2018 GMC Canyon
Gas Diesel Pickup truck
The 2018 GMC Canyon is sold in the U.S. as a gas and diesel pickup truck with 8 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Canyon 2WD, is EPA-rated at 25 mpg combined. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for this model year, 1 rated critical, which gives it a Safety Signal grade of B. Owners have filed 52 complaints, most often about power train. NHTSA crash-tested it at 4 stars overall.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canyon 2WD | Gas | RWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Canyon 2WD | Gas | RWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 20 | 26 | 22 | $2,850 |
| Canyon 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 19 | 24 | 21 | $2,950 |
| Canyon 2WD | Gas | RWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | 18 | 25 | 20 | $3,100 |
| Canyon 4WD | Gas | 4WD | 3.6L 6-cyl | 17 | 24 | 19 | $3,300 |
| Canyon Cab Chassis 2WD | Gas | RWD | 3.6L 6-cyl | 15 | 15 | 15 | $4,150 |
| Canyon 2WD | Diesel | RWD | 2.8L 4-cyl turbo | 22 | 30 | 25 | $3,600 |
| Canyon 4WD | Diesel | 4WD | 2.8L 4-cyl turbo | 20 | 28 | 23 | $3,900 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
Out of factory warranty soon?
The 2018 GMC Canyon is in the years where transmission, electronics and drivetrain repairs land on the owner. Compare extended-coverage quotes in about two minutes.
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Recalls (1)
Fuel System, Gasoline
criticalProblem: General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.
Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.
Fix: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.
Owner complaints
52 complaints filed
2 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 1 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2018: 5 · 2019: 2 · 2020: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2023: 8 · 2024: 7 · 2025: 2 · 2026: 6
Most-cited components
- Power Train — 27
- Electrical System — 10
- Engine — 6
- Unknown Or Other — 5
- Steering — 4
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
| Configuration | Overall | Frontal | Side | Rollover | Rollover risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PU/CC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 21% |
| PU/CC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 22% |
| PU/EC 4WD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 22% |
| PU/EC RWD | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | 21% |
NHTSA New Car Assessment Program.
Other Canyon model years
2026 Canyon
2 recalls · 6 complaints
B2025 Canyon
2 recalls · 8 complaints
C2024 Canyon
3 recalls · 205 complaints
C2023 Canyon
3 recalls · 60 complaints
A2022 Canyon
1 recalls · 25 complaints
B2021 Canyon
2 recalls · 11 complaints
A2020 Canyon
0 recalls · 14 complaints
A2019 Canyon
0 recalls · 16 complaints
B2017 Canyon
1 recalls · 65 complaints
D2016 Canyon
4 recalls · 267 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 39071, 39072, 39081, 39074, 39083, 39086, 39073, 39082). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.