Base price: $37,370
As tested: $42,745
3.6 liter, 275-horsepower V6
17 city, 24 highway
More info: www.gmc.com
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With minivans becoming a thing of the past, crossovers are becoming the hottest venture in the automotive industry. GMC has entered the fray with a first-class contender, the Acadia. Depending on your brand loyalty, the Acadia shares the same unibody platform as the Saturn Outlook and the slightly more upscale Buick Enclave. The Acadia is a full-size truck, similar in girth to the Chevy Tahoe, but the slightly lower profile makes the vehicle seem somewhat less intimidating. This is a very mature design for a first effort by GM. Soccer moms still get all the convenience of their beloved minivan, while dad can fantasize about off-road adventures.
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If you like the exterior of the Acadia, you are going to love the interior space. Considering that the government classifies the Acadia as a truck, you will be hard pressed to find a more car-like interior in form, function and ride. Aside from the slightly strange triple chrome-accented vent cluster that is set square in the center of the dashboard, the interior appointments are a textbook lesson in ergonomics. Our tester came equipped with a heads-up display which seems to make more sense in a sports car than a crossover. Fit and finish are excellent and the front bucket seats will seriously spoil you and your crew. We took a four-hour road trip in the Acadia and arrived at our destination fresh as a daisy.
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Equipped with a 3.6-liter V6, the Acadia is nicely balanced if not overpowering. With pump prices quickly approaching four bucks a gallon, we would gladly trade the extra ponies for the MPG rating of 17 city and more importantly 24 highway. Because the truck shell is based on a car-like unibody suspension, off-road prowess is sacrificed for better operation in the real world of city and highway cruising. The Acadia is quiet, smooth and responsive, no matter the road conditions or speed, with solid braking and great steering feedback. It's a very attractive package and perhaps marks a rebirth of a once great company that is flirting with being great again.
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The Acadia is cool and comfortable and should appeal to any girl who likes a practical man.
-- by Chad Doering |
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