GMC Acadia
Last year GM introduced shiny new full-size SUVs and even spiffier mid-size crossovers that initially were snapped up by consumers resulting in certain option and powertrain combinations being short in supply.
On the passenger car side, things were looking up at the General with the Saturn Aura sedan named North American Car of the Year for 2007 and then sister act Chevy Malibu saying “right back at ya” for 2008. Cadillac continues to spearhead GM’s new direction, and amazingly there is still plenty of interest in the new Camaro considering it will be at least another year before it hits the streets.
So it would appear that things are going GM’s way.
Well a funny thing happened on the way to General Motor’s revitalization … fuel costs skyrocketed. Right now regular unleaded is up 60 cents here in Chicago from this time last year, and tomorrow -- or in the next few days -- it might go even higher. The numbers are turning so fast the signs on gas stations look like slot machines.
So, this is a bad time to buy an SUV or crossover … right?
Well, maybe you might want to “right size” your next vehicle. This is where crossovers like the mid-size Acadia and siblings Saturn Outlook, Buick Enclave and soon Chevy Traverse enter the picture.
Acadia is offered in SLE and SLT trims, with SLT-1 and SLT-2 equipment packages available. I tested an SLT AWD version.
The Acadia is a crossover (car-based platform) that can do all the things (except heavy-duty off-roading) that a truck-based SUV can, yet it comes with carlike driving characteristics and better fuel economy.
The Acadia offers a good combination of size with up to three-row seating for seven or eight passengers, decent cargo capability and carlike ride quality. Bye, bye heavy and thirsty truck-based body-on-frame designs like the old mid-size Trailblazer that offers outstanding off-roading and towing; hello new crossover AWD people movers.
The motivation behind the Acadia is GM’s 3.6L V-6 VVT engine. The engine features variable valve timing, designed for improved fuel economy, low emissions and exceptional smoothness. My SLT model (with dual exhaust) delivered 275 horsepower on unleaded regular. The Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission features a wide, 6.04:1 overall ratio for enhanced performance and fuel economy, that enables up to an 8 percent improvement in performance and up to 4 percent improved fuel economy when compared with current front-wheel drive, four-speed automatics.
So, let’s tackle the grocery bill -- how much does it cost to feed an Acadia? Don’t do cartwheels as the window sticker on the all-wheel drive test vehicle indicated 16 city and 22 highway mileage figures on regular unleaded. You can squeeze a few more miles out of a tank if you opt for standard front-wheel drive.
The Acadia offers three rows of seating that are great for suburban families that need the seats and the cargo space to keep up with busy lifestyles. Acadia offers access to third-row seats via a Smart Slide second-row seat feature. As it implies, the second-row seat cushion flips up while the seatback slides forward, basically compressing the space occupied by the seat. It operates with one hand and enables adjustable fore/aft positioning of the second-row seat -- very nice.
I did not, however, like the interior design. It is full of ridges, channels and grooves that are a magnet for dust, dirt, food, coffee and juice spills. It will be a constant battle to keep these areas clean. The Saturn and Buick versions offer much better designs. Additionally, the design is spoiled by an instrument panel and other interior panels that have hard plastic surfaces and materials that felt and looked inexpensive.
On the plus side Acadia has cargo room, with 116.9 cubic-feet with the second and third-row seats folded. There’s almost 20 cubic-feet of cargo space behind third-row seat when it’s up. The second and third-row seats fold flat to aid cargo-carrying capacity.
I liked the covered rear cargo convenience center that allows you to conceal junk under the floor.
Acadia offers a wide range of optional and standard equipment, including power windows/locks/mirror, ultrasonic parking assist, power liftgate, remote vehicle start, heated windshield fluid, DVD entertainment system and a DVD navigation system.
The Acadia’s “face” is a bit blunt for my tastes with the “big owl eyes” for headlamps flanking a big open, slotted horizontal grille. The profile of the Acadia is sleek, with a sporty, tapered roofline. It is also aerodynamically efficient, with a coefficient of drag of just 0.344, which helps reduce wind noise and enhances fuel economy. Distinctive LED taillamps – encompassed by chrome-highlighted, multi-dimensional housings -- a rear spoiler and large, twin-tip exhaust outlet create a sporty look … as do its big wheels and tires.
This SUV sits on a 118.9-inch wheelbase and 67.28-inch wide front/rear tracks. This new wider platform yields a nice combination of a smooth ride with stable car/vanlike handling. The ride and handling reflexes are supported by independent front and rear suspensions. The front suspension uses the familiar MacPherson strut design, with a direct-acting stabilizer bar. The rear suspension uses a compact, state-of-the-art linked “H” design, which (like the front) also has a isolated mounting system that is designed to reduce noise and vibration transmitted to the passenger compartment.
As for acceleration, the performance is just average. There’s enough power for passing, but towing tops out at just 4,500 pounds.
The ride is very stable, inspiring confidence and absorbs bumps. While the Acadia is a mid-size crossover, maneuverability is compromised in tight parking lots due to its dimensions.
ABS brakes are standard as the stability control system and variable assist power steering. For 2008 GMC adds a Panic Brake Assist feature. When panic braking is detected, the system automatically develops additional brake pressure to more quickly engage ABS, potentially reducing overall stopping distance by eliminating the delay caused by not braking hard enough and/or soon enough.
Also, Acadia AWD models such as the test vehicle feature an Intelligent AWD system that delivers enhanced driving dynamics and a more refined driving experience. Intelligent AWD takes full-time AWD performance to the next level by incorporating dynamic yaw control and fully integrating with the StabiliTrak electronic stability control system.
New for this year is a refined traction control system; it provides more refined performance and smoother control. This is achieved with revised calibrations that enable less engine torque during turns, an adaptive transmission shift schedule during active traction control events, smoother control on varied road conditions and enhanced cooperation with AWD.
Acadias come with six standard air bags: two dual-stage frontal 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 airbags that cover all three seating rows. The head curtain airbags are among the longest airbags in any production vehicle. Complementing the airbags is GM’s rollover sensing system, which can preemptively activate the side-impact airbags if sensors determine a rollover is imminent and keeps the bags inflated longer.
Pricing out a new Acadia SLT AWD begins at $36,300. The test vehicle added premium leather ($1,275); a convenience package featuring a power liftgate, rear park assist and remote start ($1,045); and XM Satellite Radio ($199). After the dust settled, the price came to nearly $40,000.
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