Compare the2026 Ford MaverickVS 2026 GMC Canyon

Safety
Warranty
Reliability
Engine
Fuel Economy and Range
Transmission
Brakes and Stopping
Tires and Wheels
Suspension and Handling
Chassis
Passenger Space
Cargo Capacity
Ergonomics
Economic Advantages
Recommendations

Safety

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The Ford Maverick has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Canyon doesn’t offer knee airbags.

The Maverick has standard Post Collision Braking, which automatically apply the brakes in the event of a crash to help prevent secondary collisions and prevent further injuries. The Canyon doesn’t offer a post collision braking system: in the event of a collision that triggers the airbags, more collisions are possible without the protection of airbags that may have already deployed.

Over 200 people are killed each year when backed over by motor vehicles. The Maverick (except XL/XLT) offers optional Reverse Brake Assist that uses rear sensors to monitor for objects to the rear and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision. The Canyon doesn’t offer automatic braking for stationary objects directly to the rear.

The Maverick’s driver alert monitor detects an inattentive driver then sounds a warning and suggests a break. According to the NHTSA, drivers who fall asleep cause about 100,000 crashes and 1500 deaths a year. The Canyon doesn’t offer a driver alert monitor.

For better protection of the passenger compartment, the Maverick uses safety cell construction with a three-dimensional high-strength frame that surrounds the passenger compartment. It provides extra impact protection and a sturdy mounting location for door hardware and side impact beams. The Canyon uses a body-on-frame design, which has no frame members above the floor of the vehicle.

Both the Maverick and the Canyon have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, crash mitigating brakes, daytime running lights, lane departure warning systems, rearview cameras, available all wheel drive, blind spot warning systems, around view monitors and rear cross-path warning.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does 35 MPH front crash tests on new vehicles. In this test, results indicate that the Ford Maverick is safer than the GMC Canyon:

	Maverick	Canyon
OVERALL STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
	Driver
STARS	5 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	129	194
Neck Injury Risk	22%	26.1%
Neck Stress	234 lbs.	330 lbs.
Leg Forces (l/r)	139/49 lbs.	150/71 lbs.
	Passenger
STARS	4 Stars	4 Stars
HIC	202	293
Chest Compression	.6 inches	.8 inches
Neck Compression	47 lbs.	92 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration does side impact tests on new vehicles. In this test, which crashes the vehicle into a flat barrier at 38.5 MPH and into a post at 20 MPH, results indicate that the Ford Maverick is safer than the GMC Canyon:

	Maverick	Canyon
	Front Seat
STARS	5 Stars	3 Stars
HIC	87	129
Chest Movement	.7 inches	1.6 inches
Abdominal Force	150 lbs.	186 lbs.
	Into Pole
STARS	5 Stars	5 Stars
Max Damage Depth	13 inches	14 inches
Hip Force	458 lbs.	586 lbs.

New test not comparable to pre-2011 test results. More stars = Better. Lower test results = Better.

Side impacts caused 23% of all road fatalities in 2018, down from 29% in 2003, when the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety introduced its side barrier test. In order to continue improving vehicle safety, the IIHS has started using a more severe side impact test: 37 MPH (up from 31 MPH), with a 4180-pound barrier (up from 3300 pounds). The results of this newly developed test demonstrates that the Ford Maverick is safer than the Canyon:

	Maverick	Canyon
Overall Evaluation	GOOD	GOOD
Structure	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE
	Driver Injury Measures
Head/Neck	GOOD	GOOD
Torso	GOOD	GOOD
Torso Deflection Rate	7 MPH	9 MPH
Head Protection	GOOD	GOOD
	Passenger Injury Measures
Neck Compression	45 lbs.	223 lbs.
Pelvis	GOOD	GOOD
Head Protection	GOOD	ACCEPTABLE

Warranty

The Maverick’s corrosion warranty is unlimited miles longer than the Canyon’s (unlimited vs. 100,000 miles).

There are over 71 percent more Ford dealers than there are GMC dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the Maverick’s warranty.

Reliability

The Maverick has a standard “limp home system” to keep drivers from being stranded if most or all of the engine’s coolant is lost. The engine will run on only half of its cylinders at a time, reduce its power and light a warning lamp on the dashboard so the driver can get to a service station for repairs. The Canyon doesn’t offer a lost coolant limp home mode, so a coolant leak could strand you or seriously damage the truck’s engine.

A reliable vehicle saves its owner time, money and trouble. Nobody wants to be stranded or have to be without a vehicle while it’s being repaired. Consumer Reports rates the Ford Maverick Hybrid’s reliability 31 points higher than the Canyon and the Ford Maverick is rated 44 points higher than the Canyon.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2025 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ford vehicles are better in initial quality than GMC vehicles. With 6 fewer problems per 100 vehicles, JD Power ranks Ford higher than GMC.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ March 2025 Auto Issue reports that Ford vehicles are more reliable than GMC vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ford 7 places higher in reliability than GMC.

