So that’s expected.
Pricing starts at about $56,000 plus destination charges.
This review originally appeared on DriveModeShow.com.
