As we ruminate on our recent time spent behind the wheel of the on of the most capable midsize off-road pickups, the 2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition, it’s hard to not let the mind wander back to where it all began.

The first-generation Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 was one beastly little truck. It was also a clear step ahead of any Chevy (or GMC) truck at that point in terms of off-road capability. Launched in 2016, that reborn ZR2 used a 3.5-inch wider track, lifted suspension with increased wheel travel, and dampers from Multimatic. It also came with front and rear electronic locking differentials—a real rarity amongst other trucks and SUVs back then. The truck was available with a gasoline V6 or a 2.8-liter diesel option with an impressive 369 lb-ft of torque.

It wasn’t without one big downside, however. The Colorado ZR2 came with only 31-inch tires. As good as the hardware package might have been, the truck was limited when it came to trail clearance. And this grouping of ZR2 parts was never available at the GMC store at the time, instead the GMC Canyon made do with the far less-capable AT4 as the top of its range.

Fast forward a bit to 2017. Chevrolet partnered with American Expedition Vehicles and unveiled a Colorado ZR2 concept at the SEMA show complete with 35-inch tires. It would be a couple more years before the production Colorado ZR2 Bison would arrive… still rolling on 31-inch tires.

When the latest generation of Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon debuted in 2023, they arrived ready to accept the much-anticipated larger rubber, which GM happily installed on its Colorado ZR2 Bison and Canyon AT4X AEV Edition trucks. All was finally right with the world.

GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Off-Road Hardware

When GMC launched its third-generation Canyon in 2023, the company finally matched the Colorado ZR2 and added a step beyond the AT4 trim.

Mirroring the Chevy Colorado ZR2, the standard suspension is lifted by three inches and features the most current iteration of Multimatic’s DSSV dampers. The truck comes fit with front and rear locking differentials, rolls on 33-inch tires, and has a solid 11 inches of ground clearance.

Not to be outdone, the 2023 Canyon AT4X was also delivered with an upfit version from American Expedition Vehicles. Like the Colorado ZR2 Bison, the Canyon AT4X AEV Edition comes outfit with larger 35-inch (315/70R17) Goodyear Territory MT tires on beadlock-capable AEV Salta wheels. The truck has wider fender flares and a resculpted front fascia to accommodate the larger rolling stock. In addition, the AEV Edition adds five high-strength hot-stamped Boron steel skid plates along with steel front and rear bumpers, and AEV branding throughout.

The whole packages delivers and impressive 12.2 inches of ground clearance along with an approach angle of 38.2 degrees, departure angle of 26 degrees and a breakover angle of 26.9 degrees. The AEV bumpers also feature excellent recovery points, and the front bumper is winch ready.

The only real downside, apart from the more than $10,100 AEV Edition package cost, is that the giant 35-inch spare tire won’t fit underneath the bed. Instead, GMC mounts a spare in the bed on an AEV mount.

Turbocharged Power And Torque

Under the hood is GM’s 2.7-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. This powerplant pumps out 310 hp at 5,600 rpm and 430 lb-ft of torque at 3,000 rpm. It comes paired exclusively to an 8L80E 8-speed automatic with a deep 4.56:1 First gear with overdrives in 7th and 8th gears. Every Canyon uses 3.42:1 axle gears, including the AT4X AEV Edition.

An Autotrac transfer case with a 2.72:1 low range splits the power to the axles. A rotary knob next to the shifter has modes for Auto, 4WD high range, 4WD Low Range and 2WD. Twisting the knob to the right brings up the drive modes which include, Normal, Tow/haul, Terrain, Off-road and Baja—which is exclusive to this model.

Terrain mode uses the brakes (like hill descent mode) to manage vehicle speed in both forward and reverse, allowing the driver to use one pedal (the throttle) to control the vehicle. Off-road mode is intended for general off-road use. Baja calibrates the electronics for higher speeds and more slip angle before intervention. And the remaining drive modes are self-explanatory.

The Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Works Well On the Street

The Canyon AT4X AEV Edition is one of the most aggressive and purposeful midsize trucks available today. However, that doesn’t mean that it isn’t perfectly at home on the daily commute. In addition to GM’s off-road trucks, Multimatic also produces dampers for high six-figure sports cars and racing applications.

