By Nick Nelson | May 24, 2022, at 3:56 p.m.
Colorado vs. Canyon: Which Is Better?
The 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado are well-known trucks. They’re both produced by General Motors, and they compete against each other in our compact pickup truck rankings. These two compact trucks share identical DNA with only slight styling differences. GMC is a slightly more upscale version of Chevrolet, so the Canyon has a few more bells and whistles at the top Denali trim.
With all that said, these two trucks both sit in the top half of our rankings due to their capable performance, roomy interiors and straightforward layouts. In this slideshow, we will cycle through a number of categories and compare how these two compact trucks stack up against each other.
Keep in mind that the scores on our site are updated constantly as new expert reviews and data become available. Therefore, the scores mentioned in this slideshow may not match the scores in our reviews.
Price
Winner: 2022 Chevrolet Colorado
With a base price sitting around $25,000, the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado wins this round. Of course, that’s just the starting point. As you climb in price there are a number of different trims, body configurations, and bed lengths. The Colorado tops out at about $44,000.
The 2022 GMC Canyon starts at $26,800 for its base trim although it only goes up to $41,200 for the Denali trim.
Both compact trucks are reasonably priced for this segment, but the Chevrolet offers a slight edge.
Reliability
Winner: 2022 Chevrolet Colorado
The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado narrowly edges out the 2022 GMC Canyon when it comes to reliability. The Colorado has a predicted reliability score 82 out of 100, whereas the 2022 GMC Canyon is scored at 79 out of 100.
A J.D. Power predicted reliability score of 91-100 is considered the Best, 81-90 is Great, 70-80 is Average, and 0-69 is Fair and considered below average.
Cargo Space
Winner: Tie
Considering that these two trucks are offered in the same body styles, their cargo capacities are identical. Both the 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado offer a choice between a 6-foot-2-inch long box and a 5-foot-2-inch box. Those are typical sizes for the class, and they can accommodate a number of items. It should be noted that both of these trucks have slightly narrow beds.
In addition to the two bed lengths, both the Colorado and the Canyon are available in Extended and Crew Cab body styles.
Seat Comfort
Winner: Tie
Both the 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado seat up to five passengers across two rows, depending on the size of the cab. Extended cab models offer cramped seating for four passengers.
The front seats in both models offer elevated views of the road, supportive cushioning, and ample head and leg room. The rear seats in both crew cab models aren’t very spacious for adults, but should be just fine for shorter trips. The Extended Cab models also offer a rear seat, but it is quite small and perhaps is best left for storage.
Interior Quality
Winner: Tie
The 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado both feature pretty utilitarian interiors. There are a lot of hard plastics and sturdy surfaces, which make them feel rather spartan but durable. Functionality is of the utmost importance of a compact truck, and these trucks live up to that virtue.
These trucks are tied for interior quality.
Interior Features
Winner: Tie
Both of these General Motors compact trucks offer a number of modern technological features. Given that they share the same DNA, they are evenly matched in what they offer.
Both the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado and the 2022 GMC Canyon feature a central 7-inch touch screen, smartphone integration, two USB ports and a six-speaker stereo. Available features include wireless device charging, a larger touch screen and a seven-speaker stereo.
Acceleration
Winner: Tie
The 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado offer the same engine choices and thus tie in this category as well. Options include a base 200-horsepower four-cylinder, a 308-horsepower V6, and a 181-horsepower turbodiesel four-cylinder.
The standard engine does an OK job around town but if you’re wanting a punchier ride you should upgrade to the V6. The V6 is noticeably more powerful and returns just about the same fuel economy as the base engine.
If you’re seeking a thriftier option, the turbodiesel might be right for you. It gets stellar gas mileage and is great for towing.
Towing and Hauling
Winner: Tie
The 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado offer the same engines and the same towing capacities. The base engines can tow up to 3,500 pounds and haul 1,460 pounds. Those figures increase to 7,000 pounds for towing capacity and 1,550 for payload in the V6 models. The highest towing capability is with the turbodiesel which can pull up to 7,700 pounds but also has the lowest payload of 1,460 pounds.
For most buyers, the models with the V6 engines offer the most power and towing capacity for the money.
Fuel Economy
Winner: Tie
These trucks offer the same fuel economy. In the base rear-wheel drive models, the 2022 Chevy Colorado and the 2022 GMC Canyon offer 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. These figures drop to 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg in the highway for the V6, while the turbodiesel engine returns the best fuel economy of 20 mpg in the city and 30 mpg on the highway.
Ride and Handling
Winner: Tie
The 2022 GMC Canyon and the 2022 Chevrolet Colorado are built on the same platform, offer the same engine choices, and have essentially the same handling. With that said, these two compact trucks offer some of the best rides in the segment. They aren’t quite as agile as a car, but their suspension does a good job of mitigating most jitters along the road.
Both trucks offer responsive steering and fairly easy maneuvering in tight parking spots.
Off-Road Ride and Handling
Winner: 2022 Chevrolet Colorado
The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado excels in this category due to its ZR2 and ZR2 Bison trims, which offer significant off-road upgrades. These models offer locking front and rear differentials, beefed-up suspension, and hill descent control.
The 2022 GMC Canyon AT4 can also go off-roading. The AT4 has 8.1-inches of ground clearance, transmission skid plates, and rock panel guards. But while it’s reasonably capable, the AT4 can’t match the capability of the Colorado’s ZR2 models.
Safety
Winner: Tie
Both compact trucks received the same safety scores and offer the same safety features. The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado and the 2022 GMC Canyon received four out of five stars from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Standard safety features are minimal in both models but do include a rearview camera and teen driver. Additional features include cruise control, rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning.
Neither truck has been evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
The Winner Is …
Winner: 2022 Chevrolet Colorado
The 2022 Chevrolet Colorado and the 2022 GMC Canyon are essentially twins. They also both rank in the top half among compact trucks thanks to their well-rounded set of features.
Both trucks offer hefty towing capacities, decent gas figures, solid off-road capabilities, and straightforward infotainment systems. Both trucks are offered with either extended cab or crew cab and either a 5-foot-2-inch or 6-foot-2-inch bed lengths.
It’s clear that these two are so similar that you really have to nitpick to declare a winner in this showdown, but the Chevy earns the victory because of its lower price, slightly better predicted reliability score and superior off-roading ability.
