2022 Honda Ridgeline vs 2021 GMC Canyon

The second-generation GMC Canyon had been around for a while, first arriving as a 2015 model after a two-year hiatus. The most notable changes to the Canyon included an enlarged grille and a revised front bumper, aligning it aesthetically with its full-size sibling, the GMC Sierra. Despite these updates, the Canyon largely remained the same truck, which could have been an issue in the competitive full-size truck market. However, in the midsize pickup space, older rivals like the Nissan Frontier and Toyota Tacoma were still prevalent. The Ford Ranger, though a recent addition, had an already-dated design. The Jeep Gladiator and the redesigned Nissan Frontier were the only real contemporary offerings, making buyers reconsider some of the older options, including the less capable but more comfortable Honda Ridgeline.

Inside, the Canyon's cabin did not look as old as it could have, thanks to the larger Sierra's similar cabin aesthetic. The Canyon prioritized function with a sensible layout for controls, though this meant the quality of materials came second. The interior featured plenty of hard plastics and mediocre fit-and-finish, but in the context of the midsize truck market, this was less of an issue. The Canyon's interior was handsome but mainly useful, with trims ranging from the base Elevation Standard to the range-topping Denali, each offering various features and upgrades.

In contrast, the 2022 Honda Ridgeline was built on a unibody platform similar to crossovers like the Honda Pilot and Passport, providing increased rigidity that was difficult to match with a separate body and frame. While the engineering was innovative, the styling was fairly conservative, with the main giveaway being its snub nose, an artifact of a platform designed with front-wheel drive vehicles in mind. The rear three-quarter view was classic pickup, with vertical taillights, a big centered badge, and dual exhaust peeking out from the rear bumper.

When the current-generation Ridgeline debuted for the 2017 model year, its front-end styling was more rounded and fairly close to its Honda Pilot cousin. For 2021, Honda reshaped the front end, making the grille blockier and more upright, making the Ridgeline look even more like other trucks. The 2022 Ridgeline was also available with Honda Performance Development (HPD) packages that added fender flares, bronze or black 18-inch alloy wheels, and decals. The interior's basic, no-nonsense design felt appropriate for a truck, with high standards of fit and finish. The Black Line test vehicle was well equipped, with features like leather upholstery, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped heated steering wheel, tri-zone automatic climate control, a power-sliding rear window, and a moonroof.

The 2021 GMC Canyon came standard with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, producing 200 horsepower and 191 pound-feet of torque, sent through a six-speed automatic transmission. A 3.6-liter V6 was optional on the Elevation trims and standard on the AT4 and Denali, making 308 hp and 275 lb-ft of torque, routed through an eight-speed automatic transmission. Additionally, the Canyon was available with a 2.8-liter Duramax four-cylinder turbodiesel engine, putting out 181 hp and a stout 369 lb-ft of torque, routed through a six-speed automatic transmission. Power was sent to the rear wheels or available four-wheel drive (4WD).

The base gasoline four-cylinder engine had to work hard to move the Canyon around, making the V6 a must for better performance. Even then, the V6 didn’t feel lively unless pushed hard. The Duramax had potential for real punch, but the pairing with the six-speed transmission limited its ability to stay in the powerband. The AT4 trim, which came standard with the gas V6 and 4WD, also featured an automatic locking rear differential and hill-descent control for off-roading. On the trail, the AT4 was confident, and its added capability did not hinder its on-road driving manners. The Canyon could tow up to 7,700 pounds with the turbodiesel engine, tied with the Chevy Colorado for best-in-class towing capacity, and had a 1,605-pound payload capacity, above average for the segment.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline, in contrast, stuck with a 3.5-liter V6, nine-speed automatic transmission, and standard all-wheel drive (AWD). The V6 engine produced 280 horsepower and 262 pound-feet of torque. Honda listed a maximum towing capacity of 5,000 pounds for all Ridgeline models. The Ridgeline RTL-E and Black Edition had a maximum payload capacity of 1,509 pounds, while the Ridgeline RTL and Sport were rated at 1,544 pounds and 1,583 pounds, respectively.

