The Canyon is equipped with a single engine across all its trims, a 2.7L TurboMax producing 310 horsepower and 430 lb-ft of torque with peak torque arriving at 1,500 rpm, and it can tow up to 7,700 lbs when properly fitted. The Tacoma, on the other hand, has two powertrains, two cab styles, two bed lengths and a manual transmission, with a towing capacity of up to 6,500 lbs. The two models are based on different philosophies.

The archery season for deer and turkey in Connecticut begins on September 15, with the firearms season starting in mid-November. The exact dates do change slightly from year to year, so it's advisable to consult the DEEP hunting guide before making your plans. And each year at about this time, someone in Litchfield County comes to the conclusion that the sedan is no longer suitable.

The mid-size segment has more entries than these two, but the Canyon and the Tacoma are the pair that keep ending up on the same shopping list, so the following is an honest comparison rather than a collection of specifications for one of them.

The Canyon: one of everything

For the current Canyon, GMC has chosen one engine, one transmission, one cab and one bed.

• It has a 2.7-liter TurboMax four-cylinder engine producing 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque, with an eight-speed automatic transmission; It provides more torque than any petrol-powered Tacoma that Toyota produces

• Only the Crew Cab model, with a 5-foot-1 inch bed. The extended cab and the long bed are not available.

• On the Elevation, AT4, and Denali models, there is a factory lift of 2 inches, while the AT4X has 3 inches.

• The available trims are Elevation, AT4, Denali, and AT4X; 4WD is standard on all models except the Elevation, where it is an optional feature.

• Each model comes with an 11.3-inch touchscreen that has Google built-in.

• With the appropriate equipment, it can tow up to 7,700 pounds, but the AT4X is reduced to 6,000 pounds due to its tires and setup.

The figure of 430 lb-ft is the main one and it merits that position. It provides more torque than any petrol-powered Tacoma that Toyota produces, and it's available at 1,500 rpm, which is the rev range you're in when driving on a dirt road with a loaded bed.

The Tacoma: pick your configuration

Toyota took the opposite course. The Tacoma is a selection.

• The 2.4-liter turbo engine produces 278 horsepower and 317 lb-ft of torque on the SR5 and higher trims; the base SR model, however, has a version that is tuned down to 228 horsepower and 243 lb-ft.

• The i-FORCE MAX hybrid produces 326 horsepower and 465 lb-ft. It's optional on the TRD Sport, TRD Off-Road and Limited, and standard on the Trailhunter and TRD Pro.

• A six-speed manual is available on the SR, TRD Sport, and TRD Off-Road, and it drops output to 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft.

• Jeep dropped the manual from the Gladiator for the 2025 model year, which makes the Tacoma the only new pickup in the United States you can still buy with a clutch pedal. Jeep has since hinted the Gladiator manual may return, so this may not be permanent.

• The vehicle can have a XtraCab or Double Cab configuration and a bed that is either 5 feet or 6 feet long.

• A properly equipped gas SR5 or TRD PreRunner can tow up to 6,500 pounds, while the hybrid model has a maximum towing capacity of 6,000 pounds.

There are eight-plus trim levels, two powertrain options, two cab styles, and two bed configurations. The Tacoma can be specified in a great many ways, although it's also easy to end up confused in the process.

Where the Canyon actually wins

The torque figure, and where it arrives. 430 lb-ft against 317 from the gas Tacoma is not a close call. When you're hauling a trailer up a wet slope off Route 4, it's more important that the peak occurs at 1,500 rpm than the figure itself.

The difference between 7,700 and 6,500 is genuine. Headroom matters if you are towing a two-seater snowmobile trailer or a small camper.

One thing worth saying out loud: the Canyon shares its mechanicals with the Chevy Colorado. Same engine, transmission, frame, and bed. If the drivetrain is all you care about, go drive a Colorado too. What you pay up for with the Canyon is the interior and the standard content, and whether that's worth it is a question only you can answer at the dealership.

Where the Tacoma actually wins

Fuel economy, and that's a clear difference. The gas Tacoma is rated at 21 city and 26 highway in two-wheel drive, 23 combined. Go to 4WD and it drops to 19 city and 23 to 24 highway, 21 combined. The hybrid comes in at 23 combined. The Canyon manages 17 city and 22 highway with 4WD, 19 combined. Compare the two trucks most people around here actually buy, both in 4WD with the automatic, and at 15,000 miles a year the Canyon burns about 790 gallons against roughly 715 for the Tacoma. That's 75 gallons a year, every year, no matter what gas costs.

The hybrid's torque, 465 lb-ft, exceeds that of the Canyon's 430; in order to achieve this it has to give up towing capacity and it is more expensive, but the figure is the figure.

This is the important point concerning hunting season. Toyota will offer a 6-foot bed whereas GMC won't. When you're carrying a quad, a treestand and a cooler, or if you prefer for your equipment to be carried behind the cab rather than inside it, that extra foot of bed makes a difference. As for the Canyon, the solution is the Crew Cab with a 5-foot-1 bed, and that's the way it is.

If you do want a manual transmission, it's something that is becoming less available and the Canyon doesn't offer one.

The hunting season part

A number of things do matter when driving on a logging road in November, and the majority of these are not listed on the spec sheet.

Ground clearance and approach angle are important. The Canyon AT4 has a clearance of 9.6 inches and a 33.5-degree approach angle, enabling it to go over a rough two-track without any problems. The Tacoma's off-road versions are competitive in this regard, and in my opinion the Trailhunter and TRD Pro represent the most serious equipment in the sector apart from the Canyon AT4X. If your main concern is off-roading, then you should try driving them rather than relying on anyone else's word.

People tend to underestimate the importance of bed length. You'll need field dressing equipment, a generator, wet boots, and a dog crate. A five-foot bed fills up quicker than it seems it should.

It is more important than horsepower to have cold-weather starting, heated seats and a working defroster when it's 5 a.m. in Goshen, and both trucks have these features.

So which one

If you tow close to the limit, if you prefer low-end torque, or if you'd like to have one well-equipped model rather than having to choose among eight different ones, then you should buy the Canyon. The Elevation model starts at $38,900, which means that a factory-lifted truck with a large screen becomes affordable without having to go up the trim levels.

Get the Tacoma if fuel economy is important to you, if you need a 6-foot bed or a smaller cab, if you would like the hybrid model, or if you want a manual transmission.

Anyone telling you that one of these is simply better than the other is merely trying to make a sale. A man who travels 30 miles each way to a job site and hunts on four weekends every season should give more weight to the difference in mileage than to the difference in torque. Someone who most weekends is pulling a trailer should take the opposite approach.

Where to drive one

Why not go and test drive one and also test drive a Tacoma? Carrying out two test drives on the same roads at the same time in the afternoon gives you more information than any comparison article, including this one.

On the test drive there are two things to do: get to 45 and then floor it, since that is where the TurboMax's torque curve either makes an impression on you or fails to; and also place your actual gear in the bed or at least take the measurement before you decide that five foot one is sufficient.

Ask about the AT4 versus AT4X while you are there. The AT4X gets a 3-inch factory lift against the AT4's 2, 10.7 inches of ground clearance against 9.6, and a 37.1-degree approach angle against 33.5. Those are real differences, and most buyers who want them want them for hardware they will use twice. The AT4 handles Litchfield County fine and leaves money on the table for your tags, your gas and your ammunition.

The Canyon brings more torque and more towing. The Tacoma brings better mileage and more ways to build it. Pick the one that fits how you drive, not the one with the better single number.

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