The ZQ8 sport suspension is as significant as the V-8 engine in making this version of the Canyon a credible muscle truck. The firmer suspension package lowers the Canyon by an inch compared to the base setup, and the package also includes more responsive steering. ZQ8 trucks come standard with 18-inch aluminum wheels shod with low-profile all-season tires.

What does this mean on the road? Basically that the Canyon is one of the better-handling trucks out there. Fast, responsive steering and a taut suspension create a driving experience that's decidedly untrucklike, and they give the Canyon a performance-car edge. However, like some muscle cars, this truck performs better in a straight line than it does on curving roads; while the Canyon stays relatively flat through a corner, it doesn't encourage you to push it harder. Instead, it seems to be asking you to back off.

Even with the firm ZQ8 suspension, the Canyon is a pretty solid-feeling little truck. The only thing that made the cab's structure shudder a little was when I crossed an expansion joint on the highway or hit a pothole, and even then it wasn't excessive.