There are some features that you can only find in luxury vehicles or in some top-trim economy vehicles. With midsize trucks exploding in popularity, pickups like the 2021 GMC Canyon are beginning to incorporate more of those luxuries thanks to advances in automotive technology. One of those rare luxuries offered in the new Canyon is ventilated front seats for both the driver and front passenger.

Avoid embarrassing back sweat stains with the GMC Canyon’s High Elevation Package

It used to be that only people with deep pockets could afford the type of luxury vehicle that came with heated and/or ventilated seats. Hence why you never see the executives at your office with that dreaded sweat stain on the back of their dress shirt or blouse.

But Hermes (the Greek god of roads and travelers) must be looking out for those with at least a $32,395 budget (listed MSRP on the GMC website) because you can now enjoy heated and ventilated front seats with the Canyon’s “High Elevation Package.”

The package costs an additional $1,400 (included in the above price), so hopefully, Tyche, the Greek goddess of fortune, is also in the mood to do you a solid.

How do ventilated/cooled seats work?

You’d be surprised how many people respond with a blank look on their faces when mentioning “cooled” seats. In all fairness, unless they’ve had the good fortune to drive a Mercedes-Benz or a BMW, it’s understandable. Even with both heated and cooled seats becoming a more common feature in “economy” vehicles, the idea is still a novelty just entering the new car market. With that said, we thought it only appropriate to explain how ventilated seats work.

In an article published by The Philadelphia Inquirer, Jason Kavanagh, engineering editor at the automotive site Edmunds, explained that cooled and ventilated seats function in different ways. They’re similar in that they have a series of chambers inside them and blow air through perforations. However, the air in cooled seats first blows over a cooled surface before entering the chambers, while ventilated seats merely have air blowing into the chambers without being cooled first.

A brief overview of what to expect from the 2021 GMC Canyon

At the start, it’s worth noting that Consumer Reports (CR) gave the 2021 GMC Canyon an “Overall Score” of just 44 in its compact pickup trucks category. The 2021 Chevy Colorado also earned an Overall Score of 44 from CR, placing two compact pickups from General Motors (GM) at the bottom of the barrel.

The 2021 Ford Ranger (scored 46) and 2021 Toyota Tacoma (scored 51) barely did much better. The highest scoring compact pickup was none other than the 2021 Honda Ridgeline.

But sometimes it’s a good idea to take certain reviews with a grain of salt, because other review sites gave the new Canyon decent scores. For example, Car and Driver gave the new Canyon a score of 8/10. The review site described the Canyon as a more dapper version of the Colorado, despite being principally similar beneath the exterior. Interestingly, Car and Driver refers to the 2021 Colorado as a midsize pickup rather than compact.

While GMC markets the Canyon as a “premium pickup,” the top-shelf Denali trim has thus far failed to meet reviewers’ expectations. GMC’s “compare trims” page lists three engine options: a 2.5-liter four-cylinder, a 3.6-liter V6, and a 2.8-liter Duramax Turbo-Diesel four-cylinder. We suggest investing a little extra in the turbo-diesel as it provides 369 lb-ft of torque compared to the V6’s 275 lb-ft of torque.

Some noteworthy standard and optional features include a diesel exhaust brake (optional) that minimizes the amount of regular braking required while towing a heavy trailer or driving downhill; capless fuel fill (standard) that allows you to simply open the fuel door and insert the nozzle; four-wheel antilock disc brakes (standard); Halogen projector-beam headlamps with LED signature and daytime running lamps, as well as LED fog lamps (standard).

Unfortunately, driver alert features such as forward collision alert and lane departure warning only come with the Denali. And then there is GMC’s goofy decision to make rear park assist “optional” on the Elevation and AT4 trims if you purchase a model with leather seats.

Not to mention, the options may also require you to purchase additional optional equipment. What overall score did CR give the 2021 GMC Canyon again? Maybe the reviewers should deduct an additional 10 points for making the truck-buying experience exceptionally annoying.