GMC is a very old brand that serves a relatively unique role in the American car market. That mostly has to do with the fact that GMC is owned by General Motors, and GM uses GMC as a way to offer car shoppers a vehicle that’s different from a Chevy or a Cadillac. The GMC Canyon is a good example of this as it’s a better version of the Chevy Colorado, but GMC Canyon owners don’t actually seem to realize the pickup truck’s unique strength compared to others.

How the GMC Canyon sets itself apart from its Chevy counterpart

GM owns a handful of brands, and the automaker is well aware that it’s a bad idea to have its brands compete directly with one another. As a result, GM’s main brands are all unique from one another in different ways. Chevy is envisioned as the company’s main commuter brand. As a result, Chevy cars, for the most part, are the more affordable options in the GM lineup, and Chevy makes and sells the most units out of all GM brands.

Cadillac, meanwhile, is on the other end of the spectrum. A Caddy is the most luxurious car that GM produces, and as such, not many folks buy a Cadillac, but they’re usually satisfied with the luxurious car they have. Buick is still a luxury brand, but it’s supposed to be a step below Cadillac. This hasn’t been working too well, so GM may revamp Buick down the line.

That leaves GMC. Compared to Buick, GMC is in an even stranger spot since GMC cars are marketed as a less luxurious option than a Cadillac or a Buick but a more luxurious and upscale option than a regular Chevy. This has worked out well so far, as GMC is easily the second best-selling brand under GM’s umbrella.

GMC Canyon owners don’t seem to care too much about the truck’s unique strength

The GMC Canyon is an example of a GMC vehicle that’s selling well, and like most other GMC models, it’s a slightly more upscale version of a Chevy model. In the Canyon’s case, it’s essentially a Chevy Colorado but with a nicer interior. However, according to J.D. Power, Canyon owners aren’t enjoying the midsize truck for its unique advantage over the Colorado.

The resource surveyed owners about what they liked regarding their truck, and the main part of the survey asked owners to rank the truck on how it performs in 10 areas. The worst performing area was its fuel economy, followed by its driving comfort and the truck’s infotainment system. Owners also didn’t like getting in and out of the truck, nor did they like its powertrain.

The Canyon’s upscale interior design didn’t satisfy owners, as it was ranked in the middle. Given the fact that this was the area that separates the Canyon from the Colorado, it’s a very disappointing result for GMC. However, it’s unclear why owners gave the Canyon’s interior design a middling grade. 

What GMC Canyon owners liked about their midsize pickup truck

When it comes to what owners liked about their trucks, setting up and starting were in the top four categories. Owners also liked how safe they felt behind the wheel of the GMC truck. While the truck’s powertrain received a poor rating from owners, they seemed to enjoy how it felt to drive it around.

Lastly, the part about the Canyon that owners liked the most was its exterior design. To GMC’s credit, the automaker gave the truck an exterior design that helped it stand out from the Colorado, so those efforts paid off.