Comparison
2026 GMC Canyon vs Chevy Colorado Hot Springs AR
Same engine. Same transmission. Same cab, same bed, same tow rating, same assembly plant. We sell both. This page is not going to pretend one of them wins.
The 2026 GMC Canyon and the 2026 Chevrolet Colorado are built on the same platform in the same plant in Wentzville, Missouri. Both use the 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged four-cylinder, rated at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque. Both use an 8-speed automatic. Both come one way: crew cab, five-foot bed, five seats. Properly equipped on the conventional hitch, both tow up to 7,700 lbs, and both off-road halo trims drop to 6,000 lbs for the same reason. If you have read a page that tells you one of these trucks is dramatically better than the other, that page was selling something.
The Allen Tillery family has sold GM vehicles since 1967, and we sell both of these trucks. Canyons live here at Allen Tillery Buick GMC. Colorados live at our Chevrolet store. Buyers drive in from Benton, from Bryant, from Little Rock, and from as far out as Benton on a Saturday morning, to compare them side by side, and we would rather you bought the right one than the one on this lot. Here is where they actually differ.
The short version
The Canyon's ladder starts higher and ends nicer. Every trim gets a 2-inch factory lift and a widened track. It has a Denali. It has no work truck.
The Colorado's ladder starts lower and runs longer. Six models, from a fleet-spec WT to the ZR2 Bison. No factory lift below Trail Boss. No luxury trim.
The GMC
2026 GMC Canyon Overview
Four trims: Elevation at $38,900, AT4 at $45,500, Denali at $53,300 and AT4X at $57,300, all excluding a $2,095 destination charge. Every one of them ships with off-road suspension carrying a 2-inch factory lift and a widened track, an 11.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in, an 11.0-inch digital Driver Information Center, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and the ProGrade Trailering System. Properly equipped on the conventional hitch, the Elevation, AT4 and Denali tow 7,700 lbs; the AT4X tows 6,000 lbs. Payload runs from 1,670 pounds on the Elevation 2WD down to 1,260 pounds on the AT4X. The Canyon is 213.2 inches long on a 131.4-inch wheelbase and weighs 4,410 to 4,960 pounds.
The Chevrolet
2026 Chevrolet Colorado Overview
Six models: WT at $32,400, Custom at $33,545, LT at $36,000, Trail Boss at $40,500, Z71 at $44,600 and ZR2 at $50,700, all excluding destination, with a ZR2 Bison edition above that. The same 2.7L TurboMax, the same 8-speed, the same crew cab and five-foot bed, and the same 11.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in and 11-inch Driver Information Center standard from the WT up. Chevy Safety Assist is standard on every trim. Properly equipped on the conventional hitch the Colorado tows 7,700 lbs; the ZR2 tows 6,000 lbs. It is 214 inches long and weighs 4,340 to 5,260 pounds. There is no factory lift on the WT, the Custom or the LT.
Underneath
Powertrain Comparison
This is the shortest section on the page, because there is nothing to compare.
| 2026 GMC Canyon | 2026 Chevrolet Colorado | |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged I-4 | 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged I-4 |
| Output | 310 hp / 430 lb-ft | 310 hp / 430 lb-ft |
| Transmission | 8-speed automatic | 8-speed automatic |
| Max towing, properly equipped, conventional hitch | 7,700 lbs (Elevation, AT4, Denali) | 7,700 lbs |
| Off-road halo trim towing | 6,000 lbs (AT4X) | 6,000 lbs (ZR2) |
| Cab and bed | Crew Cab, 5-ft. bed, only configuration | Crew Cab, 5-ft. bed, only configuration |
| Seating | 5 | 5 |
| Assembly plant | Wentzville, Missouri | Wentzville, Missouri |
One engine, one gearbox, one cab, one bed, one plant. Any page that claims one of these trucks pulls harder than the other is describing a difference that does not exist. Fuel economy tracks drivetrain and tires rather than badge; sources disagree on the Colorado's published figures and we are not going to print a number we could not source from Chevrolet.
Inside
Interior and Technology Comparison
The screens are the same. An 11.3-inch touchscreen with Google built-in and a large digital driver display are standard on the base trim of both trucks, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto across both lineups. Neither brand makes you climb the ladder to get connected.
