GMC Canyon AT4X AEV: All the Bells & Whistles

GMC's AEV-equipped Canyon offers all-conditions performance in a premium package.

October 10, 2025 By David Draper

I have a soft spot in my heart for mid-sized trucks, likely due to my father, who drove an early ‘80s Datsun 720 4WD for several years. That off-road ready pickup, and a rotating stable of Chevy Luvs, Ford Rangers and other small to mid-size trucks, made their way through my life during my high school years. I was even nearly the owner of a Subaru Brat that, thankfully, sold before I could save up enough cash from my dish washing job to make the purchase. Though all that experience riding around in smaller pickups formed my idea of what a snack-sized truck was capable of, I’ve never actually owned one. So, when GMC reached out about a test ride in their 2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV, I was more than intrigued.

Head and Shoulders Above

truck driving through canyon — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

Although it rides in the same class as the Toyota Tacoma, the Canyon carries itself a lot differently. At first glance, the AEV-equipped Canyon delivers an impression of strength, mostly due to its squat, but wide 66-inch stance. If it were a human, one would describe it as a fireplug, or more accurately, built like a brick $#!thouse. Remember that short guy in high school that parted the crowds with his wide shoulders, lettered in wrestling and was an all-around tough S.O.B., but one that everyone got along with? That’s the 2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV edition.

Much of that authority comes thanks to tires, suspension and an aggressive body style with wider fender flares than the standard mid-size driver. The Canyon gets a 35-inch tire upgrade included in the AEV package, which are wrapped around 17-inch rims that can retrofit beadlocks for those who like the added security they provide. These shoes, along with an off-road suspension system that includes Multimatic DSSV dampers, lifts the truck to an impressive 12.2-inches above all but the biggest trail obstacles.

truck bed — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

One downside to those big tires is carrying a spare, something the Canyon solves by adding a spare carrier bolted to the front panel of the truck’s bed. Due to the overall middlin’ size of the Canyon, that 5.5-ft. bed is already diminutive and a bulky spare takes up a lot of space. For a sportsman like me, who hauls a lot of stuff into the field, that’s too much to sacrifice. Sticking the spare underneath isn’t really an option—the size of the tire would eliminate what is a class-leading clearance rating and knock down the departure angle to nil. If I opted to keep the Canyon, I’d shop for an aftermarket swing-away spare carrier on the rear bumper—not an ideal solution, but better than being stuck in the backcountry with a shredded sidewall.

AEV steel bumpers with recovery points, full-length rock armor along the sides and a front skidplate that enhances the more than adequate 38.2-degree approach angle add to the AT4X’s off-road capability and appearance. And, of course, there’s a snorkel, because what self-respecting truck owner would go off pavement with this now ubiquitous, and mostly unnecessary accessory in place. (Sorry, unless I’m racing in the silt beds, snorkels have jumped the shark in my book.)

Cockpit Controls

truck interior — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

For all of the GMC Canyon AT4X AEV’s tough-guy exterior, the interior is preppy cool. I can’t oversell my shock when I opened the door and saw appointed white-leather blocking on the seats, door panels and, most notably, the pads wrapped around the center console. I don’t know how you drive, but my thighs are pressed tight against these areas, especially in difficult terrain, and my first thought was how dirty they would be after one trip into the hills. Does the interior look cool? Yes, it does. But I’m a function-over-fashion kind of guy and the white gets a thumbs down. My younger self would have loved the flashy red accents, especially the seatbelt.

The interior is roomier than I expected from a mid-size truck. Whether due to overall volume of space or just design enhancements, the Canyon doesn’t have that cramped feel I get when riding in a Toyota Tacoma. The digital instrument panel is informative and intuitive. Plus, it can be cycled through several different modes depending on the type and amount of information you crave when driving. I immediately toggled to the pared-down display showing just the current speed (which is also projected on to a heads-up display on the windshield).

truck dash — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

For more information, there’s an 11-inch touchscreen that provides everything from Apple Carplay or Google Play data to a variety of exterior camera angles, including front, rear, 360° and even an under-carriage camera that was perpetually dirty, but neat nonetheless. The touchscreen can also toggle through three off-road display modes: Baja, Terrain and Overlanding. (The displays are not necessarily associated with the Canyon’s drive modes, which include Baja and Terrain, along with, Normal, Off-Road and Tow/Haul). The selective displays do give drivers real-time directional G-force readings, steering angle, pitch/roll degrees, tire pressure, altimeter and GPS and compass readings.

Drive Time

truck kicking up dirt — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

Going for fun right out of the gate, I turned the drive-mode dial (which serves dual-purpose as the 2WD/4WD push-button control) to Baja mode and stomped on the gas pedal. For a heavy-looking truck standing atop 35-inch tires, I was shocked at the throttle response, which pushed me back into the seat as the Goodyears threw gravel behind me. My dirt driveway makes a wide curve onto the main road and the tail end of the truck slid slightly before the power pulled the truck into the straightaway. The Canyon AT4X AEV has both front and rear lockers, giving the truck plenty of off-road credibility whether crawling through tough terrain in Off-Road mode or blowing through dunes in Baja mode. Of course, experienced drivers can opt to ignore the pre-installed drive modes and use the on-board controls to deliver their preferred driving experience.

truck grill — (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

That unexpected power I experienced comes thanks to a peak 310-horsepower in-line four-cylinder 2.7 liter engine. My old-school ‘80s mindset still wants to scoff at anything under eight cylinders, but the more I drive modern mid-sized vehicles, the more I’m impressed by power that punches well above their weight class. The transmission is an eight-speed automatic that never gave any indication of lag when throttling through the entire power cycle. Top speed of the 2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV flirts with the century mark, or so it has been rumored. Impressive to say the least when rolling on such oversized rubber.

My test drive was cut short due to some out-of-town travel on my part, but I was able to give the Canyon a few days of serious dirt work. Drive Mode info is lacking and requires the kind of Internet sleuthing I’m not interested in. Instead, I cycled through each as I cruised the country roads and gravel two-tracks crisscrossing the Nebraska Panhandle. Contrary to popular belief, this country is not flat and I was able to find plenty of terrain to give the Canyon a good test. I came away impressed, not only by its power, but also its capability in cornering on loose gravel, sun-beaten hardpack, rocky slot canyons and overgrown pasture that I discovered was home to a family of badgers.

suspension — Multimatic’s dynamic spool valve dampers are tweaked to provide controlled handling on pavement, while softening the off-road ride. (Photo courtesy of Tess Rousey)

Good looks and all, the AEV Canyon is purpose-built for off-pavement performance. The truck glided over all but the biggest badger holes, the Multimatic DSSV suspension dampers absorbing the bumps and keeping the Canyon on a straight line through the mixed-grass prairie. On the highway, it was also surprisingly friendly as a daily driver. No awkward handling when cornering pavement at city speeds or high-speed shake I often associate with oversized tires. Inside the cab, life was comfortably quiet, albeit the aggressive tread of the Wrangler Territory MT tires did keep things humming, if you know what I mean. No worries, the premium Bose sound system pumping ‘80s metal through the six speakers drowned any and all road noise.