2026 GMC Canyon AT4X First Test: Still a Top Tier Hardcore Off-Roader for the Masses

Pros:

-An amazing off-roading truck
-Strong, torquey acceleration
-Cheaper than a Tacoma Trailhunter

Cons:

-More expensive than a Ranger Raptor
-Lack of rear-seat room
-Somewhat compromised pavement control

The high-end, off-road midsize pickup truck subsegment has blown up in recent years. Not only do you have the likes of the 2026 GMC Canyon AT4X we just tested, but also the Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter and TRD Pro, Ford Ranger Raptor, and the Jeep Gladiator Mojave, all of which come with upgraded suspensions, larger tires, and more kit designed to help them achieve maximum attack when the going gets really rough.

While the Canyon AT4X wasn’t the first truck of its kind out of the gate, it quickly garnered a reputation as a more luxurious and highly capable alternative to the mechanically similar Chevy Colorado ZR2 Bison. But with newer, similar trucks entering the arena, the Canyon AT4X is starting to show its age when it’s not charging over challenging terrain.

Solid Power, Average MPG

Powered by a 310-hp, 430-lb-ft version of the 2.7-liter turbocharged I-4, the 2026 Canyon AT4X puts up some decent numbers for its 4,974-pound weight. It’s easy to peel off a layer of its LT285/70R17 Goodyear Wrangler Territory MT tires as you accelerate hard to 60 mph, reaching that highway speed in 7.2 seconds. Keep your foot in it, and you’ll cross a quarter mile in 15.5 seconds while hitting 88.9 mph. If you didn’t know any better, those sound like solid times for a four-banger-powered pickup with what are essentially 33-inch tires. In fact, when you compare it to Toyota’s nearly 1,000-pound-heavier, hybrid-powered 2026 Toyota Tacoma Trailhunter, they are.

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Where things start separating between the GMC and the Toyota, however, is in the fuel economy department. The 2026 Canyon AT4X’s 17/17/17 city/highway/combined mpg on the EPA cycle can’t match the Tacoma Trailhunter's 22/24/23. That means that even though it may not be faster, the Toyota will go farther on a full tank of premium fuel.

When we compare it to the crosstown rival, the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor, it’s a bit of an unfair fight. There’s just no beating the combination of two additional cylinders and turbos as the Blue Oval desert runner turns out 405 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. Even with its 5,389-pound curb weight, the Ranger Raptor gets to 60 mph in just 5.8 seconds and crosses the quarter mile in 14.5 seconds at 94.7 mph. But, unlike the Toyota, the Ford takes an efficiency hit as a result, returning just 16/18/17 mpg.

The Usual On-Road Compromises

There's another penalty that comes with the 2026 Canyon AT4X that you might not think about at first blush, one not unlike most trucks of this nature. While you can run down a desert trail at near highway speeds with the best trucks in its competitive set, driving fast on the pavement between your house and that trail won’t be as comfortable. When you’re trying to accelerate off the exit to get up to highway speed, the Canyon AT4X can feel a bit wishy-washy as the tall tires begin to whine and wail trying to keep the truck gripped to the ground. It may also roll its body just a bit more than a regular pickup as the DSSV dampers are tuned for off-road duty. It’s not unsafe, just not as easy to drive as a less capable Canyon.

When you jump on the brakes to avoid a careless driver or debris on the road, it has a tendency to wander a bit as the ABS tries its best to get the tallest Canyon woahed down. In our testing, it took 131 feet to haul it to 0 from 60 mph. That’s another compromise you make for the off-road-capable tires. That said, as we outlined, it’s something other pickups with similar tire setups will also experience as well for the most part.

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How Much and How Long?

Which brings us to the next issue for the 2026 GMC Canyon AT4X: price. The AT4X has a more lavishly detailed interior than its Colorado ZR2 cousin, but compared to the 2026 Ford Ranger Raptor, it’s not exactly over the top. Both have leather appointments, heated powered seats, and premium sound systems, the Ranger offers a few more upfits like a 10-way driver’s and eight-way passenger’s seat (the Canyon AT4X only has eight-way driver and six-way passenger seats) and rain-sensing wipers. But the $59,295 base price of the Canyon AT4X is $1,330 more than the Ranger Raptor.

The opposite is true for the 2026 Tacoma Trailhunter. Thanks in large part to its hybrid powertrain, the Toyota is $5,650 more than the GMC. And, no, we don’t think the addition of the standard snorkel, Rigid Industries LED color-switching foglights, grille-mounted LED light bar, and sport bar in the bed are worth the additional cost.

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Should you get the 2026 GMC Canyon AT4X? Considering the price difference, we’d say the 2026 Ranger Raptor is the better choice. You get more power and equal off-road performance for less money, but the trade-off is the slightly worse fuel economy of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V-6 under the Ford. Between the Canyon AT4X and Tacoma Trailhunter, the better short-term money sides with the GMC. But the long-term cost savings favor the hybrid-powered Toyota; you’ll spend around $700 less per year on fuel versus the Canyon AT4X, and you’ll make up for the $5,650 price difference in about eight years. If you’re not thinking long term, go for the Canyon AT4X. If you expect to be one of the many American owners who will end up keeping their truck for 12 years or more, you’ll be better off with the Toyota.

Gallery of leftover images

Even so, we still feel like the 2026 GMC Canyon AT4X won’t disappoint its target audience: fans of GM trucks who want to really tackle off-road obstacles from the inside of what’s a rather luxurious midsize pickup. It’s still a quality truck overall, but, just as with the Colorado ZR2, the competition has caught up and is starting to surpass it.