General Motors Announces Planned Upgrades for the GMC Canyon

The GMC Canyon is finally getting its long overdue upgrade as recently confirmed by General Motors.

In 2018, GM introduced its new AT4 sub-brand at the New York Auto Show. The company markets the AT4 as a semi-luxurious off-road sub-brand, which it first applied on the 2019 Sierra 1500 AT4 and has since expanded to include the Acadia SUV. The brand, however, has yet to include the Canyon in its lineup.

But at a recent press launch for the Sierra 1500 diesel and Sierra HD in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, GM released a teaser that shows a prototype version of the Canyon AT4, scheduled to go on sale for the 2021 model year.

GMC revealed the prototype using the trailer camera view on the debuting Sierra HD, which allows drivers to see what is in the closed trailer through an infotainment screen. However, the prototype was said to be enclosed in a trailer and heavily camouflaged, so there is no information as to how the new Canyon will look like.

The upcoming Canyon is branded as “the first ever Canyon AT4 coming early 2020.”

GMC’s current lineup includes an all-terrain version of the Canyon, which might be replaced by the new AT4 model. And like the Colorado ZR2 from its sister brand Chevrolet, the Canyon AT4 is expected to have a higher ride height, upgraded suspension, skid plates, a rugged styling.

The new GMC Canyon is likely getting the same 3.6-liter V-6 engine, which makes 308 horsepower, and a 2.8-liter turbocharged diesel four-cylinder engine, which makes 186 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque, as an option.

But aside from the introduction of an AT4 trim, more upgrades are anticipated for the Canyon lineup such as new grilles and other minor changes.

With these updates, GM is looking to make the GMC Canyon a more competitive model in the highly saturated mid-size crossover segment. All eyes are peeled on whether it could be on par with the industry leaders in the Ford Ranger and Jeep Gladiator.