GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition: What Do You Want to Know?

GM’s most extreme off-road pickup has all the off-road equipment you could possibly want. We’ll be testing it.

2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Exterior 16

Photo by: Brian Silvestro / Motor1

Brian Silvestro

By: Brian Silvestro

May 29, 2025 at 10:00am ET

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If you’re looking for off-road supremacy, GMC and American Expedition Vehicles (AEV) have the truck for you. It’s called the Canyon AT4X AEV Edition. Tough, brutish, and capable, it’s one of the most hardcore factory off-roaders you can buy right now. We’ve got it for a week, with plans to take it on- and off-road.

The AEV Edition is the top-dog AT4X trim. Introduced in 2023, it gets heavy-duty steel skid plates and a 1.5-inch lift. Paired with gigantic 35-inch Wrangler all-terrain tires, it has 12.2 inches of ground clearance. There are also front and rear steel bumpers that unlock better approach and departure angles, as well as AEV-specific fender flares, for that extra bit of muscle.

2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Exterior 22

Photo by: Brian Silvestro / Motor1

The regular Canyon AT4 starts at $47,395. Upgrading to the AT4X hikes the price to $58,720, but gets you valuable upgrades like locking differentials, different trim panels, and a nicer interior. Our AEV Edition tester, meanwhile, rocks an eye-watering sticker price of $70,350. That’s a lot of money for a mid-size truck.

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Still, I can’t help but love this thing. I’ve only had the Canyon for a couple of days, but bashing through the broken pavement and huge potholes of New York City has never been less stressful. I’ll be doing some highway driving and off-roading, but for now, here’s what I like and what I don’t like.

What’s Good So Far?

2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Exterior 19

Photo by: Brian Silvestro / Motor1

This thing looks mean. The steel bumpers, big fender flares, and bigger wheels suit the Canyon nicely, without seeming too ostentatious. Every other Canyon looks boring by comparison.
The suspension is excellent. The AT4X gets Multimatic’s DSSV spool-valve dampers, which work magic on the road. It makes the AEV Edition one of the very few trucks on sale that feel more like a unibody machine than a body-on-frame truck.
The infotainment is solid. It’s a shame General Motors is moving away from Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, because this one connects every time without issue, and it looks great.

What’s Not Good So Far?

2025 GMC Canyon AT4X AEV Edition Exterior 20

Photo by: Brian Silvestro / Motor1

The engine isn’t very exciting. GM’s 2.7-liter turbocharged inline-four is powerful enough, but it doesn’t match the drama delivered by the AT4X’s looks. Sound and top-end power aren’t priorities for a truck like this, though, so it’s not a huge issue.
There aren’t enough buttons. Many critical controls, like the headlights and the traction control, have been placed into the touchscreen, making them tougher to use. It’s a clear, in-your-face cost-cutting measure we’re not sure buyers will appreciate.
The spare wheel is mounted in the bed. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as it frees up space for the steel bumper and ground clearance. But it also makes the rear-view mirror useless. If I drove this truck every day, I’d be annoyed.

I still need a few more days to figure out if the AEV Edition is really worth it, but the first impressions are solid. Stay tuned to see what I think.

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