2022 GMC Sierra 1500 vs 2023 GMC Canyon

The GMC Sierra 1500 light-duty pickup truck has been around since 1999 but has seemingly lived in the shadow of its identical twin, the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, ever since. This is despite the fact that GMC is marketed as the premium alternative. Sales tell a different story, though, with the everyman Silverado moving twice as many units last year as the Sierra.

The GMC Sierra receives a significant makeover for 2022. With a bolder exterior design, a more lavish interior, standard high-end technology, and increased utility, the new Sierra also further elevates the GMC brand with its new high-grade Denali Ultimate and off-road-tuned AT4X models.

2023 marks the third generation of GMC's midsize pickup truck. The first-generation Canyon arrived for the 2004 model year as a replacement for the compact GMC Sonoma, and after a short hiatus a second-generation Canyon was introduced as a 2015 model. Throughout, the Canyon has been a twin of the Chevrolet Colorado, with only a few differences to distinguish the ostensibly upscale GMC from its working-class sibling. That changes for 2023.

The new Canyon is once again based on the Colorado, sharing the Chevy's body-on-frame platform, powertrain, and tech features. This time around, though, the Canyon is further distinguished from the Colorado by skipping some of the Chevy's entry-level features. That will raise the out-the-door price of a 2023 Canyon, but it's in keeping with the truck's positioning above the Colorado.

The Canyon is once again available in the base Elevation, luxury Denali, and off-road-oriented AT4 grades familiar to owners of the outgoing model. For 2023, GMC also adds a Canyon AT4X model that dials up the off-road capability. We drove it, as well as the Elevation and AT4 models, to see if this redesign is really an improvement.