The materials are where they part. The Canyon Denali offers perforated leather with Teak accents and laser-etched wood, a Bose seven-speaker system, HD Surround Vision and 20-inch diamond-cut wheels. The Colorado has no equivalent trim; its Z71 blends comfort with off-road hardware but stops short of luxury. Going the other way, the Colorado WT and Custom sit below anything GMC builds, with steel wheels and a work-first cabin. The Colorado also carries an EZ Lift and Lower tailgate with StowFlex storage; the Canyon answers with MultiStow.
One clear Chevrolet advantage: Chevy Safety Assist is standard on every Colorado and Chevrolet publishes exactly what is in it, naming Forward Collision Alert, Automatic Emergency Braking, Front Pedestrian Braking, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, the Following Distance Indicator and IntelliBeam. GMC groups the Canyon's equivalent content into Canyon Pro Safety and Canyon Safety Plus and does not publish their contents for 2026. On a Canyon, read the window sticker.
The money
Pricing and Value
Both brands quote MSRP the same way, excluding a destination freight charge. GMC's is $2,095. Chevrolet publishes its own charge separately and we have not sourced it from Chevrolet directly, so confirm it on the window sticker before you compare all-in prices. The starting figures below are on the same excluded basis and do compare directly.
| 2026 GMC Canyon | 2026 Chevrolet Colorado | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry model | Elevation, $38,900 | WT, $32,400 |
| Second rung | AT4, $45,500 | Custom, $33,545 |
| Third rung | Denali, $53,300 | LT, $36,000 |
| Off-road value trim | No direct equivalent | Trail Boss, $40,500 |
| Off-road halo | AT4X, $57,300 | ZR2, $50,700 |
| Luxury trim | Denali, $53,300 | None offered |
| Work trim | None offered | WT, $32,400 |
| Destination charge | $2,095 | Published separately by Chevrolet; confirm on the sticker |
The Colorado is the cheaper way into a midsize GM truck: $32,400 against $38,900 at the entry. The Canyon is the only way into a luxury one. Neither of those facts is a criticism.
For the GMC
Where the 2026 Canyon Wins
A factory lift on every trim. Every Canyon, including the $38,900 Elevation, ships with off-road suspension carrying a 2-inch lift and a widened track. On the Colorado, that lift arrives at the Trail Boss. The WT, the Custom and the LT have none. If you want a lifted midsize truck without buying an off-road trim, only GMC sells one.
A luxury trim. The Denali gives you perforated leather, laser-etched wood, Bose audio, HD Surround Vision, a wireless charging pad and 20-inch diamond-cut wheels, with the full 7,700-lb tow rating properly equipped. Chevrolet builds nothing like it in this segment.
A simpler decision. Four trims instead of six. One of them is the answer for most people, and it is the AT4.
Payload published by trim. GMC states 1,670, 1,610, 1,570, 1,390 and 1,260 pounds across the ladder. That lets you match the truck to the trailer before you sign, rather than after.
For the Chevrolet
Where the 2026 Colorado Wins
It starts lower, at $32,400 against the Canyon Elevation at $38,900. The WT is a genuine work truck, and the Custom at $33,545 is a genuine value trim. GMC does not compete at either price. If your truck is a tool and the budget is the constraint, buy the Colorado.
Chevrolet tells you what is in the safety suite. Chevy Safety Assist is standard on every trim and Chevrolet enumerates its six features publicly. GMC does not do this for the Canyon. That is a real advantage for a buyer trying to compare trucks on a screen at midnight.
More rungs on the ladder. Six models mean you can buy exactly the truck you need. The Trail Boss in particular gives you a 2-inch lift, four-wheel drive and a locking rear differential for $40,500, where the Canyon AT4 lists at $45,500.
The ZR2 costs less than the AT4X. $50,700 against $57,300, for a 3-inch lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers and front and rear electronic locking differentials on both. The ZR2 Bison edition adds five boron-steel skid plates and 35-inch mud-terrain tires. If the hardware is what you are buying, the Chevrolet is the cheaper route to it.
The decision
Which Truck Should You Choose?
