The New 2026 GMC Canyon Denali Changes and Colors. This remark, “No,” has been uttered by every single owner of a GMC truck at some point or another. I was fortunate enough to get the opportunity to review the 2016 Chevrolet Colorado Duramax, which was a truck that I absolutely adored.
The new 2026 GMC Canyon Denali that I owned was equipped with a Duramax diesel engine. The moment had come to discover the reasons why the Canyon is superior to its Colorado sibling, which was born isolated from it.
Features and capabilities of the 2026 GMC Canyon Denali Duramax are discussed here.
There are three distinct engines that are available as options for the GMC Canyon. the ordinary four-cylinder engine with 2.5 liters of displacement, which is not commensurate with the capabilities of this truck. You have the option of upgrading to a 3.6-liter V6 engine that produces a shockingly rapid 308 horsepower, but you can also have the Duramax diesel engine for an additional $3,370.
This engine is a turbo diesel four-cylinder unit that has a capacity of 2.8 liters and produces 180 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is bolted to the vehicle.
Although it might not seem like much on paper, the GMC Canyon can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in under seven seconds. The moment you put your foot down, Duramax will respond, enabling you to pass anything that is crowded into the slow lane. While the GMC Canyon is capable of towing up to 7,600 pounds, it has a payload capacity of slightly more than 1,500 pounds.
The 2026 GMC Canyon provides a ride that is not only comfortable but also unexpectedly good in terms of handling. One of my favorite things about this new Canyon is that it can still be driven like a regular pickup truck.
A good amount of fuel economy may be achieved with the Duramax. The Canyon has a range of 600 miles when the tank is full, and it achieves 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 miles per gallon on the highway. A week of driving resulted in an average of 25 miles per gallon for me!
When considering the GMC Canyon Denali, the starting price is $39k. However, if you add the 4 × 4 option, which costs $4,000, and the Duramax engine, you should anticipate paying $50k for a Canyon. This review was conducted on a device that cost $48,420.
The 2026 GMC Canyon Denali interior
The Denali, which is a luxury trim level and the closest you’ll get to a Cadillac or Buick interior within the General Motors family tree, was the car that was used for this test. It came as a surprise to me when I entered the building and felt… dissatisfied. This vehicle did not have a warning system for blind spot detection, and the gear shift lever appeared to have been recycled from a 2002 Chevrolet Malibu.
The answer is yes; you will receive a wireless charging pad, an infotainment system with an 8-inch touchscreen, and a Bose audio system with seven speakers. In addition to heated and ventilated seats and a steering wheel that is wrapped in leather, all of which are already standard amenities in contemporary automobiles, where is the luxury that the Denali offers?
My now-outdated Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge was unable to accommodate the charging pad because it was too small. However, considering that this is 2026, it is quite difficult to be wowed by a contemporary interior that is made entirely of black leather. The seats are made of leather.
The Canyon Denali is the only model that GMC sells with a black leather interior, and the few pieces of wood that are scattered throughout the cabin are difficult to see due to the absence of space in the dark leather interior.
On a brand that is already considered to be premium, it is intended to have the feel of a luxury interior package. It is also important to keep in mind that the Denali trim level is an option that costs four thousand dollars. A Denali nameplate, a chrome grille with a higher shine, and a bed liner that says “DENALI” are the only things I can think of that are being purchased with that money.
The 2026 GMC Canyon Denali exterior
It is the exterior style of the 2026 GMC Canyon Denali that brings the vehicle back to its former glory. When compared side by side, this mid-size truck makes my full-size GMC Sierra, which is twenty years old, look like a Datsun mini-truck. Despite this, it still appears to have reasonable proportions.
Other pickup trucks have front-end faces that give the impression that they are wearing face guards similar to those found on football helmets. To give the impression that they are more intimidating, their front grilles are fanned out and hide the headlamps. The most recent Chevrolet Silverado is a great illustration of this.
There is no requirement that trucks constantly have to have the appearance of eating their steak rare with a side of blood for gravy. It is acceptable to create a pickup truck that is both aesthetically pleasing and capable of performing the duties of a lumberjack who uses his beard to cut down trees.
Read: The Upcoming 2026 Toyota Tacoma Colors and Redesign
Thankfully, GMC has made the decision to redefine itself from following the herd in this Rambo style fad! There are notable similarities between the Sierra and the Canyon. Large square headlamps with round lights, a grille that stands proudly, and a front bumper that bends to give it a smile are all features of this vehicle.
One could say that the GMC Canyon is a gorgeous lad with a crooked smile who is attempting to appear modest while covertly feeding its ego with attention.
The final thoughts on the 2026 GMC Canyon Denali Duramax
The pricing is the only thing that I have a problem with about this luxury-trimmed diesel mid-sized commercial truck. I have driven both the Colorado and the Canyon, both of which are equipped with the same Duramax engine; therefore, I do not see why the Canyon Denali is priced so much higher. This is because it is a Denali.
There are two pairs of aviator sunglasses that are exactly the same. One pair can be purchased at a standard kiosk at the shopping center for the price of $45, while the other pair costs $300 due to the fact that it has a designer sticker on the corner of the lens. You are paying for the reputation of the brand, but you are not receiving a significant improvement in exchange for the additional expense. That is the issue that I have with this truck.
Whoever purchases this will, at some point in the future, have a conversation with a Colorado Duramax owner, and when they learn that the Colorado also includes leather seats, a bed liner, and an 8-inch touchscreen, they may feel as though they have been tricked. There is no way that it would be worthwhile to pay additional money for Denali’s reputation on this particular model.
