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The 2020 GMC Canyon transports a stand-up paddleboard

You Should Skip The 2020 GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is one of the most forgotten trucks of the year, even though it is one of the most affordable pickup trucks on the market. It isn’t a bad choice for a pickup truck, but there are a few reasons you might want to consider passing on the new GMC canyon. The Canyon …

The GMC Canyon is one of the most forgotten trucks of the year, even though it is one of the most affordable pickup trucks on the market. It isn’t a bad choice for a pickup truck, but there are a few reasons you might want to consider passing on the new GMC canyon.

The Canyon is a bit of a letdown

The past few years have seemed grim for the Canyon, and it doesn’t look like GMC is taking the criticism to make the much-need changes for this low-priced pickup truck.

When driving a pickup truck on the road or off, there is a certain level of comfort you hope to have. Sure, when you’re on a rocky dirt road you expect to feel some bumps, but owners complain that the Canyon’s ride quality is too stiff, giving it a less-than-tolerable ride quality.

The new GMC Canyon midsize pickup is presented at Russell Industrial Center in advance of the North American International Auto Show
The GMC Canyon | STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images

If you check out the Consumer Reports page for the 2020 Canyon you can see that it received an abysmally low predicted reliability score. There aren’t any recalls on the truck that should leave us feeling too concerned as of yet, but the track record for the previous model years leads us to have lowered expectations.

The past several years have led to seemingly unresolved transmission problems, none of which have led GMC to issue an appropriate recall. These issues have caused the transmission to slip out of gear unexpectedly, rough shifting, or premature clutch failure. These issues haven’t been commonly present on the 2020 model year as of yet, but GMC seems unenthusiastic to respond to the problem and only time will tell if this model year will be affected.

The GMC Canyon still has a few good things to talk about

Things with the GMC Canyon seem pretty dim, and the last few years of low-reliability scores from Consumer Reports and the number of consumer complaints give the Canyon a bleak appearance. If you can get passed all of the problems, though, the GMC Canyon does still have a few good things worth talking about.

2020 GMC Canyon Denali
2020 GMC Canyon Denali | GMC

The Canyon, of course, gets its first boost from its incredibly low price, with the base model available brand new for only $22,200 it costs less than most other SUVs and even sedans on the market. The price varies depending on the trim level and can range upwards of $44,300.

Even as GMC’s lower-end truck it is still available in all of the traditional GMC trim levels that you’d expect, meaning you have a number of options and options you can choose from depending on your personal preferences.

The diesel option is a great choice for towing, and many owners have reported that it tows up to its full capacity quite easily. With a reported 24mpg the diesel actually offers the best fuel efficiency of any new pickup truck on the market.

If you can set aside the downsides of this well-priced pickup truck, the GMC Canyon could prove to be a nice, affordable option, even if it might not always be the most reliable.

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