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.
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