Quick Review: GMC Canyon

[Intrepidation]

So, first off...my bad. I thought it was a Colorado...never really paid attention to the truck until today.

It''s a 2005 (I believe) GMC Canyon regular cab with with a 4x4 Off Road package (I don't know the technical name).

Overall I enjoyed it, albeit with a few somewhat important reservations.

Exterior:

I've always felt that these were attractive trucks, even if the front fascia could have been better integrated. I like the fender flares. I myself prefer the look of extended or crew cab shortbed trucks, but it certainly wasn't ugly.

Interior:

While it's no Cadillac, I didn't have a problem with the interior. The door panel armrest and area around it were padded, which is all that really matters. The rest of the panels and all of the dash are hard plastic, however the texture itself was pleasant enough...better than the Cobalt in my opinion.

This model had the bench seat, which brings me to my first major complaint about the truck. The seats are totally uncomfortable, and lack anything resembling decent support. I only drove about 25 miles total and my neck, arms and back were stiff and a little sore. Maybe the buckets are better, but the bench seats is terrible. That alone might be a deal breaker for me. If I'm going to spend a lot of time in a vehicle, the seat should be reasonably supportive and comfortable.

This is most certainly a compact truck. I mean foot wells are more narrow than those in the Shadow! I couldn't fit my toolbox (which isn't that big) on the floor so I had to put it on the seat.

Also the B-pillar is pretty wide and makes for quite a blind spot.

The other problem I had was with the center stack. It seemed too far away from me and I had to reach far over to adjust the HVAC controls, which are mounted too low. They should be up higher and the whole center stack should be moved forward. I don't know if all trucks are designed to make it hard to reach the controls, but it seems like a potential hazard to me. I also didn't find the HVAC controls easy to use. The layout itself is very easy, but the knobs are recessed so you have to reach in to turn them. Good luck doing that with gloves on.

One other gripe, although minor, is that didn't like how the gear indicator was lit in yellow. To me, yellow means a caution light, so I would sometimes glance down and do a double take at what the small yellow dot was. Otherwise the gauges were easy to read. This is more of a personal preference I suppose.

How it drove:

Like a truck. Unloaded it bounced around, especially when the road got rough and I felt like a bobble head. Once the engine was in the bed, the ride settled down nicely.

I didn't push the truck, it wasn't mine and so I drove it carefully, about 70 on the highway to the junkyard, and 55-60 on the way back with the precious cargo in the bed. With that said, I noticed that the transmission shifted very smoothly. I was quite impressed with how seamlessly it shifted...much better than the last GM car I drove, the Cobalt shifted. It has tall gearing though, so the rpms go up pretty high before it shifts from 2nd to 3rd.

Speaking of rpms...this engine (I'm not sure if it was the I-4 or I-5, I'll have to check) sounded terrible. The exhaust note has to be one of the most unpleasant sounding notes I've ever heard from a stock vehicle. I mean the Cobalt sounds kind of like a vacuum, but this thing is far worse. It's very coarse and unrefined. I didn't like it at all.

As far as power goes...it was peppy around town but lost some steam on the highway.

Steering was fine..about what I expected. There's not a lot of feedback but it's decently weighted...I didn't mind it.

Accelerator modulation was good as well.

Then there's the brakes. This is by far my biggest problem with the truck. The work great, but the pedal is not progressive at all. About 1/3 pressed it does nothing, and then suddenly the brakes clamp down and slow it down faster than it should. That is to say, they're very grabby. I don't like them at all. I like brakes to be progressive and easy to modulate. With these I had to press it down until they finally started to clamp, and the press very lightly to make it brake smoothly. Seriously, who the hell thought this was a good design?

Conclusion:

I did enjoy driving it. I liked the compactness of the truck...made it easier to negotiate the tight spaces of the junkyard. The tall seating position was ok, but didn't really see the big draw of it for so many people. However this seemed like a fun thing to take off roading (if the brakes were more progressive), and having an open bed is helpful for hauling big stuff...like an engine.

However I'm not sure if I would be willing to own one of these. The seats are uncomfortable and the brakes just plain suck....those are two very big problems.

If the newer ones are better, than I would more strongly consider one.

With that said, I'm sure glad I was able to use it!

[daves87rs]

If the engine choices weren't so lame, I might consider one....

The interior is okay...

[Daryl Z71]

If the engine choices weren't so lame, I might consider one....

The interior is okay...

They got the 5.3L in that baby now Id really consider it!

[Intrepidation]

I would only if the buckets are better and the brake pedal doesn't suck anymore.

[G_Man72]

I have a 2004 Crew Cab and it has plenty of room. The bucket seats are quite comfortable for long drives. I've driven in it for 15 hours straight and had no issues. I have the I-5 and it is a little under powered and thirsty. I think the best mileage I ever got was 22-23 mpg.

