A Transformative Engine

You might be thinking, "How can GMC's compact pickup feel like a muscle car?" Well, there's more to it than stuffing a 5.3-liter V-8 under the hood, but that engine goes a long way toward giving the Canyon its burly performance. It can rocket from a stop if you've got a lead foot, and the engine doesn't feel burdened by the truck's two-ton curb weight. Granted, I didn't put anything in the cargo bed of my rear-wheel-drive test model, but I really had to be prudent when pressing the gas pedal to avoid wheelspin. The truck has standard traction and stability systems and an optional limited-slip differential to combat this.

The V-8 teams with a four-speed automatic transmission that's both smooth and quick to downshift when you need a quick burst of power for passing or merging. On the whole, it's a good drivetrain with a pleasing V-8 sound — it makes a nice rumble without being raucous — but it would have been nice to see GM give the Canyon V-8 the six-speed automatic transmission that's available with the 5.3-liter V-8 in its full-size trucks; the extra gears have the potential to boost performance and efficiency. As it is, this version of the Canyon gets an EPA-estimated 15/21 mpg city/highway.

    See also:

    When It Is Time for New Tires
    Factors such as maintenance, temperatures, driving speeds, vehicle loading, and road conditions affect the wear rate of the tires. Treadwear indicators are one way to tell when it is time for new t ...

    Danger, Warnings, and Cautions
    Warning messages found on vehicle labels and in this manual describe hazards and what to do to avoid or reduce them. Danger indicates a hazard with a high level of risk which will result in serious i ...

    Gasoline Specifications (U.S. and Canada Only)
    At a minimum, gasoline should meet ASTM specification D 4814 in the United States or CAN/CGSB-3.5 or 3.511 in Canada. Some gasolines contain an octane-enhancing additive called methylcyclopentadienyl ...