Manufacturer General Motors Body style 5-door crossover | Model years 2007–present Transmission 6-speed automatic | |
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Class Full-size crossover SUV (2007-2016)
Mid-size crossover SUV (2016-present) Layout Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive / all-wheel drive | ||
The GMC Acadia is a mid-size crossover SUV (full-size until 2016) from GMC. The GMC Acadia, Chevrolet Traverse, and Buick Enclave share the new GM Lambda platform. The Acadia went on sale in 2006 as a 2007 model in the United States and in Canada. The Acadia replaces three of the 7- or 8-seater vehicles on the Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership network, the mid-size GMC Safari van, the GMC Envoy, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 minivan for the domestic market. As of 2009, the Lambda vehicles have replaced the Buick Rainier, Buick Rendezvous, and the Buick Terraza, and then subsequently the GMC Envoy and the Chevrolet TrailBlazer. A Denali version of the Acadia debuted in 2010 as a 2011 model. In 2016, the second generation Acadia was repositioned as a mid-size crossover utility vehicle (as a 2017 model) in order to compete within the growing mid-size CUV market against the likes of the Ford Edge and Dodge Journey.
Contents
First generation (2007-2017)
The Acadia represents GMC's entry-level truck-like CUV and is the first unibody vehicle from the marque. It is also GMC's first front-wheel drive passenger vehicle and GMC's first crossover utility vehicle (CUV).
The Acadia has seating for eight and either front or all-wheel drive. With a 5,200 lb (2,359 kg) towing capacity, the Acadia slots between the GMC Terrain and the Yukon. The Acadia is the mid-priced Lambda model between the Chevrolet Traverse and Enclave. The Acadia had average reliability ratings in Consumer Reports' surveys.
The first-generation Acadia will continue to be sold alongside its second-generation replacement as the Acadia Limited. For more information, please see below.
Suspension and chassis
The 2008 Acadia has a 118.9 in (3,020 mm) wheelbase and 67.28 in (1,709 mm) front/rear tracks. The independent front suspension is a MacPherson strut design, with a direct-acting stabilizer bar and aluminum knuckles. The independent rear suspension uses a "H" Linked design.
Steering is power-assisted rack-and-pinion, with an optional variable-effort system. Standard are 18 inch wheels and tires, with optional 19 inch wheels. Four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are standard.
Engine and transmission
The Acadia uses GM's High Feature LY7 V6 that was introduced in the Cadillac CTS. In the Acadia, the engine produces 275 hp (205 kW) and 258 lb·ft (350 N·m) of torque. The Acadia also uses the new GM-Ford 6-speed automatic transmission.
The 2009 model year engine was the direct injected LLT, producing 288 hp (215 kW) and 270 lb·ft (366 N·m) of torque.
The 2012 Acadia has a 3.6 L V6 engine producing 288 hp (215 kW) and 270 lb·ft (366 N·m) torque.
The 2017 Acadia has a 3.6 L V6 engine producing 310 hp (231 kW) and 271 lb ft (367 Nm) torque
Interior
The Acadia features available 3-row, 7 or 8-seater seating. Inside, the Acadia features more contemporary trim than the Outlook, including chrome and satin nickel textures, and a wider variety of two-toned interior colors such as an Ebony and Light Titanium (grey) cloth upholstery, and a choice of either Ebony, Light Titanium (grey) or Brick (brown) leather upholstery. A heads-up display similar to those found in the Cadillac XLR, Cadillac STS, Pontiac Grand Prix, Pontiac Aztek, Pontiac Bonneville, Buick Park Avenue and Chevrolet Corvette is one of the available options exclusive to the Acadia and standard on the Acadia Denali thus far.
Wheels and tires
The 2008 Acadia features 19 inch cast aluminum wheels and Goodyear Eagle RS-A M+S P255/60R-19 108H tires with a high-pressure compact spare tire standard on the SLT2 model and optional on the SLT1. The SLE model has 18 inch painted aluminum wheels with P255/65R-18 tires. The SLT1 comes standard with 18 inch machined aluminum wheels.
Acadia Denali
The Denali version of the Acadia arrived at dealerships as a 2011 model in the third quarter of 2010. This upgraded trim is available in FWD and AWD versions in seven- or eight-passenger form and features monotone paint, honeycomb grille, unique front and rear fascias, along with HID headlamps, chrome accents, exhaust tips, and six-spoke 20-inch wheels. Interior upgrades include perforated leather seating and wood trim.
The Acadia Denali joins its SUV siblings, the Terrain Denali, the Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali, and marks GMC's first crossover to take the Denali badge.
