Consumer Reports is one of the most trusted sources for reviewing, well, everything. There are specific criteria on which CR judges its options when it comes to pickup trucks. For the 2022 model year, not a single GMC truck is recommended by Consumer Reports. What’s wrong with GMC‘s midsize and full-size models, and why aren’t they good enough? We look at the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 and 2022 GMC Canyon reviews to find out.
Where do GMC trucks rank with Consumer Reports?
2022 GMC Sierra 1500 Denali Ultimate | GMC
Firstly, the 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 is tied with its corporate sibling, the Chevy Silverado, for fifth place overall in Consumer Reports‘ rankings. We’d think the quality would be higher, considering it’s such a popular model. Unfortunately, it falls short of the Ram 1500, Ford F-150 and F-250, and Nissan Titan. Only the worst full-size truck, the Ram 1500 Classic, is ranked lower than the GMC Sierra 1500.
Next, in the compact truck category, GMC offers the Canyon. The story remains the same for the smaller brother of the Sierra 1500. Consumer Reports ranked the 2022 GMC Canyon seventh, tied with the Chevy Colorado. Only the Jeep Gladiator, which received an abysmal rating from CR, is lower than the Canyon. Models like the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Honda Ridgeline are in the lead, and brand new models like the Ford Maverick are already lapping GMC’s offering.
Consumer Reports GMC truck complaints
GMC teases the next-generation Canyon mid-size truck, previewing the Canyon AT4X’s badging, rocker protectors and 17-inch beadlock-capable wheels.
What’s so bad about the two GMC pickup trucks? Firstly, the Sierra 1500 received a 46 out of 100 overall score, and the Canyon only one point fewer. Each failed to reach CR’s coveted “recommended” position. For both models, predicted reliability is a significant issue. Using previous model years, Consumer Reports evaluates the mechanical and cosmetic problems the trucks have had. Since both GMC models often have major issues, it’s predicted that the newest versions will remain unreliable.
On the other hand, both GMC trucks also have poor fuel economy. Even compared to other pickups in their classes, these models have fallen behind. Most prominently, the GMC Sierra 1500 gets 11 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway. Its little brother manages an unimpressive 13 city mpg and 26 highway mpg. For compact trucks, the class leaders are the Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, which get a combined mpg of 23 and 24, respectively. Alternatively, the F-150 is the full-size class leader, getting just two combined mpg over the GMC truck.
The 2022 GMC Canyon has more problems
For 2022, Consumer Reports has far more problems with the GMC Canyon than the Sierra 1500. A stiff and choppy ride makes the Canyon a far worse choice than other compact trucks. CR boasts of the smooth ride featured in the Honda Ridgeline, which is ranked first overall. Next, the seats give the driver an awkward position and lack adjustments. Finally, the optional 3.6-liter V6 engine is low on torque, so it isn’t worth all the extra cash.
In the full-size segment, the GMC Sierra 1500 suffers from far fewer problems. CR only listed step-in height and stopping distance in the diesel version as issues. The publication lists step-in height as a problem for just about every full-size truck, so we ignore it for the most part. However, the diesel version of the Sierra 1500 is popular, and buyers should know it’s a difficult model to stop.
No GMC truck is recommended by Consumer Reports
Regardless of which size pickup truck you want to buy, Consumer Reports doesn’t recommend any GMC offerings. Classic, trustworthy, upscale options like the Ram 1500, Ford F-150, and even Nissan Titan are better choices for full-size models. As for the compact and midsize segment, CR loves the Honda Ridgeline, but the Ford Ranger, Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, Nissan Frontier, and Toyota Tacoma aren’t bad choices either. In conclusion, GMC trucks are unreliable gas-guzzlers with more problems than many other pickup trucks.
Keyword: Not a Single GMC Truck is Recommended By Consumer Reports