The GMC Canyon is an American truck built for the wilderness

We’re afraid we have to plead a bit of ignorance here, because that whole ‘overlanding’ thing is... something we’ve never really got.

So when GMC brings out the Canyon AT4X, calls it ‘The Most Advanced Off-Road Midsize Truck’ and talks about “serious off-road capability”, we feel like every spouse who’s ever sat through Eraserhead because their significant other is a David Lynch fanatic. That is to say more than a little confused and trying to feign enthusiasm. So here goes.

The Canyon AT4X has an awesome factory lift kit and widened track for more than 10 inches of clearance out of the box, but you’d better believe we’re hitting the aftermarket for another two inches of lift, because more inches are always more fun.

GM’s 2.7-litre turbo runs on pure gas and is a pure gas, churning out a full 430lb ft to make molehills out of mountains. But e-locker diffs and 33-inch mud tyres mean that rain and terrain will only be a bane to those who didn’t bring their A-game.

The Canyon AXE FX also gets beadlock wheels so you can still rip it up, even after airing down, and a skid plate for leaving your mark on the Devil’s Racetrack – because you’ll be dominating that Devil like he’s gone down to Georgia. There’s even a factory-fit winch so you can tow Wrangler bros who didn’t bring the right metal or mentality to conquer mother nature and send her to the kitchen to make a sandwich.

Those 911 and M3 guys who talk about carving canyons on weekends? You’ll own the canyon, because you bought the Canyon. With this rig, you won’t just dominate off-road, you’ll invade it, annex it and rule over it like a dictator. And then come home with hours of GoPro footage of you driving kind of slowly over rocks and making Canyonero jokes and just having the best time that the rest of the world is completely ignorant of.