On the street, these dampers do an excellent job smoothing out the rough spots. On hard-edged pavement potholes, the AT4X transfers very little of the impact up to the driver. It also never feels too soft and doesn’t roll excessively in corners. Thanks in large part to the impressive DSSV dampers, this is one off-road truck that you could have fun hustling up a canyon road.

From the driver’s seat, the turbocharged 2.7-liter four-cylinder engine and 8-speed automatic are a little less responsive here than in other GM midsize trucks we’ve tested, likely due to the increased tire diameter. An axle gearing change would likely offset this difference.

On the highway, the truck loafs along at 1,800 rpm in top gear at 75 mph. On steeper grades, the transmission drops two gears, and the rpms rise to 2,500 rpm to maintain that speed. As a result, we didn’t expect the Canyon AT4X AEV Edition to return above average fuel economy numbers. Despite an EPA rating to deliver 16 mpg combined, we saw 13 mpg along our test route. That translates to a real-world range of around 280 miles on a tank.

GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Interior Upgrades

The GMC Canyon AT4X’s cabin is an excellent place to spend time. We were impressed with the upscale feel of the interior and the soft padding that covers all the important touchpoints. The AEV-specific seat trim and red contrast stitching make the interior look sharp, as well. The GMC’s 11.3-inch touchscreen works great, and we appreciate the row of physical toggle switches below. On paper, the rear seat has about an inch more legroom than the competition, but it feels even roomier.

At Home On The Trail

After noticing just how dialed-in the Multimatic suspension felt on the street—we couldn’t wait to hit the dirt. Once on the trial we immediately encountered steep motorcross-style berms. Upon traversing the berm, the frontend popped up into the air, nosed over and followed with a softly cushioned landing. It was so smooth it didn’t even feel like we reached the bumpstops. That of course was an open invitation to drive a bit faster.

Turning back around, we hit that berm Dukes of Hazzard style and launched the truck a few feet into the air. Teeth clenched for the landing, we were bracing for some bad noises or at least a hard impact. But the result was the same—a well-damped landing at both the front and rear.

With that out of our system we moved on down the trail. Upon encountering our first trail climb we shifted into low range, which the GMC’s transfer case handled without a fuss. There were pumpkin-sized rocks strewn across the trail that would serve as a test for the GMC’s ground clearance. We toggled the rubberized switches on the dash to lock both axles and the Canyon AT4X easily walked the trail section without touching rock to metal or slipping a tire.

Despite not offering a front swaybar disconnect, the Canyon AT4X offers a good amount of articulation from both the front and rear.

In a test of traction we headed to the steepest hill climb we felt comfortable attempting. We first tried low range with the differentials open, crawling as slowly as we could sawing the wheel. The Canyon dug in about three-quarters of the way up and ceased forward movement. Next, we locked just the rear axle and crawled slowly back up. The truck made it a few feet from the last little bump before losing traction again. Despite being essentially dug in near the top of this high angle slope, we engaged the front locker and surprisingly crawled the last few feet to the top.

GMC gives the driver quite a bit of control over the 4WD system as well. For instance, you can engage the Baja drive mode and lock the rear axle in 2WD. Most other vehicles make you select 4WD for both functions. We found this combination to be hilarious good fun fishtailing wide when the turbo’s boost hit.

The Canyon AT4X AEV Edition’s 35-inch tires allowed us to tip toe into a rocky creek section that we rarely visit in stock rigs. Many trucks either can’t fit, don’t have the ground clearance, or are poorly armored. But the AT4X AEV Edition was right at home and easily drove up and over many of the larger rocks without fear of getting the truck hung up or damaged. We never kissed the rock rails once.

On high-speed fire roads we found that we could cruise at a truly impressive pace of around 40 mph. Step it up a bit more and more and the rear of the GMC would get a little light and dance from side to side.

The Bottom Line

The GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition is one very impressive off-road machine. However, the company’s most capable midsize pickup comes at a cost. This 2025 example, painted in Onyx Black, arrived with a price tag of $70,200, which includes more than $20,000 in upcharge to get to the AEV Edition.

Each of these trucks starts as a Canyon AT4. Then, the AT4X package is added ($6,690) along with the AEV Edition ($10,100). Also required are the AT4 Premium Package ($1,395) and Technology Plus Package ($3,050). Sure, there are package discounts from time-to-time, but by and large, this is an expensive midsize.