Driving down the highway, grooving to Miriam Makeba’s “Pata Pata” can do a number on your seat. No problem for the 2018 Canyon 4WD Crew Denali SWB. The leather-appointed heated and ventilated bucket seats can handle it. There’s enough leather in the right place to withstand your efforts to drop it like it’s hot.
Yes, my media review of the GMC’s top of the line mid-size pickup truck started there.
Equipped with a 3.6L, V6 engine and eight-speed transmission, it does what a tough pickup truck is supposed to do, for example, provide more than 300 horsepower, up to 7,000 pounds in tow capacity, and of course loads of storage space, including that space under the folding bench in the rear.
Aesthetically, this short bed pickup truck does more than appease drivers with gargantuan appetites for the bold and beautiful. The red quartz tint coat exterior combined with the jet black interior and chrome accents, from the heated outside mirrors to the signature grille, can cause a drool affect, even if your tastes lean more toward the sedan or SUV market. Add the 20-inch ultra-bright machined aluminum, a rare size for midsize pickup trucks, and you have something special.
Projector-style headlamps with signature LED lighting and chrome fog lamp bezels, too? Shine bright…Don’t get me started.
My test drives of pickup trucks is few and far in between, but when I am honored with seat time, I want my entries and exits to be smooth whether it be into the five-seat cab or accessing storage items in the bed of the truck. The five-inch chrome assist steps were helpful. It was also easy to access my seat with adjustments that can be made utilizing the manual tilt and telescoping steering column.
I was really excited about the rear bumper corner step, designed almost like a little cubby, making sure your feet don’t slip off the step. I can see where the EZ lift and lower tailgate (that locks) as well as the spray-on bed liner with tie-downs would be very useful.
I want to high five the engineers that included the power lumbar support for the driver. I think it’s a necessity for every vehicle, but a lot do not include them.
Fooling around with big colorful buttons on the eight-inch diagonal color touch screen and infotainment center was a breeze. In fact the layout of the dash and the steering wheel controls made it a no-brainer to operate audio system, phone access, cruise control and other cool driver controls. Hint, hint: Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability.
With all of the technology –yes 4 USB ports too, we must not skip the obvious. It’s a pickup truck. Anyone who drives one regularly knows immediately if they can fit into a parking spot. I needed the driver alert package including forward collision alert and lane departure warning. It gets your attention via audio and visual alerts or the safety seat sensor, which is a pulse to both sides of the seat cushion. In the midst dancing, it kind of threw me off beat though. Whew!
2018 Canyon 4WD Crew Denali SWB: $43,270; Combined CityHighway MPG: 19.
