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GMC Canyon Crew Cab
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Full 2015 GMC Canyon Review

What's New for 2015

The 2015 GMC Canyon has been fully redesigned.

Introduction

In recent years, there hasn't been a whole lot to choose from for compact or midsize pickup trucks. GMC even stopped producing its Canyon for a few years. There's some good news for truck shoppers, though. The GMC Canyon is back for 2015, and this time it's a much more appealing truck in every regard.

Built on the same platform as its Chevrolet Colorado cousin, the new Canyon is dimensionally larger than the version GMC discontinued three years ago. It's now more or less the same size as its Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier rivals. From there, GMC's design and engineering teams turned their attention to enticing buyers with an appealing combination of performance and cutting-edge technology.

Starting with the practical improvements, the Canyon's new four- and six-cylinder engines are both more fuel-efficient and more powerful, with V6-equipped models now capable of towing up to 7,000 pounds. The interior gets an equally important update, highlighted by improved materials and an available 8-inch touchscreen, which comes complete with smartphone-like apps and voice controls designed to make it easier and safer to interact with mobile technology. As with many other GM vehicles this year, the Canyon also benefits from the latest version of OnStar, which includes a fast 4G LTE connection and in-car WiFi hotspot functionality. Other notable technology includes safety-oriented options like available forward collision and lane departure warning systems and a standard rearview camera.

The GMC Canyon does have a few minor shortcomings. Its newness is paired with a price premium, and chances are you'll pay a little more to get a Canyon than for some other rival trucks. Also, the minimal price difference and fuel economy savings between this new compact model and many light-duty full-size trucks -- once the two chief arguments for buying a smaller pickup -- may also turn out to make it less attractive than in previous years.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2015 GMC Canyon is a midsize pickup offered in two- and four-seat extended-cab and five-seat crew cab body styles. There are two bed lengths and four trim levels available: SL, Canyon, SLE and top-of-the-line SLT.

The entry level SL base model, which is essentially a well-equipped work truck, comes with 16-inch alloy wheels, projector-style headlights with LED daytime running lights, outside mirrors with built-in spotter mirrors, air-conditioning, cloth upholstery, a four-way power driver seat with manual recline, deletion of the rear jump seats, black vinyl floor covering, a tilt-only adjustable steering wheel, power windows, a rearview camera and a six-speaker audio system with a 4.2-inch color display and a USB port.