The 2026 GMC Canyon starts at $38,900, excluding destination freight, for the Elevation. Every trim above it uses the same 2.7L TurboMax engine: 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. That matters more than it sounds. In many mid-size trucks the cheap trim gets a weaker engine and the expensive one gets the good one. The Canyon does not work that way, which means an Elevation heading out Highway 70 with a bass boat behind it has exactly the powertrain a Denali has, and, properly equipped with the conventional hitch, it will tow the same 7,700 lbs.

Allen Tillery Buick GMC has been family-run on Central Avenue since 1967, and Canyon buyers coming in from Benton, Bryant, Little Rock and Malvern tend to ask the same three questions: which trim tows the most, what does 4WD really change, and is the AT4X worth it. This page answers those, trim by trim, using current GMC figures. If you want the full specifications page, the trim-by-trim ladder, or the towing breakdown, those live on the 2026 Canyon research hub.

MSRP excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price.

Powertrain

2026 Canyon Engines and Powertrain Options

2.7L TurboMax, standard on every trim

There is one engine and one transmission. The 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged four-cylinder makes 310 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 430 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm on every trim, and it pairs with an 8-speed automatic. GMC calls that torque figure best-in-class for a standard gas engine in the segment, and it is the reason a four-cylinder truck does not feel like one when a trailer is behind it. There is no diesel Canyon and no hybrid. GMC dropped the diesel when this generation launched, and nothing has replaced it.

Rear-wheel drive or 4WD

On the Elevation, rear-wheel drive is standard and 4WD is available. On the AT4, AT4X and Denali, 4WD is standard. Spring storms turn the red-clay forest roads west of the lakes to grease inside an hour, and the same afternoon a launch ramp can be slick enough to spin a rear tire on the way back up, which is worth weighing before you skip the second driven axle.

The ladder

Canyon Trim Lineup and Pricing

Trim	Starting MSRP (excl. destination)	Drivetrain	Max towing, properly equipped, conventional hitch, Crew Cab
Elevation	$38,900 excl. dest.	RWD standard, 4WD available	7,700 lbs
AT4	$45,500 excl. dest.	4WD standard	7,700 lbs
Denali	$53,300 excl. dest.	4WD standard	7,700 lbs
AT4X	$57,300 excl. dest.	4WD standard	6,000 lbs

Elevation is the entry trim and not a stripped one. It is standard with 18-in gloss black aluminum wheels on all-terrain tires, the 11.3-in touchscreen, the 11.0-in digital driver display, and the 2-in factory lift the whole lineup shares. AT4 brings the traction hardware: a two-speed Autotrac transfer case with a shield, an automatic locking rear differential, Advanced Hill Descent Control, and the full Normal, Terrain, Tow/Haul and Off-Road drive-mode set, plus the MultiStow tailgate, standard on AT4. Denali takes the AT4's capability and spends the money inside: perforated leather, laser-etched wood, Bose audio, HD Surround Vision, a wireless charging pad, and 20-in diamond-cut dark gray wheels. A 6.3-in multicolor head-up display is on the Denali's feature list, though GMC's own pages disagree on whether it is standard or optional, so ask before you assume. AT4X is the trail trim, with a 3-in lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers, selectable front and rear electronic locking differentials, a Baja drive mode, a sunroof standard on AT4X, and up to 10 camera views including underbody cameras.

One clarification, because dealer listings get it wrong: the AT4X AEV Edition is a package on the AT4X, not a fifth trim. It swaps in AEV boron-steel skid plates, stamped-steel bumpers, 17-in beadlock-capable Salta wheels and 35-in Goodyear Wrangler Territory mud-terrains. Four trims, one optional edition.

Screens

Technology and Connectivity

The 11.3-in diagonal GMC Infotainment System with Google built-in and the 11.0-in digital Driver Information Center are standard on every Canyon trim. No upcharge, no smaller screen on the base truck. Wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto are standard on every Canyon trim, as are push-button start, the HD Rear Vision Camera with Hitch View, the ProGrade Trailering System, and the Off-Road Performance Display. Move up and the cameras multiply. HD Surround Vision is standard on AT4X and Denali, and the AT4X's ten available views include front- and rear-facing underbody cameras that show you what is beneath the truck instead of what is ahead of it. A 7-speaker Bose system is available on every Canyon trim and standard on AT4X and Denali.

