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The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition takes Canyon’s capability to a higher level with increased protection and maneuverability.

Courtesy photo

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The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition takes Canyon’s capability to a higher level with increased protection and maneuverability.

Courtesy photo

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The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition takes Canyon’s capability to a higher level with increased protection and maneuverability.

Courtesy photo

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The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition takes Canyon’s capability to a higher level with increased protection and maneuverability.

Courtesy photo

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The 2021 GMC Canyon AT4 Off-Road Performance Edition takes Canyon’s capability to a higher level with increased protection and maneuverability.

Courtesy photo

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The last Saturday in January dawned with a bright blue sky and cold temperatures. With no bad weather in the forecast and no snowfall for a few weeks, it seemed the perfect time to get out into the west Utah desert and do some four-wheel driving in the new GMC Canyon AT4.

The Canyon itself has been a great seller for the GM brand, especially for those who need a truck but don’t require the company’s full-sized offering. The mid-sized market has become a great choice and, with new additions like the AT4, it’s now providing even more capable four-wheeling vehicles in their own right. With more than 30% of Canyon buyers in 2021 choosing the AT4 trim level, we decided GM must be onto something with this new design!

So, with as much of a plan as possible on a cold January afternoon, we headed west, taking the long route around the south end of Utah Lake and then heading back on Redwood Road toward Saratoga Springs, all while looking for some kind of good adventure in the Canyon.

We haven’t spent much time on the west side of Utah Lake, let alone up on the mountain on that side, so we pretty much let nature guide us as we went. We came upon Soldiers Pass Road, which looked pretty good and had been graded, so off we headed thinking we would at a minimum get to test out the four-wheel drive performance of the AT4.

The road was very well-maintained and would have been good for any AWD vehicle. After climbing to the top of Soldiers Pass, we turned north thinking that we would eventually need to either find our way into Eagle Mountain or turn around and come back.

We proceeded about half a mile and the road deteriorated, becoming a true four-wheel-drive trail with large rocks and steep grades. It was at this point we were very happy the Canyon AT4 came complete with auto-locking hubs and an extra factory-installed lift.

During the course of our travels that day, we ended up using low-range four-wheel drive and auto-hill descent. We were very impressed with the auto-leveling suspension system that came with the AT4 Off Road Performance Package.

Now, our only real problem was wondering if the road would actually lead us off of the mountain and down into Eagle Mountain or if we’d have to backtrack what had turned into a 15-mile journey.

The good news was that the included navigation package was able to show the road (such as it was) that we were on, and it appeared it went all the way into west Eagle Mountain. So, on we went, driving over rocks, snow and mud with the AT4 conquering it all without even stretching its capabilities. The only things stretched were our nerves as we wondered what lay ahead.

After dropping down through a canyon and passing some motorcyclists who were literally riding straight up a mountainside, we came upon an open field. The road led through it to a gate.

Coming upon said gate, we could only hope that it wasn’t locked, forcing us to turn around and head back over the mountain. Craig inspected the gate further and found an easily opened clasp and a sign that simply asked all travelers to close the gate after they went through to keep the cows in.

It turned out to be a great afternoon, one we would not have expected to have in late January. Snow is usually the dominating factor in Utah weather at this time of year, which would have prevented us from getting much mountain time in a 4×4 vehicle.

The new AT4 comes equipped with all kinds of goodies that make the mid-sized truck a real contender in the off-road arena. The 17-inch black wheels clad with 33-inch BFGoodrich KM3 Mud-Terrain tires had an awesome look and made getting over and through anything not much of a challenge for the truck.

Our only complaint with the new AT4 that we drove was the fact that it required a key to start it. Now, that may seem like a very first-world problem; however, having to dig in your pocket or purse just to get the door open is not something we are really used to. After going to that bother, we admit it was a moot point to then have to put a key in and turn it to get the truck rolling.

Inside, the cabin was very well appointed with leather seating surfaces that were heated, along with a heated steering wheel, both of which were standard and made our week even better. The 8-inch infotainment screen was useful when connecting our phones with Apple CarPlay, and the truck even came with an upgraded navigation package from GM ($995).

On the safety side, the Canyon came with all the usual equipment, including the Teen Driver system that allows the owner to monitor vehicle speed, location and other items while a teen or anyone else is out driving the truck. Also included were a backup camera and rear park assist.

We would have loved to see some other safety items included like blind spot monitoring, lane keep assist and even adaptive cruise control and front parking assist at this trim level.

We really enjoy these new mid-sized pickup lines, especially when they come with all the off-road gear that makes the impossible journey possible.

Base price: $40,200

Destination charge: $1,195

Price as driven: $46,700