Instead of "go big or go home," GMC focused on "light makes right" with the second-generation Acadia. Built to comply with more stringent fuel economy standards while matching key rivals' dimensions, the three-row Acadia is 7-inches shorter, 4-inches narrower, and 500-pounds lighter. The result is a competitive, practical, and pleasant family hauler.
The slimmed-down body and 310-hp, 3.6-liter V6 help scoot the all-wheel-drive Acadia away from competitors, hitting 60 mph in a rapid 6.8 seconds. Power delivery is smooth, but the six-speed automatic gives the occasional jolty shift. Although fuel economy is up to 19 mpg overall, the Acadia still trails its peers. If kept in front-drive mode, you'll gain 1 mpg on the highway. Base models have a 193-hp four-cylinder engine with front-wheel drive, but most Acadias will come with the V6.
Continuing the downsized approach, V6 towing capacity has dropped from 5,200 pounds to 4,000, falling below the 5,000-pound rating of many rivals, including the Ford Explorer and Toyota Highlander.
Cabin quietness is an Acadia highlight, particularly in top Denali trim, which benefits from added noise insulation. The ride is firm, yet steady and controlled. Handling is responsive and very secure, especially for a three-row SUV.
Conceding a former advantage, the new Acadia's interior doesn't feel as airy as the Honda Pilot or Highlander cabins, but there's good headroom and the driver's seat is well padded. Depending on seating configuration, the Acadia can fit five, six, or seven people. Like us, many buyers will choose the comfy second-row individual captain's chairs that recline and slide back and forth; the passenger-side seat can slide forward for easy third-row entry. Two adults can fit in the way back with surprisingly good headroom, though there's little legroom.
Some clever touches add utility, like a big pull-out drawer under the center console, and cargo-bay levers that remotely fold the second-row seatbacks. Family-hauling duties are aided by a unique system that reminds you to make sure you haven't left children unattended in the car when parking, along with a second-row seat design that folds to access the third row without forcing you to remove a forward-facing, LATCH-installed child seat.
Hard surfaces and some ill-fitting trim bits are apparent and detract from the cabin's fit and finish. However, easy controls and a comprehensive infotainment system, allowing for seamless interaction with audio, phone, and navigation functions is an asset.
Named after North America's highest peak, the Denali is the top-trim Acadia; and it comes with a tall luxury SUV price tag that surpasses $50,000. But not everything lives up to this lofty summit: Common luxury items, such as four-way adjustable lumbar support, a power sunroof shade, and auto-up windows all-around, are missing. These are prevalent even on $30,000 cars.
We also wish advanced safety equipment was more evenly distributed through the Acadia lineup. Blind-spot monitoring comes standard starting with the mid-grade SLT-1 trim, but forward-collision warning and automatic emergency braking are only available on relatively posh SLT-2 and Denali versions where it is standard equipment.
The Acadia is relatively expensive, perhaps in an attempt to position GMC as a premium brand. Even though it performs competitively, in terms of interior furnishing or feature content, the Acadia doesn't come across as more upscale than rivals' offerings from Toyota, Honda, Hyundai, and Kia.
Ultimately, the Acadia is a quiet, roomy, and functional vehicle that can serve family needs quite well. Too bad GM skimped on some details and convenience features, especially on the top Denali trim.