Safety
A unibody construction helps lower center of gravity, compared to previous truck-based GM SUVs, reduces the risk of rollover accidents. Much of the Acadia's structure is reinforced with high-strength steel, including a steel cross-car beam welded across the floor between the B-pillars.
The Acadia has six different airbags equipped in the vehicle; two dual-stage front air bags for the driver and front passenger, two seat-mounted side-impact air bags in the first row and two head curtain side impact air bags that cover all three seating rows. Similar to the Volvo XC90, the Acadia will have a detection system on board that will deploy various airbags if a rollover is detected.
Additionally, the Acadia has a standard OnStar system, now in its ninth generation.
2013 facelift
GM unveiled an updated 2013 GMC Acadia at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, taking the bodyshell of the defunct Saturn Outlook. The 2013 Acadia received a completely redesigned grille and front fascia, a redesigned rear liftgate, and an improved interior with upgrades to interior quality, as with its other two updated siblings, the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse.
2014 model year
For the 2014 model year, the Acadia added Forward Collision Alert and Lane Departure Warning as a standard on Denali and as an optional feature on SLT1 and SLT2 trims, while two charging-only USB ports on the rear of the center console for second-row use were added as a standard for all trims.
2015 model year
For the 2015 model year, a heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel became standard on SLT-2 and Denali models, along with a twenty-inch aluminum wheel design. Crimson Red Tintcoat, Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic, and Midnight Amethyst Metallic are added as new exterior color palettes. In addition, dual exhaust became available only on Denali versions, while all other trim levels received single exhaust.
Second generation (2017–present)
The second generation Acadia made its official debut at the North American International Auto Show on January 12, 2016. The redesigned Acadia went on sale in May 2016 as a 2017 model. The second generation Acadia is built in Spring Hill, Tennessee.
The second generation Acadia was reduced from 200.8 inches to 193.6 inches in length and from 78.9 inches to 75.4 inches in width (losing 700 pounds in the process), as GM repositioned the vehicle to mid-size status while remaining above the Terrain in size (the Terrain itself would relinquish its midsize status after it was repositioned as a second generation smaller compact crossover with the 2018 model), as GM has already announced that the next generation Traverse and Enclave will be the only GM-built full size crossover SUVs in this segment. With the reduction from full-size to mid-size, the Acadia's MSRP was reduced to $29,995 (US). The GMC Acadia now has 5 to 6 to 7 passenger configurations with two bucket seats up front and two buckets in the second row and two seats in the rear row or two Front Bucket seats and one second row bench seat and two rear seats in the third row or one with two front bucket seats and one rear bench seat.
The second generation Acadia features seven seats instead of eight, a choice of either a 2.5L or 3.6L engine, a new All Terrain drivetrain designed for off-road environments (joining the FWD and AWD drivetrains), an updated fascia and redesigned lighting. The Acadia is built on the same platform as the Cadillac XT5 and will be joined by the Chinese-built Buick Envision and a yet to be named Chevrolet equivalent (built on the C1XX platform) when GM unveils its lineup for its mid-size CUVs for 2018 and beyond.
With the decrease in size, fuel economy with the 3.6L with increases to 18 city, 25 hwy (AWD and FWD) from 17 city 24 hwy (FWD). The 2017 Acadia will offer the newly launched AppShop feature.
Trim levels for the second generation Acadia were carried over from the previous generation; SL, SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2, as well as a Denali trim level, though an All-Terrain Package is available on Acadia SLE and SLT trim levels that will be more rugged in its appearance. The second generation Acadia is also available with Third Row Seat Delete option on SLE and SLT trim levels as part of the All-Terrain Package.
The second generation Acadia introduced a feature to remind drivers to check the rear seats for children to help prevent heatstroke of children accidentally left behind in a vehicle.
Holden Acadia
The Acadia will be sold in Australia as a Holden badged vehicle and is expected to retain the Acadia name. The Holden Acadia will also be built in Tennessee with RHD specifications and marketed as a full size CUV when it goes on sale in 2018.
Acadia Limited
In addition, the first-generation Acadia will be sold alongside its second-generation replacement, but will be renamed the Acadia Limited, much like the Chevrolet Cruze Limited, Chevrolet Malibu Limited, and Chevrolet Impala Limited were also sold alongside their replacements, at least for a single model year, as rental and fleet vehicles. However, production will be moved from Lansing, Michigan to Spring Hill, Tennessee, the site of the old Saturn plant, alongside the second generation Acadia, while the second-generation Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse will both make their debuts in 2017, with production continuing at the Lansing plant. The Acadia Limited will carry a base price tag of $44,775 and continue to offer the same features from the 2016 model.