If you’re shopping for a truck to suit your family, the 2019 GMC Canyon may catch your eye. It comes with many attractive features at a relatively reasonable starting price of $21,500. Before you buy, however, make sure you know the Canyon’s weaknesses. Read on to find out if the GMC Canyon is the right truck for your family.

The GMC Canyon’s specifications

The 2019 GMC Canyon comes as an Extended Cab model and a Crew Cab model. Both are available with 2WD or 4WD. The Extended Cab can seat four passengers, but the back seats only fit children comfortably. If you need to seat adults in the back, you should splurge for the five-seat Crew Cab. Consumer Reports found the front seats to be stiff and the back seats created a pressure point between the testers’ legs.

The Extended Cab offers a 6-foot-2 truck bed, while the Crew Cab comes in with a 5-foot-2 short bed or a 6-foot-2 long bed. The latter provides a cargo space of 49.9 cubic feet.

Powered by a four-cylinder engine, the GMC Canyon puts out 200 hp and 191 lb-ft of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is available but only on select models. If you need more power, you can opt for a 3.6 liter, six-cylinder gas engine. This upgraded engine offers 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque. The upgrade is worth it if family outings require any towing.

The GMC Canyon’s family-friendly features

The GMC Canyon includes many features that appeal to families. First, its crash test results are favorable. It received the highest rating in five categories from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Parents appreciate its Teen Driver safety settings system, too. Forward collision warning, lane departure warning, and rear parking sensors are optional.

The Canyon’s standard features will keep your family entertained. It includes a seven-inch touch, infotainment system, six-speaker audio system, Bluetooth, USB ports, and Android Auto and Apple CarPlay compatibility. If your family wants more technology, you can add navigation, satellite radio, a seven-speaker Bose audio system, a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless device charging, and heated front seats.

Struggles with satisfaction and reliability

The GMC Canyon has faced issues with satisfaction and reliability, both serving as red flags for potential purchasers. Consumer Reports only gives it two out of five stars for reliability, and the Canyon’s overall reliability rating went down in both 2017 and 2018. Historically, the Canyon has the most reliability issues with the transmission, drive system, and fuel system.

Reliability isn’t the only struggle for the Canyon. Consumer Reports rates the vehicle’s predicted overall consumer satisfaction at three out of five. One of the lowest areas of satisfaction was comfort. Ride and front-seat comfort ranked the lowest. Value was another satisfaction concern. Consumer Reports gave more positive reviews on styling and driving experience, though fuel economy and emergency handling got lower marks.

Buying the GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is ranked No. 4 out of seven compact pickup trucks. While it has decent options concerning safety, size, and family features, you’ll want to consider its satisfaction, reliability, and comfort ratings before you buy. If you do decide the GMC Canyon is the right fit, Consumer Reports recommends the SLE version with the 3.5 liter, six-cylinder engine, and forward-collision warning.