• Year: 2005
• Make: GMC
• Model: Canyon
• Trim: SLE
• Body style: Crew Cab 4X4
• Mileage: 50792
• Engine: 5 Cyl. 3.5
• Trans: Automatic
• Exterior Color: Yellow
• Interior Color: Gray
• Stock: K1193
• VIN: 1GTDT136758242081

The tailgate can be opened fully (89 degrees) or dropped 57 degrees to provide support (level with the tops of the wheel wells) for a 4x8-foot sheet of plywood.

The base Canyon has a no-fault interior right down to its rubber floor mats, so you can get in with muddy work boots and not feel guilty. The SLE, however, is more oriented toward comfort with carpeting and more luxurious fabric on its seats.

Although GM's interior measurements don't show it, the Canyon feels wider inside than the Sonoma, especially in the rear seat of the crew cab, which more easily accommodates three adults. Front and rear seats are chair height; that allows the driver excellent visibility over the hood and improves leg room and comfort for rear-seat passengers. The front seats are still the first-class section of the cabin, but those in coach won't have to endure the pain of the old sideways-mounted seats in old extended-cab pickups. Our biggest gripe with the Canyon is directed at its seats. The seat bottoms are flat and lack sufficient lateral support, so we always felt like we were sinking to one side or the other.

Even the Canyon's extended cab is large enough to orient its occasional passengers facing forward. Don't expect them to be comfortable, though. The back seat in the extended cab is cramped for anything but short trips to the store for Munchkins. Better to flip the rear seats down, which opens up space for cargo. With modifications (like a fleece mat), it would work passably for a medium-size dog. The front-hinged doors on both sides of the extended cab offer good access to this area.

The instrument panel has large white numerals on a black background, with the orange needles that GM loves. They're easy to read at a glance. Lighting functions are clustered on the dash to the left of the steering wheel; there are no switches in any remote location. Turning on the dome light requires spinning the small wheel used to dim the instrument lights and we found this a bit challenging in the dark. We recommend opting for the electrochromic ($175) mirror, which features a pair of map lights, compass and outside temperature display, and dims automatically.

The center stack, outlined with silver-colored plastic, neatly groups together 4x4, audio, and HVAC functions. The emergency flasher button is high in the center where it's easily seen. The cruise control switches, however, are the same turn-signal-stalk system GM has used since the 1970s, albeit refined. Some people hate it; others are familiar with it and don't seem to mind.

The Canyon features triple seals around the doors, another example of its refinement relative to the old Sonoma. The seals not only reduce water and dust intrusion; they also reduce wind noise for a quieter cab.

Your experience with the Canyon will vary by model. The four-cylinder engine delivers adequate performance, costs less, and is a bit more frugal. The five-cylinder offers brisk acceleration performance, feels like an inline-6, and works well with an automatic.

The 3.5-liter five-cylinder Vortec 3500 is a dual-overhead cam engine with variable cam timing rated at 220 horsepower. It develops 225 pound-feet of torque at 2800 rpm. Its torque, that twisting force that propels the truck from a stop and helps it tow heavy loads up long grades, is spread over a broad rpm range. The all-aluminum engine construction aids in cooling and, because of its lower weight, saves fuel and permits quicker acceleration. The five-cylinder is essentially the newly developed six-cylinder from the GMC Envoy with one cylinder lopped off. The five-cylinder engine idles and cruises quietly, but the uncommon number of cylinders makes a peculiar siren-like sound when accelerating. It doesn't sound bad, just different. Recommended fuel is unleaded regular, another plus for economical operation. A 2WD five-cylinder with manual transmission gets an EPA-rated 19/25 mpg City/Highway.

The 175-horsepower four-cylinder engine is essentially the five-cylinder minus one cylinder. It's rated 20/27 mpg with manual transmission and 2WD. We found it worked well with the manual transmission, perfectly adequate for drivers who favor economy over power.

The Z71 suspension package provides maximum ground clearance, with tires designed for off-roading and springs and shocks calibrated for off-road performance without sacrificing too much on-road comfort. We found its ride quality remarkably civilized on the road. The Z71 suspension certainly adds heft to the Canyon, and there's noticeable jiggle from the extra weight of the off-road tires, but not anything like off-road compact pickups of the past. We were able to test the four-wheel-drive system in deep, sucking mud; and we climbed a greasy, rocky hillside that, in the winter months, becomes Pennsylvania's Jack Frost ski resort.

We were pleased with the operation of the four-wheel-drive system. There's no doubt when it engages: There's a small clunk when it shifts into four-wheel high (which can be done on the fly) and a bigger clunk when it shifts into four-wheel low (requiring the vehicle be stopped and in neutral). No full-time all-wheel drive is available; this is a truck-style part-time four-wheel-drive system and should not be used on dry pavement.

The Canyon feels solid. Its frame is far more rigid than the Sonoma's. This means no rattles or squeaks, and the pickup bed doesn't boom or make any other noise. The suspension is able to work more precisely, without interference from chassis flex, resulting in a better, more controlled ride.

Maximum towing for a properly equipped Canyon is 4,000 pounds, much less than the Sonoma's 5,900. This compromise was done to improve ride comfort and we think it was a good tradeoff. The improvement in ride, particularly at the rear of the vehicle, is remarkable. A washboard dirt road in Virginia didn't make the Canyon jiggle like a go-go dancer in overdrive, as many 4x4s would. GM says most people who tow more than 4,000 pounds do so with a full-size pickup.

We found the Canyon to be stable and predictable around the curves, and a solid stopper when the binders were applied, aided by ABS on loose surfaces. The Canyon is a truck, however, so it doesn't corner and brake like a car. We found it generally tended toward strong understeer, meaning that when cornered hard it's more likely to plow straight ahead than spin out.

The GMC Canyon is way ahead of older designs such as the Ford Ranger. Canyon's technology and its new chassis brings refinement to this class. GMC's packaging and styling are distinct from those of the mechanically identical Chevrolet Colorado.

The Canyon is ideal for folks who need a real pickup but don't need or want the size and cost of a full-size truck. The Canyon is easy to park and is driver-friendly. The crew cab can haul home a load of horse manure for the garden, then take the family out for dinner and a movie (after hosing out the bed, that is). In short, the Canyon is an all-around performer, putting GMC in the groove for mid-size pickup performance.

Mitch McCullough contributed to this report from Los Angeles.

Representing a new breed of pickup.

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