The 2020 GMC Canyon is a traditional truck that features an upscale look. It boasts responsive handling, a handsome interior, and class-leading towing and hauling capabilities. Let’s compare this great ride to the 2020 Nissan Frontier and you can make your choice. Reliable Buick GMC is here for you. Come take a drive.
Design and Style
The 2020 GMC Canyon features an impressive interior with high-quality materials and cabin design. Vinyl upholstery and a four-way power-adjustable driver’s seat are standard, with options that include leather upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a six-way power-adjustable driver’s seat, and a heated steering wheel. It seats two people; but the Extended Cab models have two rear seats, and Crew Cab models have a three-person rear bench seat. Crew Cab models offer extra legroom and full-size doors. The Extended Cab comes with a 6-foot-2-inch bed and the Crew Cab models can have either a 5-foot-2-inch or a 6-foot-2-inch bed. With the GMC Canyon’s base engine, it can tow 3,500 pounds. The GMC Canyon is available in six trims: Canyon SL, Canyon, Canyon SLE, Canyon SLT, Canyon all Terrain, and the Canyon Denali.
The 2020 Frontier belongs to a generation that began with the 2005 model year. Almost every competitor has a more modern and upscale interior than the 2020 Nissan Frontier. It provides a comfortable ride with reasonably comfortable front seats and offers plenty of visibility in all directions, while the rest of the interior offers no frills. Cloth upholstery comes standard, with available options that include premium cloth upholstery, power-adjustable front seats, and heated front seats. The Frontier comes in a four-seat King Cab with a 6-foot-1-inch bed and a five-seat Crew Cab that provides a 5-foot bed or a 6-foot-inch bed. The Crew Cab’s rear seats can accommodate adults pretty well but they’re a little cramped compared to most in its class. The rear seats of King Cab models are just small jump seats that provide little space. The Nissan Frontier is available in the S, SV, or Pro-4X trims.
Power and Handling
The GMC Canyon has a standard four-cylinder engine that gives you 200 horsepower and works great to get you around town. You can also opt for a 308-horsepower V6 engine that delivers smooth and quick acceleration for some of your heavy-duty work. A turbodiesel engine is also available and produces 181 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque. This is a good choice for low-end muscle. The four-cylinder and diesel engine are paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. The V6 is paired to an eight-speed automatic, which executes timely and precise shifts. With the GMC Canyon’s base engine, it can tow 3,500 pounds. When properly equipped with a turbo diesel engine, you will get a towing capability up to 7,700. That is one of the highest capabilities in the compact pickup truck class. With the Crew Cab, you will get a maximum payload capability of 1,605 pounds. The Canyon gets an estimated 20/30 mpg in the city and on the highway with its diesel engine and 20/26 mpg with its base engine.
The Frontier features a 3.8-liter V6 engine that gives you 310 horsepower and 281 pound-feet of torque and comes with a nine-speed automatic transmission. The engine performs well in most driving situations, but the transmission feels hesitant at times. You can add four-wheel drive to any Frontier for off-road adventures, but the Pro-4X will give you the best experience of handling trails. King Cab Frontier models can tow up to 6,720 pounds, while Crew Cab models have a maximum towing capacity of 6,500 pounds. It has a maximum payload of 1,460 pounds with either cab style. The two-wheel-drive Frontier models will get an estimated 18/24 mpg in the city and on the highway. Four-wheel drive models get 17/23 city/highway.
Safety and Tech Features, Price
The Canyon comes standard with a rearview camera and GM’s Teen Driver system. Available active safety features include rear parking sensors, forward collision warning, and lane departure warning. All Canyons come with the GMC’s intuitive infotainment system, featuring a 7-inch touch screen that is straightforward with easy to use controls. Android Auto and Apple CarPlay come standard and optional features include an 8-inch touch screen, HD Radio, satellite radio, a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless device charging, and navigation. Starting price for the basic two-seat Extended Cab Canyon SL is $22,200 and ranges to $40,500 for the Canyon Denali.
The Frontier has one of the most outdated technology systems. It comes standard with a rearview camera and it also offers rear parking sensors. It doesn’t offer active safety features or common infotainment features such as Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity. It features a 7-inch touch screen, four speakers, a USB port, Bluetooth, push-button start, and Siri Eyes Free. Available features include a 10-speaker Rockford Fosgate audio system, a six-or eight-speaker audio system, and satellite radio and navigation. The base Frontier S King Cab/long bed or Crew Cab/short bed has a starting price of $26,790 and $27,900. It ranges to $37,490 for the Frontier Pro-4X.
Overall
Overall, the 2020 GMC Canyon is the better choice in so many ways. It’s one of the best in its class for towing and payload capabilities and offers enough power and handling to meet most people’s needs. It's upscale interior, along with its comfortable ride sums it up. Come see for yourself at Reliable Buick GMC.