Thinking of downsizing from your Yukon without sacrificing interior space? GMC’s Acadia, looking tougher and more SUV-like than GM’s

Acadia has the most truck-like styling of GM's new crossovers... fitting for GMC. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

other full-size crossovers, just might be ideal. It seats up to eight in relative comfort, can handle plenty of cargo and delivers much better chassis dynamics than the brand’s truck-based ute. Actually, unless you’re towing really heavy loads or going off-road on a regular basis, the Acadia makes a lot more sense, and I haven’t even mentioned fuel economy yet.

The Acadia has been around for about two years now, having first arrived in GMC dealerships in 2006 as a 2007 model. It was the second in a string of four large crossovers based on GM’s new Lambda platform architecture, starting with the Saturn Outlook and then followed up by the Buick Enclave; the Chevy Traverse has yet to hit the streets. Good looking, the Acadia quickly won fans for its bold front end styling and flowing but not feminine profile, a design that continues to look fresh and plenty upscale thanks to excellent paint and panel fit plus lots of chrome detailing.

A

Equal to its shapely sheet metal, the Acadia's interior looks great and is well made. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

great looking crossover was expected from GMC, of course, as it’s been a style leader within the truck and SUV segments for decades. Its pickups are always a cut above Chevrolet while its Denali trim level, whether fitted to the Sierra or Yukon, pushes the brand into Cadillac territory. The Envoy was a knockout when it launched too, despite resembling an aging star now. The real shocker with the Acadia, however, was and still is its interior, which borders on premium in a segment that still produces some pretty utilitarian grade hardware. If you’re looking for high-end soft-touch plastics there should be enough to keep you satisfied, while the metallic accents and wood trim might not be real, but they looks more authentic than the ghastly grains offered by some of the Acadia’s Asian competitors. The Acadia also benefits from GM’s massive investment in switchgear and audio/HVAC interfaces, meaning that the controls click and twist with a higher level of precision than most rivals’ buttons

Acadia's not as convenient as a minivan, but it comes pretty close. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

and knobs, and all ancillary features are right up there with the segment’s best.

GM created its new lineup of full-size crossovers around the same time it started phasing out its minivan program, so it was vitally important that its dealers had something with similarly capability to the Uplander/Venture, Montana, Terraza and Relay family when it came time for trade-ins. And while I’m not going to pretend a tall crossover with conventionally opening side doors can be as convenient as a lower minivan with side-sliders, they were right in calling the market as it appears to be headed. It seems that today’s buyer, for the most part, is quite willing to leave the user-friendly nature and negative stigma of the minivan behind for a slightly less useful but much more attractive crossover. GMC, due to the way GM’s dealer network is set up, never had a version of the aforementioned vans, its retailers

Acadia feels pretty light on its feet for such a large crossover. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

selling the Pontiac and eventually the Buick instead. Now, with the Terraza history and the Montana SV6 only sold in Canada, plus the minivan-based Aztek and Rendezvous crossovers long departed, the Acadia has a lot of roles to fill at PBG dealerships. Of course, that’s where its size comes in handy.

Yet for such a large vehicle it hardly feels heavy at the wheel. The Yukon, believe it or not, also feels light for its girth, but nowhere near as responsive and downright agile as this car-based crossover. The Acadia is actually fun to throw through the corners, partially due to its lower ride height and wide stance, and partially due to its four-wheel independent suspension setup. It tracks extremely well on the highway too, making for the perfect weekend getaway vehicle, and despite only getting V6 power can hustle along at a pretty brisk pace.

The

No shortage of power with the 3.6L V6, but more is on the way for 2009. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

Acadia’s V6 is one of the most sophisticated in GM’s entire lineup. It’s a 3.6-litre lump with variable valve time that’s capable of churning out 275 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 251 lb-ft of torque at 3,200 rpm, which translated into usable terms means that it has enough thrust to move it up to highway speed without holding up traffic and sufficient power to pass slower vehicles given a reasonable window of opportunity. It’s a refined engine too, revving freely and remaining calm as it goes about its business (which also is due to the Acadia’s 0.34 coefficient of drag that keeps wind noise to a minimum plus GM’s attention to sound-deadening), and thanks to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic the engine’s lack of torque at lower revs is mostly overcome, while the combo delivers fairly good fuel economy of 13 L/100 km in the city and 8.3 on the highway in front-wheel drive trim and 13.5 and 8.9 respectively with the all-wheel drive setup. These are estimates based on Canada’s wholly unrealistic EnerGuide system, so expect to use more fuel when driving your Acadia, but they’re still useful for comparison purposes. If you really want to know what to expect, it’s a good idea to use the US EPA numbers that have been

It's a comfortable cabin. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

modified to reflect normal hot and cold driving conditions that might include going up and down hills, etc. Still a bit optimistic, the EPA rates the Acadia at 16 mpg in the city and 24 on the highway, or converted from US mpg to Canadian-spec L/100 km, the equivalent of 14.7 in the city and 9.8 on the highway. Still, a lot better than the Yukon. Next year the Acadia and its siblings will receive an upgraded V6 with more power and torque plus reduced consumption, so you’ll have to do the math to figure out if it’s worth getting a deal on a 2008 model as GMC dealers unload inventory, or wait for a 2009 and hope that deals will still be forthcoming.