As far as the off-roading goes, they are fun. They can go down trails that the full size trucks would scratch their pant on.

It also does ride much nicer when it's loaded

Overall, I really like my truck, and it sucks that I have to get rid of it.

[Intrepidation]

Why do you have to get rid of it?

[daves87rs]

Why do you have to get rid of it?

+1

[ocnblu]

Yeah, plus 2. I got rid of my '04 extended cab Z71 Colorado for no real reason whatsoever.

[daves87rs]

Yeah, plus 2. I got rid of my '04 extended cab Z71 Colorado for no real reason whatsoever.

[G_Man72]

Trying to reduce monthly payments and gas bill. My commute is 40km one way. I work in the Oil & Gas Industry which is taking a big hit at the moment, so my job is not that secure. In fact, I've been laid off once already, only to have them recall the notice.

Would love to keep it, but right now it doesn't make financial sense.

[daves87rs]

Ah...

[cletus8269]

They got the 5.3L in that baby now Id really consider it!

if you bought one according to price you wouldnt. the 5.3 crew is about 26-28 grand. maybe the extended cab is cheaper but i would pony up to the 1500 for the room and the price.

on a side note i did see one with the 5.3 on ebay for 23 and change.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-Chevro...A1%7C240%3A1318

[cletus8269]

ive got a 2004 crew I5 with the z71 suspension pk. ive got no qualms about it. maybe more hp but stepping out of a ss454 1500 into the colorado is prolly why i feel that way. i will agree about the seat, although the only thing i would want more is lateral support from them.

[daves87rs]

if you bought one according to price you wouldnt. the 5.3 crew is about 26-28 grand. maybe the extended cab is cheaper but i would pony up to the 1500 for the room and the price.

on a side note i did see one with the 5.3 on ebay for 23 and change.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2009-Chevro...A1%7C240%3A1318

It is a nice color though....

[cletus8269]

It is a nice color though....

indeed i have always liked blue hues. the granite metallic is one of my favs. i hate they screwed up the orange when it changed from sunburst orange metallic to inferno orange metallic though. i really want to see black granite metallic in person.

[GMTruckGuy74]

The fully loaded, V8-equipped, 2009 GMC Canyon CrewCab SLT 4WD on display at the NYIAS was stickering a tad over $33k. A SLE equipped 5cyl Canyon CrewCab 4WD was stickering at $31K there too.

[Intrepidation]

The fully loaded, V8-equipped, 2009 GMC Canyon CrewCab SLT 4WD on display at the NYIAS was stickering a tad over $33k. A SLE equipped 5cyl Canyon CrewCab 4WD was stickering at $31K there too.

See the Dakota runs into this problem too, where teh top model runs right into teh full size truck pricing..and in both Dodge's and GM's case, the larger trucks is the far better truck.

[cletus8269]

See the Dakota runs into this problem too, where teh top model runs right into teh full size truck pricing..and in both Dodge's and GM's case, the larger trucks is the far better truck.

to make matters worse only $1000 bucks worth of incentives are thrown at the Canyarodos, while the 1500's have $4000. why wouldnt you spring for the 1500s?

[CMG]

We got a one year old Canyon four door from a rental place, and wow was I surprised how bad the truck was. It drove terribly, to put it nicely.

My wife phoned an hour after we picked it up and requested a different vehicle, I kid you not! They ended up swapping the Canyon for something, I can't even remember what it was!!!!!

My wife drove the truck home, asked me to come out and drive it (I was wondering what the heck she was asking that for!) then when I drove it she kept saying how mad she was that they gave her an old truck. It was less than a year old with 12,000km on it!

I know rentals are brutal vehicles, but I was stunned how poorly it drove. It was a 5 banger I think... automatic four door, definitely not (hopefully not) a loaded vehicle!

[cletus8269]

We got a one year old Canyon four door from a rental place, and wow was I surprised how bad the truck was. It drove terribly, to put it nicely.

My wife phoned an hour after we picked it up and requested a different vehicle, I kid you not! They ended up swapping the Canyon for something, I can't even remember what it was!!!!!

My wife drove the truck home, asked me to come out and drive it (I was wondering what the heck she was asking that for!) then when I drove it she kept saying how mad she was that they gave her an old truck. It was less than a year old with 12,000km on it!

I know rentals are brutal vehicles, but I was stunned how poorly it drove. It was a 5 banger I think... automatic four door, definitely not (hopefully not) a loaded vehicle!

dunno, i got an 04 with the z71 suspension... its a crew cab and all I5 too. guess that offroad setup makes the diff.