[Star test drive] 2026 GMC Canyon, the most attractive North American pickup truck right now

*This content was translated by AI.

a star review

The textbook of a lightweight pickup full of charm, high-end and practicality, but the high price

Good

- It's luxurious and doesn't look dull. Cheap taxes to offset fuel costs are also surprising.

- Unenviable handling and comfort for sports sedans

Bad

- The turbocharger produces 314 horsepower, but the four-cylinder engine pickup truck costs 76.85 million won...

- Cheolsu? Ahn Cheol Soo?

a competitive model

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Sometimes surprisingly excellent cars pop out. The GMC Canyon is such a car. In the world of pick-up trucks, this car is simply 'this car'. The GMC brand also tastes completely different from the U.S. pickup trucks that Sierra DeNali has enjoyed so far. A downsized engine configuration with a turbocharger in a series 4-cylinder. The output experience of being able to sleep 314 horsepower so easily is also new to pickup trucks. In addition, it is so luxurious that there is no rough finish on the interior. Even the color is the first in this class to steal the attention from the road. This is why GMC Canyon is so attractive.

The Canyon is an ambitious mid-sized pickup truck introduced by GM Korea, which has returned to a multi-brand strategy, including the GMC brand in 2026. GMC boasts a significant position in history and tradition with its luxury SUV and truck brands that go beyond Chevrolet. In addition, it is a smaller and sleek mid-sized pickup truck than the Sierra DeNali introduced earlier, which perfectly fits the road conditions in Korea.

At first glance, it contains the unique image of a US pickup truck. A chrome grille that filled most of the front, a straight-line bumper that makes the tall body stand out more, an off-road corresponding tire and a front-and-back fender line that popped up in a huge wheelhouse. In addition, the step gate and solid truck bed that contain the know-how of the strongest country in pickup trucks are impeccable in terms of visibility and efficiency with LED lamps after the war.

The interior is the highlight of this car. High-end materials, color composition, functionality, and latest infotainment composition can be called textbooks for premium pickup trucks. The visibility of the instrument panel, which seems to be stuck in the eye by a big button that can be pressed with gloves, gives satisfaction from any perspective.

The 2026 GMC Canyon is a series four-cylinder 2,272 cc engine with 314 horsepower. It's quite a pleasant output for a mid-size pickup truck. Since it is supercharged with a turbocharger, the power increase curve is not smooth, but once the speed is set, it is not easy to meet the end, so the force to push the body was considerable. The maximum torque is 54.kg .m, but the maximum torque was loaded relatively early, so I was not impressed with the lack of output even if I loaded a lot.

The configuration of a gasoline four-cylinder engine based on a body-on-frame body may not be reliable at first glance. However, there is nothing to worry about as I have already chosen to overcharge with a turbocharger. It is even surprisingly agile in handling. I don't know what magic I did, but I was so agile that I've never experienced this handling in any other truck. This means that the fun of driving was considerable. The car's attraction was its sleek yet meticulous handling at low speed, medium speed and high speed. In addition to this, it has four-wheel drive, so it can show a considerable amount of off-road frequency, so you have no choice but to fall into it throughout the test drive.

Above all, even though the front wheel is equipped with a double wishbone and the rear wheel is equipped with a leaf spring, there is little rough taste that comes into the car. Obviously, it was a moment when various factors such as "bump ride", "heavy steering wheel", and "heavy body" that were taken before the test drive caused a reversal. In short, the car was a "Fun Car" of a pickup truck.

The natural intake V8 5L gasoline engine of the full-size pickup truck is also attractive, but no one would be against the fact that the GMC Canyon is the one that fits the situation in Korea at this time. I wonder if the 76.85 million won is a price tag that was set in consideration of the competition model, but I could not fault the car's attractiveness.

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*This content was translated by AI.