2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition

Last year, an all-new GMC Canyon arrived, taking the truck to new levels of capability and off-road performance with the debut of the AT4X. Well, something told us that story wouldn’t end there and, indeed, GMC has now teamed up with the folks at American Expedition Vehicles. So, let’s see if their dirty deeds lift the Canyon to the next level.

If you were to go by the looks of most pickup trucks and utilities in any given parking lot these days, you’d think that most everyone had to traverse some kind of barely possible trail, climb over giant boulders, and perhaps ford a few streams, just to get to the strip mall. Well, it’s doubtful that’s the case you ever did need to do such things. But, if you do, this mid-size 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X Crew Cab AEV Edition is the vehicle that can do it.

No trim packages here, the AEV additions that have been added to GMC’s most capable Canyon are quite comprehensive, enough to tack five-figures onto the AT4X’s price. They include chunky fender flares to overlap the unique 17-inch bead-lock-capable wheels, which are wearing 35-inch Goodyear Wrangler M/Ts. Next up are heavy-duty bumpers and a full-size spare placed in a vertical mount at the front of the 5-foot bed; while underneath, are ultra-high strength hot-stamped boron steel skid plates protecting the rear differential, radiator, steering gear, transmission, transfer case, and fuel tank. Finally, 1.5 inches of additional lift over the AT4X, sitting it 4.5 inches over a standard Canyon, delivering more than a foot of ground clearance.

It’s a cohesive package that also looks great, not over the top, but the same well-balanced approach we’ve seen from other partnerships between GM and American Expedition Vehicles.

So, mission accomplished in creating an extremely capable off-roader, as driving through our off-road course was more of a Sunday stroll for this truck, with the tires gripping obstacles at slow speeds and the suspension easily soaking them up at higher speeds. There are even available underbody cameras to let you monitor what you’re rolling over.

About the only area that didn’t get an upgrade is under the hood where you’ll still find the same 2.7-liter I4 turbo engine delivering 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. This Turbomax sounds a bit like a Duramax at startup, but quickly smooths out and runs strong enough to pull 6,000 lbs. of trailer. Though it didn’t seem to be in the mood to pull us much at all at our test track, where it just lumbered off the line with very little urgency to 60 in 8.5 seconds. Shifting in the eight-speed automatic transmission was a little lazy, too, with a noticeable drop off in power with each gear change, but it does pick up some steam as we worked our way down the track where it clocked a respectable 16.5 seconds to finish the quarter-mile at 85 mph. For a monster off-roader it felt very stable, tracking straight and true, with very little correction required on our part.

Clearly, it would have been happier driving over the cones of our handling course rather than between them, as body roll, weight transfer, and tire rollover were all quite noticeable. But it also never felt unstable or did anything unexpected. In braking runs, we could feel the initial lack of grip from the mud terrains, but the brakes themselves were strong and fade-free. Its 115-foot stop average from 60 we rate as quite good.

Government Fuel Economy Ratings are down slightly from the AT4X, at 16 across the board for City, Highway, and Combined, though we averaged just 14.0 mpg of Regular. That’s a worse than average Energy Impact Score with use of 18.6 barrels of oil yearly and 9.3 tons of CO2 emissions.

Canyon pricing starts at $37,895, stepping up the ladder to the AT4X takes you to $55,895, and then adding the AEV Edition package brings your total starting price to $65,995.

Whether a mid-size truck is worth that amount of money depends on the amount of capability you need, or perhaps it’s more what look you’re going for. On both counts, the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition is the most capable and toughest looking Canyon ever. One that is truly built to deliver.