As far as features go, there’s really no stripped-down Acadia, or at least there’s nothing near as basic as one of GM’s entry-level minivans. All get air conditioning front and rear, a centre console between the front seats, a tilt and telescopic steering column,

Cool features, like head-up display (HUD), are available. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

a leather-wrapped steering wheel with redundant audio controls, power heated outside mirrors, power door locks with remote access, power windows, etc, etc.

Four-wheel discs with four-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), dynamic rear proportioning (DRP) and panic brake assist (BA) are also standard, as is one of the most important safety systems ever created, stability control. The Acadia gets GM’s StabiliTrak electronic stability control system with Proactive Roll Avoidance and traction control, and if the forces of reality combine with an act of God or driver error, whether yours or someone else’s, a total of six standard airbags come into play, protecting front occupants with one in the steering wheel hub and another in the passenger-side dash, two integrated into the front seats for shielding the side thorax position, and two head-curtain airbags that run the full length of vehicle. Lastly, OnStar controls are integrated into the rearview mirror of every Acadia.

That mirror can feature automatic dimming if you move up in trim levels, while automatic climate control is also available, as are powered front seats with six- or eight-way adjustability, depending on trim level, leather seating surfaces, a higher-end Bose ten-speaker audio system with a six-disc in-dash CD changer and XM satellite radio (with three-free months of service, but its’ only available in 10 Canadian provinces and 48 contiguous United States), a backup camera as part of the DVD navigation system, a rear entertainment system, a 110-volt three-prong AC outlet integrated into the rear of front-row centre console, a powered rear liftgate, and a great deal more

The stock alloys are nice, and GMC always offers numerous upgrades from the factory and at the dealer level. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

if you’re willing to spend the money. Also worth noting, the powered rack-and-pinion steering system can be upgraded to include variable assist. Even though the price can jump measurably with all the options added on, a fully loaded Acadia is a viable alternative to any premium crossover costing thousands more, and therefore represents very good value.

And the majority of premium rivals, or entry-level ones for that matter, can’t compete with the Acadia’s spaciousness or its user-friendly nature. Its 3,311 litres (117 cubic feet) of maximum cargo volume means you’ll rarely need to hook up a trailer or rent a cargo van to transport life’s treasures from the swap meet or trash to the dump, and the innovative way that the second row seats slide forward and collapse down for easy access to the third row means that getting kids into the back won’t be the hassle it usually is.

So, now that I’ve detailed just how good the Acadia is and all that it’s capable of doing for today’s

The Acadia: a superb family hauler. (Photo: Justin Couture, Canadian Auto Press)

active family, is GM’s minivan replacement philosophy working? Well, money is tight these days for everyone, and even tighter for large families with rising accommodation, food and fuel prices. Such needs-driven families who have never been or at least are no longer concerned about stigma but merely have to have reliable transportation with seven or eight seats have long relied on the availability of lower priced GM minivans, and while Canadian PBG dealerships are OK for the time being due to heavily discounted Montanas, this may not last much longer. And they just won’t be able to satisfy the market unless Pontiac replaces its Torrent with a seven-passenger crossover priced closer to $20,000 than $35,000. Fortunately for these dealers and their customers alike, there seems to be a lot more Canadians with money enough for the Acadia or Enclave upgrade, and with Traverse on the way it looks likely that Chevy will follow the pattern and dump the Uplander. Only time will tell if the elimination of cheap minivans is a smart move, but for now GM is enjoying much better sales and higher profits with its new lineup of crossovers, and if the market continues to plunge downward it can always bring back a revised minivan.

I, for one, hope GM doesn’t relinquish its significant portion of the minivan segment to competitors and rather builds the best minivan in the business, as there will never be a crossover that can compare until they start arriving with sliding side doors and two rows of seats that fold flat into the floor. Still, the Acadia is as accommodating as crossovers get, so if you’re looking to upsize from a sedan, upgrade from a minivan or even downsize from a Yukon or rival SUV, GMC’s new crossover is a superb choice.

Specifications (Acadia):

• Price Range (Acadia SLT MSRP): $36,495 – $47,090
• Destination Charge: $1,220
• Body Type: 5-door crossover
• Layout: front engine, AWD
• Engine: 275-hp, 251 lb-ft of torque, 3.6L, 24-valve DOHC V6
• Transmission: 6-spd auto w/manual mode
• Brakes (front/rear): disc/disc, ABS, BA, EBD
• Dimensions (L/W/H/WB): 5,108 / 2,004 / 1,846 / 3,020 mm (201.1 / 78.9 / 72.8 / 118.9 in)
• Curb Weight: 2,234 kg (4,925 lbs)
• Tires: 255/60R19
• Cargo Volume (3rd row up / folded / 2nd row folded): 558 / 1,951 / 3,311 L (19.7 / 69.0 / 116.9 cu ft)
• Fuel Economy (city/hwy): 13.5 / 8.9 L/100 km
• Warranty (mo/km): 36 / 60,000 comprehensive; 60 / 160,000 powertrain
• Competitors: Acura MDX, Audi Q7, BMW X5, Buick Enclave, Dodge Journey, Ford Taurus X / Flex, Honda Pilot, Hyundai Veracruz, Kia Borrego, Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, Mazda CX-9, Toyota Highlander, Saturn Outlook, Subaru Tribeca, Suzuki XL-7, Volvo XC90
• Website: www.gm.ca

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