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Pricing
Winner: 2017 Chevrolet Colorado (Details Below)
The Colorado starts at $20,000, which is slightly cheaper than the Canyon’s base price. The Colorado Base trim comes with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a regular cab, and a rearview camera.
The similar base Canyon starts at $20,885, which is still on the lower end of the compact pickup truck class.
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Seat Comfort and Interior Refinement
Winner: 2017 GMC Canyon (Details Below)
Seating accommodations in the Colorado and the Canyon are the same. Both can seat up to five and offer plenty of headroom. According to critics, the trucks’ cabins are attractive and quiet, but passengers may want more supportive seats on longer trips.
The base models seat two, while the extended cab seats four, but rear seating is cramped. The crew cab configuration provides seating for five and offers substantial legroom in the rear seats. Though the trucks’ interiors are nearly identical, the Canyon steps up the use of high-quality materials.
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Interior Technology
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
A 4.2-inch display screen, a six-speaker audio system, and a USB port come standard in the Canyon and the Colorado. New for 2017 is an optional 7-inch touch-screen infotainment system, and upper trims get an 8-inch touch screen. Both larger touch screens support Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A Wi-Fi hot spot is also available in both trucks.
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Cargo Space
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
The Colorado is available with a 6-foot-2-inch Long Box (Extended Cab or Crew Cab) or a 5-foot-2-inch Short Box (Crew Cab). The Canyon is available with a 6-foot-2-inch bed in Extended Cab configurations and a 5-foot-2-inch bed in Crew Cab configurations. An available EZ Lift-and-Lower tailgate can be operated with one hand.
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Engines
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
The Colorado and Canyon come with the same powertrain choices and share similar specs. The base models come with a 200-horsepower 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine. A six-speed manual transmission comes standard, though a six-speed automatic is available. The new, upgraded 3.6-liter V6 is mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission and makes 308 horsepower. Topping the engine lineup is the 181-horsepower 2.8-liter four-cylinder turbodiesel.
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Ride and Handling
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
Both compact pickup trucks provide a smooth, comfortable ride, and critics were impressed with the precise steering and strong brakes. Handling is agile in both trucks, and road imperfections are cancelled out by the trucks’ soft suspension. Because they are equally equipped, and provide similar driving experiences, this category is too close to call a winner.
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Fuel Efficiency
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
Not surprisingly, according to the EPA, the Colorado and the Canyon are twins when it comes to fuel economy. Both return 19 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway with the base four-cylinder engine and manual transmission. The automatic transmission bumps the city mpg to 20, though the highway mpg remains at 26.
The V6 engine is still highly efficient at 18 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. With the top-of-the-line four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, fuel efficiency increases to 22 mpg city and 30 highway.
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Towing
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
The Colorado and the Canyon top all other compact pickup trucks in maximum towing capacity. The available four-cylinder turbodiesel engine cranks out 369 pound-feet of torque and can tow a whopping 7,700 pounds when equipped with the optional Trailering Package. The midrange V6 engine can tow 7,000 pounds and the base four-cylinder can tow up to 3,500.
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Off-Road Performance
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
Both of General Motors’ compact pickup trucks come standard with rear-wheel drive, although four-wheel drive is available. Off-road suspension and hill descent control are also available in both models. Each truck offers an off-road model with extra features like all-terrain tires, a transfer case shield, and a locking rear differential.
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Safety
Winner: Tie (Details Below)
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the 2017 Colorado and the 2017 Canyon four out of five stars in overall safety. Both received five stars in the side crash test, but only earned four stars in the frontal crash test and three stars in the rollover test.
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) gives both compact pickup trucks a top rating of Good for the moderate overlap front test, which is the only test the organization conducted on these models.
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And the Winner Is ...
2017 Chevrolet Colorado (Details Below)
Both compact pickups rank near the top of the class for a reason, though the Colorado is more affordable and more reliable, and the Canyon is more upscale and slightly better-equipped.
You will have to decide if the extra money is worth the Canyon’s more upscale configuration. However, it is our expert opinion that the Colorado’s better reliability and lower price make it the better buy.
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More Shopping Tools From U.S. News & World Report
Are you interested in the Chevrolet Colorado or the GMC Canyon? Click on the preceding links to learn more about each model. You can also visit our compact pickup truck rankings to learn about rival models.
Check out our new car deals and lease deals pages to view special offers. When you’re ready to buy, visit the U.S. News Best Price Program to find the dealers with the best price in your area. Shoppers who use the Best Price Program have saved an average of $3,279 off the MSRP.
Canyon vs. Colorado: Which Small GM Pickup Is Best for You?
While the GMC Canyon and the Chevrolet Colorado are both exceptional compact pickup trucks that share many similarities, they are designed to appeal to a different audience. Traditionally, General Motors considers Chevrolet a mass-market brand, while GMC’s target audience is professionals or executives.
Both compact pickup trucks returned to the market as 2015 models, following a three-year hiatus. The 2017 Colorado offers unparalleled value, and it earned our Best Compact Truck for the Money award for the third consecutive year. The Canyon costs a bit more and offers all the same qualities and configurations, some additional standard and available features, and a more upscale design.
For 2017, both models come standard with a Teen Driver safety feature, an optional 7-inch touch screen, and an upgraded V6 engine and eight-speed automatic transmission. The Canyon adds a Denali trim and an All Terrain X off-road package for the 2017 model year.
The choice between General Motors’ twin compact pickup trucks comes down to minor details and your personal preferences. Let’s dive into the specifics on the following slides, so that you can make a research-based decision.