Yah, I hear a lot of people say they're not impressed with the Colorado/Canyon pickup trucks. This is our second one, and GM has made a lot of improvements in just the last two years. I really think the bankruptcy thing scared them, and they improved quality on all of their vehicles, ... Colorado/Canyon included. Lots of the little cheap annoyances on our 2008 Canyon are not there with this one. The SLT leather interior is also really really really nice, better than some of the leather interiors in much more high end vehicles (Jeep Grand Cherokee, etc.).
The V8 is GREAT! It is so nice to have a vehicle that doesn't have to downshift two gears just to go into a headwind on level ground. It will even maintain high gear on a nearby 10% grade I have to drive frequently. I'll take the V8 over a V6 any day. The Canyon's 5.3 V8 is rated at 300 HP. The highest powered version of the S10 was SS version that had a 195 HP 4.3 Vortec engine in it. I had one of those 4.3 Vortec powered S10s, and it was a real dog compared to the 5.3 V8 powered Canyon.
I also like the size of a small truck platform (Canyon or S10). This Canyon is 8" narrower than my Jeep Rubicon, and that makes a big difference for brushy back country roads, or narrow shelf roads. It doesn't have the live axle front suspension of the Jeep, but you can still get ARB lockers for both ends, and a good 4" lift is available from Rancho. The truck platform is also nice for carrying spare fuel, parts, and camping gear. I prefer having a bed to toss my stuff in, instead of having to carry it inside.
As for fuel mileage, I haven't checked yet, other than just doing a quick calculation in my head. I came up with somewhere around 19 mpg. On my last road trip in the Rubicon I got 11 mpg for part of the trip. I suspect the Canyon is going to better than the Jeep, even after it is modded for off road, and even with an engine that makes 98 more horesepower.
