Overview & Reviews

Building tough trucks for tough work has been the focus of GMC for years, but even GMC couldn't avoid the onslaught of the crossover SUV revolution. That's where the GMC Acadia comes in.

The Acadia is a large crossover SUV. Mechanically, it's very similar to its platform-mates -- the Buick Enclave, Chevrolet Traverse and now-discontinued Saturn Outlook. Thanks to its spacious interior, strong V6 engine and competitive price, the Acadia is one of the better crossover SUV choices. Although there were styling updates and a few other minor changes made for 2013, shoppers should know that Acadias from any year share most of the same pros and cons.

Current GMC Acadia
The GMC Acadia is a large crossover SUV that's offered in five trims: SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2 and Denali. Each comes with a 3.6-liter V6 engine that makes 288 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive are standard, but all-wheel drive is an option. Although even the base SLE-1 is fairly well-equipped, moving up through the trims brings luxuries such as Bluetooth phone connectivity, leather upholstery, heated seats, a navigation system, smartphone app integration and a panoramic sunroof.

The GMC Acadia is one of the roomiest crossover utility vehicles in its class, with seating for up to eight passengers. The second-row seats are captain's chairs, but a 60/40-split-folding bench is available as an option. Those second-row seats also slide 4 inches fore and aft and easily flip up and out of the way for access to the third-row seats. There's room for adults in the back two rows, though leg support is a bit lacking. With both the second and third rows folded down, the Acadia's substantial cargo space is topped only by minivans and extra-large SUVs like the Chevy Suburban.

In our road tests we've found the Acadia's handling respectable, especially considering the vehicle's large size, and its buttoned-down and quiet ride is particularly impressive. The V6 won't blow you away with its power, but it moves the Acadia out with decent authority. Overall, our editors feel that the GMC Acadia represents a compelling combination of functionality, luxury and value.

Used GMC Acadia Models
The GMC Acadia debuted for the 2007 model year. Its 3.6-liter V6 lacked direct injection until 2009, and hence was rated at a slightly lower 275 hp and 251 lb-ft of torque for its first two years of production. The transmission was reprogrammed for 2010 to address previous complaints of sluggish downshift response. That year also saw new features like Bluetooth connectivity, real-time traffic updates for the navigation system, and available heated and ventilated seats. The plush Denali trim debuted the following year.

For 2013, GMC heavily updated the Acadia. Changes included refreshed front and rear styling, improved interior materials and a new front-center airbag as well as larger, easier-to-use controls for the audio, climate and navigation systems. This year also brought GM's IntelliLink system, with its smartphone integration capability, as well as a slight shuffling of equipment and trim levels.

User Reviews:

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  GMC has hit a home run with the Acadia - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Earl Ryan - April 15 - 9:53 pm

  This is a great vehicle. The ride is smooth as befits a large car. It is responsive, and it is very comfortable in all three rows of seats. Although there are a lot of controls, they are well laid out and intuitive to use. For a large vehicle, it is quite maneuverable and fairly easy to park. The power rear lift gate is surprisingly handy. While gas mileage isnt great, it is pretty good for such a large vehicle. Bottom line: I dont especially enjoy driving, but I actually look forward to driving my new Acadia.

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  Great Truck/Car/SUV ?? - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Gouldani - April 1 - 10:30 am

  Had this SUV for about a month now and already put on 2000 KM. The fuel mileage is about what I expected getting about 25 mpg hwy and 17 mpg city, not too bad. Love the way this vehicle handles and is able to carry lots of stuff.

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  Subpar American made car - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By joed - March 24 - 4:10 pm

  Nice looking car inside and out. Excellent, smooth ride. Brakes OK, not great. While driving, try to accelerate slowly, car doesnt respond. Dashboard buttons, too many, too hard to read, poorly located. You can watch the gas guage drop as you drive. Not as good as my old Honda Pilot. Would not buy this vehicle again.

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  Fantastic Car!! - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By GAR - March 19 - 8:20 am

  This car is quiet, comfortable, and very easy to drive. All 8 seats are easy to get in and out of and it really can haul 8 adults. It is the best highway car I have ever driven. I even get the advertised 22 mpg out on the open road.

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  Love the car but hate the mileage - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By out_of_gas - March 18 - 10:16 pm

  Leased the vehicle thinking I would get close to the the MPG listed as I mostly drive at highway speeds and few if any stops. Best MPG I have gotten so far is 16.4 but avg only 14.7 weekly. I was told this engine would break in and I would get better MPG but after 1200 miles I doubt this will come up that much to match the sticker claims. I love this car as it meets every other need I have but to suffer at the pumps is getting the best of me. I also have a problem with the transmission not always being in the proper gear on grades. This could be a major factor in the low MPG. I recommend GM look into this further. I grow more angry at every fill-up

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  07 Acadia impressive - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Chris - March 12 - 11:46 am

  Very surprised by quiet interior even on interstate in windy conditions, smooth ride and very comfortable seats. Transmission cant decide when to shift at times making for less smooth drive then the Pilot or MDX. So far so good after leaving a Pilot and picking the Acadia over an MDX. GM has done their homework!

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  GMC Acadia 4WD Great for Towing - 2016 GMC Acadia
  By Robert Waltermyer - February 14 - 12:33 am

  Weve had our new Acadia for about 6 months and we LOVE it! Id been looking for something to replace our dying 2007 Chevy Avalanche and my biggest concern was towing our camper. I stumbled on the Acadia quite by accident and were so glad I did. Its a great looking car, has a very comfortable and roomy interior, plenty of power, steers and handles well and this mighty 6-cylinder tows our camper better than the 8-cylinder Avalanche, thanks to the smooth 6-speed automatic transmission! The gas mileage is a combined 17 mpg, which could be better. The biggest thing I dont like is the rear mud guards. They are hard plastic and hang low enough to scrape on those cement blocks in parking lots. I suspect they will eventually need to be replaced with flexible ones. Weve been on long trips with it and love the ride and comfort.

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  Great Family Ride - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By Desaree - February 6 - 12:26 am

  My husband traded in our 98 Oldsmobile Aurora for this crossover. Its the first SUV we have owned. I am pleasantly surprised at how smooth this vehicle drives. The interior is very well designed and convenient. I havent had any problems to date. I was worried about driving an SUV since I have only owned cars, but I feel absolutely safe and secure in this car. The kids love all the space in the back, and they also enjoy the ablity to play their own music or CDs. The fuel economy is ok I expect it to get better with more miles. I am so happy with my husbands decision to get us a reliable safe car while he is away. I have only owned GM cars, and will never own anything else

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  GMC finally got it right - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By William - January 31 - 10:30 am

  This is a remarkable vehicle with almost every feature a luxury vehicle should have. I traded in my Infiniti QX4 so I had high expectations from the beginning. I’m used to a bit more luxury with leather surrounds on the doors and dash but have tried overlooking this in favor of the 7 passenger seating, which is very practical with the grandkids. It’s one of the easiest vehicles to get passengers into the third row seat and I’m guessing that other manufactures will follow suit soon. It’s also the quietest vehicle I’ve driven in years. It’s so quiet that you can’t hear the engine shifting gears unless you mash the accelerator.

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  Not what I expected - 2017 GMC Acadia
  By Lisa S - January 27 - 2:51 am

  Have owned the AWD Denali for 5 months now and wish I could trade it in. It has absolutely no storage or luggage space. I have to fold back seats down just to go to grocery store. The Acadia died within the 1st month of having it as they said there was a glitch in the software and whole vehicle just lost all power. Good news was I was home and not out somewhere. Still does not run correctly, has loud rattle in front drivers side, terrible handling around curves and on road.