Which is better: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

It depends on priorities. OpenDealer compares 2026 GMC Canyon vs 2011 Ram Dakota on MSRP, fuel economy, horsepower, seating, towing, NHTSA safety ratings, and live market prices so you can weigh the tradeoffs.

Which costs less: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

Based on starting MSRP, the 2011 Ram Dakota starts lower at $23,210. Live GMC Canyon listings start at $16,988.

Which has better startingMsrp: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

The 2011 Ram Dakota leads on startingMsrp in this comparison (23,210).

Which has better combinedMpg: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

The 2026 GMC Canyon leads on combinedMpg in this comparison (20).

Which has better horsepower: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

The 2026 GMC Canyon leads on horsepower in this comparison (310).

Which has better maxTowingLbs: 2026 GMC Canyon or 2011 Ram Dakota?

The 2026 GMC Canyon leads on maxTowingLbs in this comparison (7,700).

How do the NHTSA safety ratings compare for 2026 GMC Canyon vs 2011 Ram Dakota?

NHTSA overall crash-test ratings in this comparison: GMC Canyon (4/5 NHTSA overall).

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GMC Canyon vs Ram Dakota

Side-by-side comparison from manufacturer specifications, NHTSA safety data, and live dealer listings.

Vehicles

2026 GMC Canyon

Trim

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2011 Ram Dakota

Trim

Full research

Overview

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
Selected trim	Elevation	ST
Body style	Truck (Crew Cab)	Truck (Extended Cab)
Drivetrain	rear wheel drive	rear wheel drive
Fuel type	regular unleaded	regular unleaded
Transmission	8-speed shiftable automatic	4-speed automatic
Engine type	gas	gas
Model year	2026	2011

Pricing & market

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
MSRP	$38,900	$23,210 (best)
Lowest listing price	$16,988 (best)	—
Median listing price	$44,683 (best)	—
Highest listing price	$61,439 (best)	—
For sale now	121 (best)	0

Fuel economy & range

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
Combined MPG	20 MPG (best)	17 MPG
City MPG	19 MPG (best)	15 MPG
Highway MPG	23 MPG (best)	20 MPG
Fuel tank	21.4 gal	22 gal (best)

Performance

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
Horsepower	310 hp (best)	210 hp
Torque	430 lb-ft (best)	235 lb-ft
Engine size	2.7 L	3.7 L (best)
Cylinders	I4	V6

Size & capability

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
Seating	5 seats (best)	4 seats
Doors	4	4
Towing capacity	7,700 lbs (best)	7,250 lbs
Payload	1,670 lbs	1,810 lbs (best)
Curb weight	4,410 lbs	4,200 lbs (best)
Ground clearance	9.6 in (best)	7.9 in
Wheelbase	131 in	131.3 in (best)
Length	213.2 in	218.5 in (best)
Width	72.4 in (best)	71.7 in
Height	79.8 in (best)	68.6 in

Safety & recalls

Spec	GMC CanyonElevation	Ram DakotaST
NHTSA overall	4 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Frontal crash (driver)	4 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Frontal crash (passenger)	4 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Side crash (driver)	3 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Side crash (passenger)	5 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Side pole	5 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Rollover	3 / 5 ★ (best)	—
Open recalls (YMM scope)	2	None reported (best)

Highlighted values indicate the better figure for that spec when a clear winner exists. Specs reflect the selected trim for each vehicle. Drag a vehicle header to reorder columns. MSRP and specifications are manufacturer data; listing prices and inventory come from live dealer listings. Safety ratings are from NHTSA.

Trim overview

All available trims with MSRP. The trim selected above is highlighted; comparison specs use that selection.

Trim	GMC Canyon	Ram Dakota
1	Elevation $38,900 MSRP(Currently comparing)	ST $23,210 MSRP(Currently comparing)
2	Elevation $42,200 MSRP	ST $27,460 MSRP
3	AT4 $45,400 MSRP	BigHorn $24,085 MSRP
4	Denali $53,000 MSRP	BigHorn $26,780 MSRP
5	AT4X $57,200 MSRP	BigHorn $28,335 MSRP
6	—	BigHorn $29,730 MSRP
7	—	LoneStar $24,085 MSRP
8	—	LoneStar $26,780 MSRP
9	—	LoneStar $28,335 MSRP
10	—	LoneStar $29,730 MSRP
11	—	ST Fleet $25,760 MSRP
12	—	ST Fleet $28,710 MSRP
13	—	Laramie $30,635 MSRP
14	—	Laramie $33,635 MSRP
15	—	TRX Fleet $31,820 MSRP

Live inventory

GMC Canyon121 for sale

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