IIHS Crash Test
Poor
MPG (up to)
14 -18 City / 19 -24 HWY
Horsepower
185 -300
Seats
5 -6
Front passenger 3/4 w/ wheels turned.

Positive Owner Reviews

accountCircle Rafael V
It's luxurious for a truck.
I bought this car used with 30,000 miles on it and now put 100,000 more miles in it. Never had an issue! Runs great just wish it was V6 not 4-cyl.
accountCircle Matt T
2012 GMC canyon sle1 review.
This vehicle is fantastic. It drives well and also has plenty of room for passengers. Miles per gallon is the only downfall, but still not awful. I have had the truck for years now and never have had to replace anything other than tires. Would recommend.
accountCircle Tim O
The v-8 engine. Plenty of room.
It has an 350 v-8 engine. A lot of power. It is comfortable except for long drives of more than 3 hours. Gas mileage is not too good locally but, highway mileage is not bad. Could use a bigger gas tank. Simple maintenance is more difficult than in older models.Overall, not a bad vehicle. If they offer a 2020 model with a v8 engine. I would consider buying one.
accountCircle christine m
Easy handling, few blind spots, roomy, (4 door) good gas mileage.
Great little truck. Perfect size full size ones are too much for me. I used to drive the S10 pickups but they discontinued them. This one is most comparable.
accountCircle Mary S
You don't need to fear switching from operating from a small car/cars to a truck. It is a great small truck that can help when you need to move/hull things, but don't want to drive a tank.
My truck is a great truck for people who want good gas mileage and to carry smaller/medium items like furniture or helping people move. It has a V6 and gets in the 20+ MPG mix driving which is pretty good for a truck if you use it both for hauling and for traveling to work. What I don't like is that it cannot carry wide loads or has the get up and go if the load is very heavy. It's good if you want to save on gas and don't need a heavy duty truck.
accountCircle J O
It is paid off and drives very nice.Easy to park and good visibility on the road.
Pick up truck that fits my needs. Expect to keep vehicle at least 10 years. Currently averaging about 500 miles a month.
accountCircle Jenny E
My truck is 4 door which I like because I have a lot of space in the cab.
My truck had issues when I first got it because the previous owner did not keep up with maintenance. After replacing the fan belt and water pump I have had no problems with it for the last 2 years. The water pump failed which caused the fan belt to come off. The previous owner seemed to have only changed the oil and never did a maintenance check under the hood.
accountCircle Hillary L
Great vehicle, beautiful inside and outside.
GMC canyon is a good compact pickup truck. When properly equipped, it can tow up to 7,700 pounds, and it offers a trio of capable engines and car like handling. The canyon also has a nice interior with plenty of standard infotainment features. However, the canyon does not have the comfortable seats and space found in some rivals.

Negative Owner Reviews

accountCircle Adi T
Problems with GMC is frustrating.
It is currently having problems. It started two years ago and no one could find issue; changed many things; finally went out and is either alternator, pcm, or computer or all three. Really tired of trying to find the issue and it does not do it at the mechanic shop then stops on my after.
accountCircle Adie S
It handles the road well and holds value.
It's well made and holds value. It's a little small. It makes for a smooth ride

GMC Canyon Models

Models also known as Trim Levels, are used to identify a vehicle's level of equipment or special features.

car
Work Truck
185-242 HP 16-19 MPG 5 Seats
car
SLE1
242-300 HP 16-18 MPG 6 Seats
car
SLE2
242 HP 16-18 MPG 5 Seats
car
SLT
242-300 HP 16-18 MPG 5 Seats
Photos may not match model

2012 GMC Canyon Owner Reviews

4.50
20 Reviews
close Write Review
5 stars 60%
4 stars 30%
3 stars 10%
2 stars 0%
1 star 0%
accountCircle Alex P on May 2, 2021
2012 GMC canyon, very nice truck.
The 2012 GMC canyon is a good buy for the person who wants a small reliable truck. The only downside is the 2.9l is a little weak in power, but the reliability and low cost upkeep is well worth the trade. Not very often does something on this truck breaks but if it does the majority of the parts don't cost much at all to replace. Very nice truck.
accountCircle Adi T on April 26, 2021
Problems with GMC is frustrating.
It is currently having problems. It started two years ago and no one could find issue; changed many things; finally went out and is either alternator, pcm, or computer or all three. Really tired of trying to find the issue and it does not do it at the mechanic shop then stops on my after.

Pros from Owners

likeFilled Crystal E.

This pick up truck is a dependable truck for light loads in the bed of the pickup truck. This pick up truck, is economical to operate with a four(4) cylinder or five(5) cylinder engines available. The first one I owned went over one hundred thousand (100,000) miles with no major mechanical issues.

Cons from Owners

dislikeFilled Crystal E.

The four (4) cylinder engine option. While good for saving gas, and general transportation of driver and light cargo, it is lacking in horsepower needed at times, even when the cargo area (bed) is empty.

Ranks #3 Compact Pickup Trucks by Owners

The 2012 GMC Canyon has an average owner rating of 4.50 out of 5 which ranks it #3 of 5 other Compact Pickup Trucks.

1
car
4.67
2
car
4.66
3
car
4.5

Ranks #3 Compact Pickup Trucks by Fuel Economy

The 2012 GMC Canyon has a combined MPG of 21 which ranks it #3 of 5 other Compact Pickup Trucks.

1
Tie
car
21 MPG
1
Tie
car
21 MPG
2
car
21 MPG
3
Tie
car
19 MPG

Related Articles for 2012 GMC Canyon

From the Vehicle History blog

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GMC Canyon Problems

Frequently Asked Questions

How much oil does the 2012 GMC Canyon take?

Answer: For the 2012 GMC Canyon with the 2.9 L 4Cylinder it has an oil capacity of 5 quarts with a filter and the 3.7 L 5-cylinder and 5.3 L V8 engine have a capacity of 6 quarts with a filter. The recommended type...

Answers are provided by third parties. We do not guarantee accuracy of responses

Safety & Reliability

NHTSA Logo
NHTSA Crash Test
(Not Rated)
*National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
IIHS Logo
IIHS Crash Test

Moderate Overlap Front

Side

Roof Strength

Driver-side Overlap Front

Not Rated
*Insurance Institute for Highway Safety