The GMC Acadia pairs carlike driving behavior, including a smooth ride and sharp handling, with SUV hauling capability. Although the Acadia has a lower, sleeker profile, it borrows design cues from GMC's larger Yukon SUV family, including the prominent polished aluminum roof rails and projector-beam headlamps.

All models are powered by a 275-horsepower 3.6L dual-overhead-cam V6 with variable valve timing, running through a six-speed automatic transmission.



Configurations with either front- or all-wheel drive are available. The all-wheel-drive system is oriented toward on-road driving and always delivers a small amount of torque to the rear wheels, applying more when needed for best traction.

Integral body-on-frame construction gives the Acadia more solidity for heavy hauling while maintaining easy entry/exit and the refinement benefits of the uni-body construction that most cars have. With a four-wheel independent suspension-including a space-saving rear-mounting system that helps isolate noise and vibration-the Acadia also has a low center of gravity and sharp handling.

Fuel economy is considerably better than similarly sized traditional truck-based SUVs, at 16 mpg city and 24 mpg highway with front-wheel drive, and the Acadia can tow up to 4,500 pounds.

GM's StabiliTrak stability control system, with rollover mitigation technology to help prevent dynamic situations that could lead to a rollover, is standard on the Acadia. Four-wheel anti-lock brakes are standard, as are front-occupant side air bags and side-curtain bags for outboard occupants in all three rows.

The Acadia comes in either seven- or eight-passenger interior configurations. Each setup has bucket seats in front and a three-passenger, 60/40-split folding third row; the seven-passenger version has two captain's chairs in the second row, while the eight-passenger version has another three-passenger, 60/40-split bench seat instead. Both versions claim to have a third row large enough for adults, and they both come with a second-row Smart Slide function, where the second-row seat cushion flips up and the seatback slides forward for easier access to the third row.

For cargo and passenger capacity, the Acadia beats many other SUVs its size. Both the second- and third-row seats fold flat for mixes of the two, and there's also a covered cargo area.

Two trim levels of the Acadia are offered: SLE and SLT. SLE models come equipped with the conveniences you might expect in a vehicle in its price class, but SLT models come with a number of features not always found standard, such as heated outside mirrors, heated seats, tri-zone climate control, and a Bose ten-speaker, MP3-compatible sound system with rear headphone jacks.

Top options include high-intensity discharge (HID) headlights, a DVD entertainment system, a navigation system, ultrasonic parking assist, a power rear liftgate, a remote starting system, and a large sunroof with rear skylight.

Model Strengths

Ride and refinement; roomy interior; ample cargo capacity; safety features.

Model Changes

The GMC Acadia was an all-new model for 2007, and thus receives no major changes for the 2008 model year. There is now a rearview camera system available on SLT trim.

Model Value

The 2008 GMC Acadia is an attractive alternative to a variety of traditional people-haulers, ranging from minivans to full-size truck-based SUVs. It has a quiet, refined ride, a very carlike interior, and a full array of luxury-oriented options. It also boasts better fuel economy than other full-size sport utility vehicles, along with a better roster of safety features on board. The Acadia can also provide seating for up to eight.

The GMC Acadia is a crossover SUV. The three vehicles share the new GM Lambda platform. The Acadia went on sale in the United States in December 2006, and it may go on sale in Canada in 2007 as a 2008 model. The Acadia replaces 3 of the 7/8-passenger vehicles on the Pontiac-Buick-GMC dealership network, the mid-size GMC Safari van, the long-wheelbase GMC Envoy XL/XUV, and the Pontiac Montana SV6 minivan. In recent months GM has also announced that the Lambda vehicles will replace the Buick Rainier, and then subsequently the GMC Envoy and Chevrolet Trailblazer .

The Acadia augments GMC with an entry level truck-like SUV and is the first unibody vehicle from the marque. It is also GMCs first front-wheel drive passenger vehicle and GMCs first crossover SUV. The Acadia features seating for eight, generous interior space, and either front or all-wheel drive. With an amazing 4,500 lb towing capacity, the Acadia slots between the Yukon and the Envoy. The Acadia is the mid-priced Lambda model between the Outlook and Enclave. GM leads all other automakers in Strategic Visions Total Quality Index .

The 2007 Acadia rides on a 118.9 inch wheelbase and offers wide 67.28 inch front/rear tracks that will offer a lower ride height. The suspension is independent front and rear, the front featuring a MacPherson strut design, with a direct-acting stabilizer bar and aluminum knuckles. The rear suspension uses a new H Linked design that is more compact and should result in a better ride.

Steering in the Acadia is power-assisted rack-and-pinion on standard models, but an optional variable-effort system will be available as well. Putting power to the ground will be standard 18 inch wheels and tires, with optional 19 inch wheels. As with most modern GM vehicles, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS are standard, and more standard safety features are included as well.

The Acadia uses the same LY7 V6 that is used by Cadillac, Buick and Saturn. In the Acadia, the engine produces 275 h