The redesigned GMC Acadia has gone on a diet, losing 700 pounds for 2017. It’s also considerably smaller in size, making it more fuel efficient and maneuverable. An Acadia All-Terrain model with light off-roading capability is newly available for 2017.
The midsize Acadia will seat up to seven, but remains small enough to be nimble on its feet. Goldilocks would have found the Acadia not too big, not too small, but just right. Pricing for the base model starts at $29,995. With a host of sophisticated safety technologies, the 2017 Acadia also wins a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
We drove the new Acadia All-Terrain model and found it a comfortable hauler with lots of amenities. It remained flat in hard cornering, steering was on center and precise, and the cabin was upscale and quiet.
The front-drive Acadia comes in four trim levels: SL, SLE, SLT and the top-end Denali. The newest model is the All-Terrain, which boasts enhanced off-road capability. It’s not going to keep pace with a Jeep or Land Rover when it comes to off-road prowess, but it does have an advanced AWD system that optimizes traction in varying conditions. It also has a specific mode that offers enhanced hill-climb ability and hill descent control.
A 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine is the standard powertrain, while a 3.6-liter V-6 is available. The four-cylinder delivers 193 horsepower and 188 pound-feet of torque, while the larger V-6 kicks out 310 horses and 271 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission is standard, and AWD is available.
The four-cylinder engine with FWD boasts 21 mpg in the city and 26 mpg on the highway (AWD gets 1 highway mpg less). The six-cylinder promises to take you 18 miles down city streets and 25 miles down highways with either FWD or AWD on a gallon of gasoline.
The 2017 Acadia is 193.6 inches long, 75.4 inches wide and 68.7 inches tall. Because of size reductions, the Acadia has a significantly smaller cargo space than its predecessor. Behind the third row, you’ll find just 12.8 cubic feet of room. Maximum cargo space is 79 cubic feet. Front-seat head room, however, is 40.3 inches, which was plenty for my 6-foot-1 frame. Second-row leg room is 39.7 inches, and overall the Acadia feels roomy enough inside.
From a design standpoint, the new Acadia is sleeker and more refined, which makes me a fan; the previous version was a little boxy for my taste.
The cabin of our test Acadia All-Terrain was very nice, with tri-zone automatic air, power heated leather seats with lumbar support, Bose premium sound, a 120-volt power outlet and XM satellite radio. I also really liked the infotainment system. It’s simple and intuitive to use. The number of buttons is, again, just right, with redundancy via steering wheel controls or the touch screen. Connectivity is available via GMC’s available IntelliLink system, which supports Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The vehicle is also a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot.
Finally, the Acadia has eight airbags and a wealth of sophisticated new safety features. The Acadia’s “rear seat reminder” dings and displays a message in the driver information center to remind the driver to look in the rear seat before exiting. It’s a simple safety feature aimed at preventing the tragedy of a child or pet being left unattended in the vehicle.