Cabin

Interior and Comfort

The Canyon comes one way: Crew Cab, short bed, seating for five. There is no extended cab and no long-bed option, which removes a decision but also removes a choice. Front-seat room is generous at 40.3 in of headroom and 45.2 in of legroom. Elevation runs CoreTec seating surfaces. AT4 brings Timber accents, with leather-appointed front seats available on AT4. Denali gets perforated leather with Teak trim, and AT4X has its own Obsidian Rush interior with Ceramic White accents. An 8-way power heated driver seat with power lumbar support is available on the Canyon lineup. The bed holds 41.9 cu. ft. across 5.1 ft of length and 4.8 ft of width, and the MultiStow tailgate, available on the Canyon lineup, builds a drained storage compartment into the gate itself.

Capability

Towing and Payload Capability

Every rating here is a Crew Cab figure with the conventional hitch on the 2.7L TurboMax, because that is the only cab and the only engine. Properly equipped with the conventional hitch, the Crew Cab Elevation, AT4 and Denali each tow up to 7,700 lbs. Properly equipped with the same conventional hitch on the same Crew Cab, the AT4X tows up to 6,000 lbs, because its off-road suspension and tires cost it capability on the hitch. That is the single most misreported fact about this truck. If you are pulling a travel trailer down Highway 70 or a boat back up a county ramp, the AT4 is the trim built for it, and the AT4X is not. The ProGrade Trailering System and Hitch View camera are standard on every Canyon trim, so even an Elevation hooks up with in-vehicle trailer profiles and a camera pointed at the ball. Payload varies by configuration, and we will pull the exact figure for the truck you are looking at.

Off-pavement

Off-Road Capability

Every 2026 Canyon trim leaves the factory with a 2-in lift and a widened track. That is standard equipment on Canyon, not an AT4 upgrade. The AT4 brings a two-speed transfer case, an automatic locking rear differential, hill descent control and 9.6 in of ground clearance. The AT4X goes further with a 3-in lift, 10.7 in of clearance, Multimatic DSSV dampers, selectable front and rear electronic locking differentials, and a Baja drive mode with launch control. Add the AEV Edition package and the truck picks up a 4.5-in lift, 35-in mud-terrains and five boron-steel skid plates.

Safety

Safety and Driver Assistance

GMC groups the Canyon's driver-assistance content into Canyon Pro Safety and Canyon Safety Plus, and the exact content varies by trim. Standard on every Canyon trim: the HD Rear Vision Camera with Hitch View, the ProGrade Trailering System, and the Off-Road Performance Display. HD Surround Vision is standard on AT4X and Denali. Current NHTSA and IIHS crash-test ratings are published at nhtsa.gov and iihs.org.

The decision

Which 2026 Canyon Is Right for You?

If this is you	Buy this	Why
You left a full-size truck because it stopped fitting your life	Elevation 4WD	Same engine as the flagship, same tow rating, a footprint that parks
Boat, small camper, utility trailer on weekends	AT4	Top tow rating plus the two-speed transfer case and hill descent for wet ramps
Gravel county roads, a hunting lease, forest service roads	AT4	Two-speed transfer case, hill descent and the full drive-mode set; the value inflection of the ladder
A daily driver that happens to be a truck	Denali	Bose, surround view, wireless charging, leather, with capability identical to AT4
Technical trails, rock, ruts	AT4X	DSSV dampers and two lockers, but, properly equipped, the tow rating drops to 6,000 lbs

Our read: the AT4, from $45,500 excluding destination, is the trim to beat, because it is the cheapest Canyon with the transfer case and the locker while keeping the lineup's full tow rating of 7,700 lbs, properly equipped. Denali buys comfort, not capability. AT4X buys trail hardware and charges you towing for it. All prices exclude destination freight. Run the numbers on the trim you want with our payment calculator, or talk to our finance team before you settle on a trim.

Why here

Why Buy the 2026 Canyon at Allen Tillery in Hot Springs

We have sold trucks on Central Avenue since 1967, and the store is still family-run. Drivers come up Interstate 30 from Bryant, Little Rock and Malvern because a mid-size truck is a considered purchase and it deserves a straight conversation about which trim you actually need, often a cheaper one than you walked in expecting. Our GMC-certified service department stays with the truck long after the sale. Browse the Canyon trucks on our lot right now, or book a test drive and run one yourself. Questions first? Call (501) 881-4160.

Answers

2026 Canyon Frequently Asked Questions

Explore the 2026 Canyon