GM Kicks Off 2014 NAIAS with 2015 GMC Canyon Unveiling

DETROIT (GM) – GMC revealed the 2015 Canyon Sunday night at an event kicking off the 2014 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.  Canyon is an all-new midsize truck that redefines the segment and raises the bar for everything from horsepower and efficiency to quietness and refinement.

2015 GMC Canyon SLT Crew Cab
Photo: GM Media

When it goes on sale later this year, the all-new Canyon will give GMC one of the only three-truck lineups in the industry, similar to its corporate cousin, Chevrolet, which also will have a three-truck lineup with the recently introduced 2015 Colorado joining the Silverado 1500 and Silverado 2500 HD.

Canyon is expected to deliver class-leading capabilities with the GMC's signature refinement – all in an efficiently sized, maneuverable package for customers who want the cargo-hauling and trailering versatility of a truck without the size of a full-size pickup.

GMC truck lineup: (l-r): 2015 Sierra 2500

HD, 2015 Canyon, 2014 Sierra 1500.

Photo: GM Media

“The all-new 2015 Canyon completes GMC’s three-truck family, which started with the redesigned 2014 Sierra 1500 and 2015 Sierra HD,” said Tony DiSalle, vice president of GMC Marketing. “It rounds out a lineup that offers the broadest range of capabilities in the industry, giving truck customers more choices to find the vehicle that meets their professional, personal and lifestyle needs.”

Based on a proven global architecture and engineered for the unique demands and driving conditions of North American drivers, the new Canyon is expected to deliver:
• The segment’s best horsepower – an estimated 193 horsepower (146 kW) from a standard 2.5L I-4 and an estimated 302 horsepower (224 kW) from an available 3.6L V-6
• The segment’s best payload of at least 1,450 pounds (657 kg)
• The segment’s best maximum trailering rating (when properly equipped) of at least 6,700 pounds (3,039 kg)
• Even greater capability with a powerful and efficient Duramax 2.8L turbodiesel engine coming in 2016 model year

2015 GMC Canyon Extended Cab
Photo: GM Media

“Not everyone needs full-size capability, but they still deserve strength and true-truck attributes that come in larger models. The Canyon will offer all the capability with confidence – and GMC’s signature refinement that complements active lifestyles,” said DiSalle. “It also delivers the technology customers want with more standard features.”

2015 GMC Canyon Interior
Photo: GM Media

Canyon’s customer-focused technologies include available OnStar 4G LTE connectivity with a built-in Wi-Fi hotspot and expected segment-first available driver alert features such as forward collision alert, lane departure warning and a standard rear-vision camera.

Additionally, RemoteLink Key Fob Services allow owners to lock and unlock their vehicle, flash the lights and honk the horn, and, on equipped models, even remotely start the engine using the RemoteLink smartphone app. The service is free for five years. Additional OnStar services and data plans will be available with a paid subscription.

Inside and out, the 2015 Canyon is pure GMC, with a quiet, refined interior distinguished by premium materials and a commanding exterior presence that emulates the technology-infused design aesthetic introduced on the 2014 Sierra 1500 and 2015 Sierra HD models.

The all-new 2015 GMC Canyon features

the segment’s only active aero grille

shutters, which close at certain highway

speeds to enhance efficiency through

improved aerodynamics.

Photo: GM Media

Bold front-end styling incorporates the segment’s only standard projector beam headlamps and GMC’s signature C-shaped LED daytime running lamps on all models. Three body configurations are offered: An extended cab model with a six-foot bed, a crew cab with a five-foot bed and a crew cab with a six-foot bed. With the tailgate down, the six-foot bed allows eight-foot-long items to be hauled within the vehicle.

Canyon is offered in base, SLE and SLT models, in 2WD and 4WD models, and with an aggressively styled All-Terrain package offered on SLE models. It includes 17-inch painted aluminum wheels covered by all-terrain tires, a body-color grille surround with horizontal chrome bars and specific suspension tuning.

It also features the segment’s only active aero grille shutters, which close at certain highway speeds to enhance efficiency through improved aerodynamics.


Additional exterior features include:
• Segment-first CornerStep rear bumper design, pioneered on the 2014 Sierra, is standard
• Available segment-first EZ Lift-and-Lower locking tailgate that uses an internal torsion bar to make raising the tailgate easier with one hand, and a damper for more-controlled lowering  
• Standard two-tier loading that allows a platform to effectively split the bed into upper and lower sections, making it easier to haul, store and conceal items such as tools
• Thirteen reconfigurable and four stationary tie-down locations throughout the bed for use with available, removable cargo tie-down rings
• Standard bed rail and tailgate protectors
• Available factory-installed spray-in bed liner
• Range of 16-, 17- and 18-inch aluminum wheels

2015 GMC Canyon Interior
Photo: GM Media

The interior of the 2015 Canyon is designed to be comfortable, heavily equipped and well connected. A bold, upright instrument panel with large instruments and a central driver information center is similar to Sierra. A center console-mounted shifter is similar to those found in midsize cars and crossovers.

The Canyon’s cabin boasts exceptional attention to detail and premium appointments, including a sculpted headliner that enhances headroom, halo lighting on key controls for easier viewing and an open area at the front of the center console for easier phone charging.

Canyon’s seats are designed for long-haul comfort and wear, too. They use dual-firmness foam for greater comfort on long drives and high-wear, stain-resistant cloth seating trim. A power-adjustable driver’s seat is standard, and heated leather seats are standard on SLT. The All-Terrain package features exclusive color and trim details, including embossed seatbacks and unique contrast stitching.

2015 GMC Canyon SLT Crew Cab
Photo: GM Media

GMC expects Canyon to be the most powerful and efficient truck in the segment, allowing owners to haul and tow more while being efficient. A 2.5L I-4 is standard, and a 3.6L V-6 is available. They are based on award-winning engine families and tuned to deliver the low-rpm torque customers depend on for hauling and towing.

The 2.5L four is estimated at 193 horsepower (146 kW) and 184 lb-ft of torque (253 Nm), with approximately 90 percent of the peak torque available from 2,000 rpm to 6,200 rpm. The 3.6L engine is estimated at 302 horsepower (224 kW) and 270 lb-ft of torque (366 Nm). SAE certification of the power ratings is pending.

Both engines feature direct injection and variable valve timing to make the most of power and efficiency. An aluminum block, forged-steel crankshaft, dual-overhead camshafts and jet-spray piston cooling are featured on both engines. The 2.5L incorporates a two-stage variable-displacement oil pump, for greater efficiency, as well as a balance shaft located in the oil pan, for greater refinement.

All models are matched with a six-speed automatic transmission that complements the truck-tuned engines with features that make hauling and trailering easier and more comfortable, including auto grade braking and a tow/haul mode. A six-speed manual transmission is also available with the 2.5L engine in base extended cab/2WD models.

The Canyon will be assembled along side the Chevrolet Colorado at GM’s Wentzville, Missouri assembly plant. GMC will continue to work on and develop the Canyon until the start of production in fall 2014.