GMC is expanding its off-road-oriented AT4 sub-brand to include the Canyon mid-size pickup, Yukon full-size SUV, and Terrain compact SUV, the brand revealed last week. With the move, an AT4 trim will be offered for every model in GMC's lineup.

AT4 was launched in 2018 on the 2019 Sierra 1500, and is currently expanding to the 2020 Sierra HD and 2020 Acadia mid-size crossover SUV, which will go on sale this year.

Philip Brook, vice president of GMC and Buick marketing, said demand for AT4 on the Sierra HD pickup has gone better than planned and demand currently exceeds supply.

The Canyon AT4 is scheduled to arrive in early 2020. GMC hasn't announced when the Terrain and Yukon AT4 models will arrive, though Brook said the trim level will come "in the not-too-distant future."

2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4

2020 GMC Sierra 2500HD AT4

AT4 equipment typically includes skid plates, Rancho shocks, knobby tires, and unique interior trim. However, AT4 is also an upscale trim level that slots in just below the high-end Denali trim, and that means AT4 models have lots of standard equipment.

The Canyon could offer even more off-road features, however, if GMC decides to base it on the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, which has an advanced off-road suspension.

GMC views AT4 as a blossoming second sub-brand along the lines of Denali, with the two sub-brands offering truck and SUV buyers a two-pronged approach to luxury. AT4 models are for buyers who want off-road parts to go with the many features and amenities that GMC offers, while Denali models feature chrome and specific trim to take an urban approach.

GMC's Denali sub-brand has done wonders for the truck and SUV maker's bottom line. A third of all GMCs sold are top-end Denalis. If viewed as its own brand, Denali has an average transaction price of $54,273, just below Mercedes-Benz's $57,329 and above Jaguar, BMW, Audi, and Lincoln, according to GMC.