Even though the 2014 North American International Auto Show does not officially kick off until tomorrow, GMC has taken the covers off their new midsize pickup for 2015. The GMC Canyon is back, and looks like a GMC Sierra that was copied at 75% size on a Xerox. Despite Ford and RAM’s decision to not make midsize trucks, General Motors is committed to this segment, and it will be interesting to see how well they do.

Canyon

The GMC Canyon is a good looking truck that shares its looks with the larger Sierra.

The Canyon will be available with several different engine options, and should prove to be much more fuel-efficient than its bigger brother. The “bread and butter” engine will most likely be the 300hp V6 engine, but here are Auto Geeks we are most excited about the 2.8L Duramax diesel that will be available starting in 2016. The truck will be available in 2WD or 4WD, and there will be an all-terrain package that should have some off-road credentials.

Canyon

The Canyon will have 4G LTE connectivity and access to AppShop.

READ: Chevrolet Demos AppShop Experience at CES (Video)

The interior will bring over many of the refinements from the Sierra, and include the latest MyLink infotainment system. Announced at CES, the vehicle will also include AppShop and OnStar’s 4G LTE data connection. This will allow for apps to get data at good data rates and allow app developers to be more creative with their designs.

For safety, the Canyon will be available with forward collision alert and lane keeping technologies. We have not sampled this technology from General Motors, but we were impressed last summer when we drove a Lincoln MKZ with it.

Slated to go on sale later this year, the Canyon should be priced less than a comparable Sierra. With decent payload capacity (1,500 or so pounds), this may appeal to a group of people who need the utility of a truck without wanting something as large. We we have more details later this week as we are in town for the 2014 North American International Auto Show.