Engine

As tested in Car and Driver the Ford Maverick is faster than the GMC Canyon:

	Maverick 4 cyl. hybrid gas	Maverick turbo 4 cyl.	Canyon
Zero to 60 MPH	6.7 sec	5.8 sec	7.4 sec
Zero to 100 MPH	20 sec	16.5 sec	24.5 sec
5 to 60 MPH Rolling Start	7 sec	6.7 sec	8.2 sec
Passing 30 to 50 MPH	3.8 sec	3.6 sec	3.9 sec
Passing 50 to 70 MPH	5 sec	4.4 sec	5.2 sec
Quarter Mile	15.3 sec	14.5 sec	15.8 sec
Speed in 1/4 Mile	90 MPH	95 MPH	88 MPH
Top Speed	113 MPH	111 MPH	101 MPH

Fuel Economy and Range

On the EPA test cycle the Maverick gets better mileage than the Canyon:

			MPG
Maverick
	FWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	42 city/35 hwy
	AWD	2.5 4-cyl. Hybrid	40 city/34 hwy
		2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	22 city/30 hwy
		Lobo 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/30 hwy
		Tremor 2.0 turbo 4-cyl.	21 city/27 hwy
Canyon
	RWD	2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	19 city/23 hwy
	AWD	2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	17 city/22 hwy
		AT4X 2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	17 city/17 hwy
		AT4X AEV 2.7 turbo 4-cyl.	16 city/16 hwy

Regenerative brakes improve the Maverick Hybrid’s fuel efficiency by converting inertia back into energy instead of wasting it. The Canyon doesn’t offer a regenerative braking system.

The Maverick Hybrid has a standard locking fuel door with a power remote release convenient to the driver. The fuel filler door is not lockable on the Canyon. A locking fuel door helps prevent fuel theft and vandalism, such as sugar in the tank.

Transmission

The Maverick has a standard continuously variable transmission (CVT). With no “steps” between gears, it can keep the engine at the most efficient speed for fuel economy, or keep it at its peak horsepower indefinitely for maximum acceleration. The Canyon doesn’t offer a CVT.

Brakes and Stopping

The Maverick stops much shorter than the Canyon:

	Maverick	Canyon
70 to 0 MPH	158 feet	188 feet	Car and Driver
60 to 0 MPH	113 feet	129 feet	Motor Trend

Tires and Wheels

The Maverick’s standard tires provide better handling because they have a lower 65 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Canyon AT4X’s standard 70 series tires.

Suspension and Handling

For superior ride and handling, the Ford Maverick has fully independent front and semi-independent rear suspensions. An independent suspension allows the wheels to follow the road at the best angle for gripping the pavement, without compromising ride comfort. The GMC Canyon has a solid rear axle, with a non-independent rear suspension.

The front and rear suspension of the Maverick uses coil springs for better ride, handling and control than the Canyon, which uses leaf springs in the rear. Coil springs compress more progressively and offer more suspension travel for a smoother ride with less bottoming out.

The Maverick Lobo AWD handles at .84 G’s, while the Canyon AT4X pulls only .70 G’s of cornering force in a Motor Trend skidpad test.

The Maverick Lobo AWD executes Motor Trend’s “Figure Eight” maneuver 2 seconds quicker than the Canyon AT4X (27.1 seconds @ .66 average G’s vs. 29.1 seconds @ .58 average G’s).

For better maneuverability, the Maverick’s turning circle is 1.5 feet tighter than the Canyon’s (40 feet vs. 41.5 feet). The Maverick’s turning circle is 4.7 feet tighter than the Canyon AT4X AEV’s (40 feet vs. 44.7 feet).

Chassis

The Ford Maverick may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 850 to 1300 pounds less than the GMC Canyon.

The Maverick is 1 foot, 1.4 inches shorter than the Canyon, making the Maverick easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces.

The Maverick is 12.1 inches shorter in height than the Canyon, making the Maverick much easier to wash and garage and drive (lower center of gravity).

Unibody construction lowers the Maverick’s center of gravity significantly without reducing ground clearance. This contributes to better on the road handling and better off-road performance and stability. In addition, unibody construction makes the chassis stiffer, improving handling and reducing squeaks and rattles. The Canyon doesn’t use unibody construction, but a body-on-frame design.

Passenger Space

The Maverick has .7 inches more front hip room, 1.3 inches more rear headroom, 1.2 inches more rear legroom and 1 inch more rear hip room than the Canyon.

The front step up height for the Maverick is 6.1 inches lower than the Canyon (18” vs. 24.1”). The Maverick’s rear step up height is 5.8 inches lower than the Canyon’s (18.5” vs. 24.3”).

Cargo Capacity

A low lift-over bed design makes loading and unloading the Maverick easier. The Maverick’s bed lift-over height is 30.4 inches, while the Canyon’s liftover is 35.8 inches.

An optional locking center console keeps your small valuables safer in the Maverick. The Canyon doesn’t offer locking storage for small valuables.

Ergonomics

The Maverick Lariat/Tremor’s front and rear power windows all open or close with one touch of the switches. The Canyon’s rear power window switches have to be held the entire time to close them fully.

In case you lock your keys in your vehicle, or don’t have them with you, you can let yourself in using the Maverick’s available exterior PIN entry system. The Canyon doesn’t offer an exterior PIN entry system, and its OnStar® can’t unlock the doors if the vehicle doesn’t have cell phone reception or the driver can’t contact the service.

The Maverick’s speed-sensitive wipers speed up when the vehicle does, so that the driver doesn’t have to continually adjust the speed of the wipers. The Canyon’s manually variable intermittent wipers have to be constantly adjusted.

Economic Advantages

According to iSeeCars.com the 2026 Ford Maverick retains 63.11% of its original value after 5 years, more than the 61.81% resale value of the 2026 GMC Canyon after five years, which can save the Ford’s owner up to $3462 in depreciation.

Recommendations

Consumer Reports® chose the Ford Maverick as its “Top Pick,” the highest scoring vehicle in its category, based on reliability, safety and performance.

The Maverick was chosen as a Car and Driver’s “Top Ten” for 2025 and 2 more times in the last 4 years. The Canyon has never been chosen by Car and Driver in their “10Best” issue.

Motor Trend selected the Maverick as their 2026 Truck of the Year. The Canyon has never been chosen.

A group of representative automotive journalists from North America selected the Maverick as the 2026 North American Truck of the Year. The Canyon has never been chosen.

The Ford Maverick outsold the GMC Canyon by over four to one during 2025.

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