DRAX
Active member
The 2018+ trucks have a 4WD indicator light in the gauge cluster, you don't need the ZR2's Off-Road pages to know it's in 4WD. 2017 and older models, like mine, only have the indicator on the 4WD knob.
On to my review. I bought my 2017 Canyon Denali CCLB 4WD with the 2.8 Duramax new a little more than 3 years ago. I now have around 55k miles on the truck, around 12k of those miles were towing a 5,000LB travel trailer around the US. Over the time I've owned it I had to take it in for warranty work twice. The first time was less than a month after bringing it home and it was due to a defective airbag connector. I was told this was a known issue during the time my truck was built but normally it's discovered during PDI because the airbag light would be on as soon as it rolled off the truck. The second time was around 16k miles when a PM (particulate matter) sensor in the exhaust failed, which was also a known issue at the time. It was replaced with an updated sensor and it's been fine ever since. Oil, oil filter, and fuel filter changes are the easiest I've ever experienced (And I've owned about 2 dozen vehicles over the years). This past summer I outfitted my truck for overlanding. Nothing major, just an RTT, A/T tires, removed the snow plow (air dam), and loaded up for our first adventure back in July. Since then I've installed a Decked drawer system, mounted an ICECO fridge to an Alu-Cab tilting fridge slide, picked up a Jackery 1000, and am ready for the next adventure. I think this size truck is the Goldilocks truck. I've owned multiple full-size trucks, various Jeeps (CJ, XJ, WK2, JKUR), and other vehicles over the years and I find this truck to have the fewest compromises. It did great out in Colorado, the full-time 4WD does great in the snowy Midwest winters, it gets great fuel economy, it rides nice, doesn't rattle, is easy to park and drive in the cities, fits in the garage, can tow really well (exhaust brake works really well when towing through mountains), and it didn't break the bank to buy.
Dislikes? There's not a lot of legroom in the back if you have other adults to take with you, at least if the people up front have long legs like me. I have the seat back quite a ways but not all the way (Hah! Take that, Gladiator) and 15 and 19 year old daughters fit fine. It's a Denali but lacks various Denali features, but it also doesn't sell for normal Denali prices. Anyway, would've liked to have a built-in garage door opener, adaptive cruise, rain-sensing wipers, automatic high-beams, rear backup sensors (These came on later years), etc but not having these things hasn't been a problem.
As far as seat comfort, yes the seats are a bit firm but they do break in and soften up with time. I felt the same way on the 3 hour drive home after buying my truck, the seat bottom/edge was so firm it was making my leg ache and I wasn't sure how I was going to be able to do road trips comfortably. Thankfully, the seats did soften up and it hasn't been an issue. I have no problem sitting in the driver's seat all day long.
The wireless phone charger is basically useless due to the small area it's in so most phones with wireless charging won't fit.
All in all, it's been a great truck and I haven't felt the urge to get rid of it. With most of my past vehicles I'd either get bored of them, they'd have annoying issues that I didn't want to deal with anymore, or my needs/wants would change and I'd get something else. This truck has been able to keep my interest and works/worked for everything I've wanted to do. Here's how it's progressed over the years (I'm back to the original mirrors now since we no longer have the travel trailer to tow). About the only other truck I'd consider replacing this with is a Gladiator Rubicon with the EcoDiesel, but not sure how well that would compare with the complaints about leg room and having a shorter bed.