While these figures were not impressive compared to other midsize pickups, the Ridgeline could still handle a small boat or a pair of jet skis. The naturally aspirated V6 provided more than enough grunt to move the Ridgeline along, but the nine-speed automatic transmission was slow to respond, detracting from the experience. The sluggish engine start-stop system added to the problem, making pulling away from stops an exercise in patience. However, the Ridgeline’s handling and ride quality were impressive, thanks to its unibody platform. Compared to traditional pickup trucks, the Ridgeline felt like a luxury car, with a comfortable ride and quiet cabin. The fully independent suspension and torque vectoring AWD gave the Ridgeline a level of handling precision unmatched by other trucks. However, the Ridgeline’s design limited its off-road capability, with a maximum 7.64 inches of ground clearance and no dedicated off-road version comparable to other pickups.

The 2021 Canyon was available in Extended Cab and Crew Cab variants. The Extended Cab featured rear-hinged half-doors and small, second-row jump seats, best suited for children or a large gym bag. The Crew Cab, with four full doors, offered more usable rear-seat space. The Canyon provided a commanding driving position, but the actual seat adjustment was a bit awkward. The center console and center stack below the climate controls offered some usable space, while the doors had small trays and cupholders. The Canyon had two bed sizes: a short (5-foot-2) box and a long (6-foot-2) box. The Extended Cab only came with a long box, while the Crew Cab offered the choice of both. The Canyon featured GM’s helpful CornerStep rear bumper for easy bed access and was available with the EZ lift-and-lower tailgate, which prevented the tailgate from slamming down and included remote power locking.

The 2022 Honda Ridgeline, on the other hand, was available only with a four-door crew cab and a 64-inch bed. The Ridgeline bed included a 7.3-cubic-foot lockable in-bed trunk underneath the floor for storing items, with a drain plug for easy cleaning. Ahead of the trunk was a slot for the spare tire, and the bed featured an in-bed audio system and a 115-volt AC outlet. The Ridgeline also had Honda’s exclusive Dual-Action Tailgate, which could open down or to the side, and the bed was wide enough to carry 4-foot-wide sheets of plywood between the wheel wells. Inside, the Ridgeline offered additional storage space under the rear seats, with rear USB ports available on higher trim levels. The front featured a pushbutton shifter, cupholders, a large center console storage bin, and a large wireless phone charger. Controls were sensibly laid out and easy to use, with toggle switches for cabin temperature.

The 2021 Canyon came standard with a 7-inch touchscreen running the latest GMC infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The touchscreen setup had crisp graphics and an easy-to-use menu layout, with helpful hard buttons and dials below the screen. A larger 8-inch screen was optional on the Elevation and AT4 trims and standard on the Denali, which also came with navigation, HD radio, and a wireless charging pad. The Denali featured a 4.2-inch color driver display in the center of the instrument panel, operated via a directional pad on the steering wheel, allowing for easy cycling through presets, vehicle settings, and driver information.

The 2022 Ridgeline came standard with an 8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity and Bluetooth. SiriusXM satellite radio was available on all but the base Sport trim level, while navigation was available on the RTL-E and Black Edition models. The interface was not cutting edge, with a small screen by current standards and graphics reminiscent of the 1990s. However, the touchscreen was easy to navigate, with analog controls on the dashboard and steering wheel handling vital functions. While the Ridgeline didn’t offer much for tech-savvy new car buyers, its infotainment system was easy to live with, and most of its rivals only offered fairly basic tech as well.

The 2021 Canyon came with standard safety features, including a rearview camera, tire pressure monitoring system, front-and-side-impact airbags, traction control, and the Teen Driver system, which allowed the owner to limit speed and volume settings for secondary drivers. The Canyon was also available with the Driver Alert package, including forward-collision warning, lane-departure warning, and rear parking alert, standard on the Denali and optional on other trim levels. The Denali also came with an upgraded HD backup camera and Hitch Guidance, providing a helpful center guideline for lining up the back of the Canyon to a tow hitch.

The 2022 Ridgeline received top “Good” scores in most Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash tests but a lower “Average” score in the passenger-side small overlap frontal test. The IIHS gave the Ridgeline a top “Superior” rating for front-crash prevention tech, but a “Marginal” headlight rating and an “Average” rating for LATCH child seat anchor ease of use. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the Ridgeline a five-star overall safety rating, with five stars in frontal and side crash tests and four stars in rollover crash testing. The Ridgeline came with the Honda Sensing array of driver aids as standard equipment, including automatic emergency braking, Road Departure Mitigation, forward collision warning, lane departure warning, lane keep assist, and adaptive cruise control. Automatic high beams were standard on the RTL-E and Black Edition trim levels, while blind spot monitoring was standard on all but the base Sport trim level. However, the Ridgeline lacked a 360-degree camera system, which would have been useful in a vehicle of this size.