For years enthusiasts of pickup trucks the world over—and predominantly in North America—have favored two brands of trucks specifically. Essentially Ford and Dodge have taken the proverbial cake when it came to being considered the best and/or strongest trucks in the game, Chevrolet being a close third.

All three companies have produced powerful beasts in terms of reliable trucks. Ford having the F150, Dodge having the Ram and, of course, Chevrolet giving the world the Silverado, as a close third overall in the game. But really, at the end of the day, no one ever really talks about number two or three. Everyone always remembers number one … the big dog. And we can all forget about number four! Until now.

Join us as we take a look at the claims made - that perhaps GMC has finally done what no one ever thought possible, which was to become the new big dog on campus.

The New King Of The Hill

Amidst a brave new change happening in the automotive industry, has GMC finally unleashed a creation that can make the F-150 and Ram seem inadequate? Well, with the announcement that “new features” have been added to the 2021 GMC Canyon, maybe they finally have.

Just announced this first month of the new year, GMC stated that the 2021 Canyon will feature an off-road AT4 trim. At the same time, they will do away with the manual transmission, as reported by Motor Authority.

The off-road feature will definitely please many motorists and pickup enthusiasts out there, but the elimination of its manual option will undoubtedly upset a few as well. But, really, when you think about it, is the dismissal of a manual transmission really a big enough problem to wail on about? We sure don't think so. Besides, the off-road feature alone is enough to get even the biggest skeptic excited.

What Other New Features For 2021?

So what is a pickup truck without really awesome off-road capabilities? Essentially, it would be just another SUV rolling down the city streets, right? The only difference is the bed in the back. But if you can't haul off-road, like the inventor of the heavy-duty pickup intended, then why bother?

Also featured on the 2021 Canyon are; 31-inch Goodyear DuraTrac tires, four-wheel-drive (of course), and an Eaton G80 locking differential at the rear, and plenty of other features. One, in particular, is the decent control system that most definitely comes in handy when facing the ups and specifically the downs of the temperamental off-road terrain. Also included will be specific suspension tuning and of course a skid plate.

So yeah ... the GMC Canyon 2021 will be a beast on some pretty serious wheels.

Has GMC Finally Done It?

So what are people saying? To say that everyone out there is excited would be an understatement, so we won't go there. While production hasn't even started yet, the plan is set. Now, all GMC has to do is stick to the aforementioned plan, and they should pretty much have a winner on their hands.

Of course, you'll always have your haters out there, and we expect no less than a bunch of negative comments to start surfacing soon after this announcement makes its way to everyone out there, but we can't help but be hopeful regardless.

As for our part here at HotCars.com, we've posed the question, as we always do. But now, all that's left to do is see what happens. We all wait with bated breath until the time comes for the truck's highly anticipated release, maybe GMC has outdone the competition?

Sources: Car And Driver, Motor Authority