Route by need, not by badge. Both trucks are on our lots and we do not care which one you drive home.
| If this is you | Buy this | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Budget is the constraint and the truck is a tool | Chevrolet Colorado WT or Custom | $32,400 to $33,545. GMC builds nothing at that price. |
| You want a lifted truck without buying an off-road trim | GMC Canyon Elevation | 2-in. factory lift and widened track, standard, at $38,900 |
| You want maximum off-road hardware for the least money | Chevrolet Colorado Trail Boss or ZR2 | Trail Boss at $40,500; ZR2 at $50,700 with the same DSSV dampers and lockers as the AT4X |
| You tow a trailer most weekends | Either. Genuinely. | Both tow 7,700 lbs properly equipped on the conventional hitch. Pick the trim, not the badge. |
| You want the nicest cabin in the segment | GMC Canyon Denali | Chevrolet offers no luxury trim in the midsize class |
| You want the absolute limit of factory off-road capability | Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 Bison | Five boron-steel skid plates and 35-in. mud-terrains |
Three of those six rows send you to a Chevrolet. That is not a mistake, and it is not modesty. The Allen Tillery group sells both trucks, and the fastest way to lose a customer is to sell them the wrong one. If the Colorado is your truck, our Chevrolet store has it.
Come drive
Drive Both at Allen Tillery
Allen Tillery Buick GMC, 4573 Central Ave, Hot Springs, AR 71913. Family-run since 1967. Canyons are here; Colorados are at our Chevrolet store a short drive away. Drivers come to us from Benton, from Bryant and from Little Rock, and off Highway 7 and Interstate 30, to sit in both in one afternoon, which is the only way anyone has ever settled this. See the Canyons in stock, book a test drive, or call (501) 881-4160 and tell us which one you want to start with. We will have both ready.
Answers
Canyon vs Colorado FAQs
Is the GMC Canyon the same truck as the Chevy Colorado?
Mechanically, almost. Both use the 2.7L TurboMax turbocharged four-cylinder rated at 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque, both run an 8-speed automatic, both come only as a crew cab with a five-foot bed, both seat five, both tow up to 7,700 lbs properly equipped on the conventional hitch, and both are assembled in Wentzville, Missouri. What differs is the trim ladder, the standard suspension and where each brand spends the money.
Which one is cheaper, the Canyon or the Colorado?
The Colorado starts lower. The Colorado WT lists at $32,400 excluding destination; the Canyon Elevation lists at $38,900 excluding destination. Both brands charge a $2,095 destination fee. But the two entry trims are not the same truck: the Colorado WT has no factory lift and rides on steel wheels, while the Canyon Elevation ships with a 2-inch factory lift, a widened track and 18-inch aluminum wheels on all-terrain tires.
Does the Colorado have a luxury trim like the Canyon Denali?
No. The Colorado's ladder tops out with off-road trims: Trail Boss, Z71 and ZR2. Its Z71 blends comfort with capability, but Chevrolet builds no direct equivalent to the Canyon Denali's perforated leather, Bose audio and 20-inch diamond-cut wheels. If you want the nicest cabin GM offers in a midsize truck, that is the Canyon.
Does the Canyon have a work truck like the Colorado WT?
No, and this cuts the other way. The Colorado offers a WT and a Custom below anything GMC builds. If you need a fleet-spec midsize truck at the lowest possible price, the Colorado is the correct answer and we will point you at our Chevrolet store.
Which is better off-road, the Canyon AT4X or the Colorado ZR2?
They are near twins. Both carry a 3-inch factory lift, Multimatic DSSV dampers and front and rear electronic locking differentials, and both drop to 6,000 lbs of towing properly equipped because of it. The AT4X runs 10.7 inches of ground clearance, and the ZR2 Bison edition goes higher still on 35-inch mud-terrain tires. The honest answer is to drive both. The bigger difference is that every Canyon trim has a factory lift, while the Colorado's arrives at Trail Boss.
Drive Them Back to Back
Same engine, same bed, same tow rating. Thirty minutes in each and you will know. We will bring both.
Explore the 2026 Canyon
MSRP excludes destination freight charge, tax, title, license, dealer fees, and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price. Chevrolet Colorado figures are the manufacturer's published figures as of the date of writing and are subject to change.
May not represent actual vehicle. (Options, colors, trim and body style may vary)
The Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price excludes tax, title, license, dealer fees and optional equipment. Dealer sets final price.