Clank, crunch, bang and then screech. Those sounds get most drivers nervous unless you are behind the wheel of the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition.
[Related content: 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition revealed]
This midsize truck can take all the punishment you can throw at it.
What is the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition?
In short, the mouthful of a name for a midsize truck is literally the most capable GMC Canyon ever built.
It has a 4.5-inch lift, 35-inch tires, front and rear steel bumpers, rock rails and Boron steel skid plates you’d be hard pressed to damage.
Plus, you get unique AEV badging throughout the truck.
Powering the truck is the same 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder found throughout GM’s midsize lineup, mated to a 10-speed transmission. This powertrain produces 310 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque.
While fuel economy for the AEV Edition hasn’t been officially announced, it probably isn’t great. The 2023 GMC Canyon AT4X returned 16 MPG across the board during an at-home test. Since we spent 4 hours rock crawling during the first drive, I didn’t even bother to look at the estimated fuel usage on the trip computer.
Rock crawling machine!
What do you learn about rock crawling that long? A bunch.
First, the 35-inch tires, as opposed to the 33-inch tires found on the AT4X I also drove, are a big difference and the 12.2 inches of ground clearance makes a world of difference. When driving the AT4X, I had to be a lot more careful to pick lines through the rocks so it wouldn’t get stuck. Granted I had front and rear e-lockers to power out of stuck situations, but I’d rather avoid that.
Instead, I put the AEV Edition into off-road mode and just cruised down the same climb I went up in the AT4X.
It was a night and day difference.
I also learned to use the rock rails to glide over rocks as well as heard the clangs from the skid plates. Yeah, we literally used the skid plates and rock rails for what they were designed for on this truck. Another useful item was an under the truck camera to see the obstacles we were going over. I also used the front camera a lot to rely on identifying obstacles due to the truck hood height making it hard to see over.
What doesn’t work so well?
I also learned the off-road screens showing pitch, roll and elevation are fun to look at it, but it’s not something I’d be concerned about turning on all the time.
Then there’s the cabin with its white leather, which always looks dirty to me. A shame it doesn’t come in another color to hide dirt and scuff marks.
Finally, I’m a little mystified why the AEV edition doesn’t have a rear camera mirror and why GM decided to put the shifter near the passenger side. On the shifter this now makes three different shifting setups for GM trucks with the Canyon having the mechanical shifter you pull back into gear, the Sierra with a very small shifter you move back and forth to shift and then the Sierra HD with a column shifter. This seems a bit much for variety.
Besides those items, the 2024 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition should be a hit with the off-road crowd. It is highly capable, a great size for many trails unlike the larger full-size trucks, it can tow a small camper or ATVs and the premium feel of the interior is nice especially after hours behind the wheel.
GMC says production will start later this year with pricing to be announced. Looking at the Sierra HD AT4X AEV Edition pricing vs the AT4X, I’d expect around a $9k jump in price. This means, the Canyon AT4X AEV Edition will easy be over $60k.
The bottom line
Is this truck for everyone? Oh heck no. However, it is a damn cool iteration of the GMC Canyon and should be a hit among diehard off-road drivers or those who just want the most badass version of a truck they can buy.
Editor’s note: Driving impressions in this “First Drive” review are from an invitation-only automaker launch event that allowed special access to the vehicle and executives. GMC covered our accommodations, meals and transportation costs.
