2018 GMC Canyon

Showing the 2018 Canyon Base. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version

Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.

Fuel economy
15–25 mpgcombined; city 15–22, highway 15–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$14,760–$21,660U.S. average; Ohio $13,190–$20,410 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA overall safety rating
4 starslowest across the versions NHTSA tested
Recall campaigns
1over its history; check a VIN for open ones
Owner complaints
52filed with NHTSA; not adjusted for sales

Trims

NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2018 Canyon. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.

Problems owners report

Owners have filed 52 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Canyon. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.

Complaints by part of the car
PartComplaintsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power train27100
Electrical system10000
Engine6000
Unknown or other5000
Fuel/propulsion system4000
Steering4000
Exterior lighting3000
Air bags2101
Seat belts2000
Service brakes2000
Vehicle speed control2000
Electronic stability control (ESC)1000
4 more parts
Engine and engine cooling1000
Fuel system, diesel1000
Structure1000
Suspension1000

Complaints by model year

Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.

  1. 200648
  2. 200742
  3. 200838
  4. 200927
  5. 20108
  6. 201112
  7. 201223
  8. 2015303
  9. 2016271
  10. 201766
  11. 201852
  12. 201917
  13. 202014
  14. 202112
  15. 202227
  16. 202362
  17. 2024206
  18. 20258
  19. 20268

Every Canyon year side by side

Recalls

NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign for the 2018 Canyon over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.

Fuel system, gasoline: delivery

NHTSA campaign 18V358000 · reported May 31, 2018 · 895 vehicles potentially affected

General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2015-2018 GMC Canyon, 2016-2017 Buick Envision, 2016-2018 Chevrolet Colorado and Malibu, 2017-2018 GMC Acadia, 2018 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac ATS, Chevrolet Equinox, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The high pressure fuel pump may detach from its mounting flange, possibly resulting in the pump damaging the high pressure fuel line.

Risk: A damaged fuel line can create a fuel leak, increasing the risk of a fire.

Remedy: GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the high pressure fuel pump, and high pressure fuel pipe, free of charge. The recall began July 2, 2018. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 18188.

NHTSA's record and documents

Service bulletins and investigations

Carmakers sent NHTSA 1,246 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2018 Canyon, the latest on Sep 26, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.

The parts they mention most: equipment (399), electrical system (232), engine and engine cooling (221), power train (152), engine (123).

NHTSA hasn't opened a defect investigation that covers this model year.

Maintenance

Oil

The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2018 Canyon.

Oil change near you: Jiffy Lube · Take 5

Used ones for sale

See used 2018 GMC Canyons for sale on: Autotrader · CarMax

These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.

Specs

EPA class: small pickup trucks. EPA greenhouse gas score: 2–4 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:

VersionEngineTransmissionFuelCity / hwy / comb
Canyon
Rear-Wheel Drive
2.8 L, 4 cyl, turboAutomatic 6-spdDiesel22 / 30 / 25
Canyon
4-Wheel Drive
2.8 L, 4 cyl, turboAutomatic 6-spdDiesel20 / 28 / 23
Canyon
Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline20 / 26 / 22
Canyon
Rear-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cylManual 6-spdRegular Gasoline20 / 26 / 22
Canyon
4-Wheel Drive
2.5 L, 4 cylAutomatic 6-spdRegular Gasoline19 / 24 / 21
Canyon
Rear-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cylAutomatic 8-spdRegular Gasoline18 / 25 / 20
Canyon
4-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cylAutomatic 8-spdRegular Gasoline17 / 24 / 19
Canyon
Rear-Wheel Drive
3.6 L, 6 cylAutomatic 8-spdRegular Gasoline15 / 15 / 15

Sources and dates

Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data