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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  Great Crossover - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Scott - September 14 - 8:23 pm

  I looked at several different CUVs and SUVs and none had the interior refinement or power and economy as the Acadia. Great product.

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  Full sized family of 6 fits comfortably - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Grown up family of 6 - September 14 - 4:26 am

  Just bought. You should go look at car if you have a growing family.The car has standard bucket seats(credit if you want bench) The third seat is removable and the middle row moves foward and back. Adults comfortable in 3rd row. The pricing is like shopping for a Honda. You do not have to pay for all those extra options.They have FD and AWD. It is decieving from the outside and roomy inside. I love it. I also know it is first year out but it has everything I want in a luxury car without the price. Great Job GMC on your crossover. So far good gas mileage . Have not truly broken in yet. Still under the 500 mark.

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  Buyer be cautious - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By cch156 - September 2 - 7:23 am

  We choose the Acadia because it had so many of the features we were looking for and I wanted to drive something new and reliable. The Acadia has met many of my needs, but reliability is not one of them. In the 4 months weÂ’ve had the car itÂ’s been to the dealership 3 times. They had to replace the right cylinder head because of cam shaft end play. Now, I am uncomfortable driving a car that had to have the engine dropped at 6,000 miles for a major repair. A disappointment on a $39K car. I do agree with many of the reviewers that say there is a lack of power at slow speeds when climbing an incline. However, we were fairly happy with the AcadiaÂ’s performance when towing a U-Haul trailer.

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  Not quick but still very much OK! - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By Woody in Virginia - July 17 - 5:36 am

  Weve had it a month - already taken a 1,000+ mile trip... bottom line is that we love it. Feels as big as a Tahoe [weve had one of those] but handles as well as the Jeep Grand Cherokee [weve had 4 of those...] on the road. This is an AWD model [with every goodie except the cargo area audio control] to help with the snow we get from time to time but off-road was not a consideration for us. I am impressed with the fit and finish as others have said - much more upscale than the similar model from Saturn [and the Acadia price was the same as the price for the Saturn]. The navigation system is superb - the best one that I have ever seen -- very easy to operate.

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  Another great product - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By SharieLinn - July 16 - 1:00 am

  We are a loyal GM family. This is our second GMC SUV, and it is the greatest. Has a smooth and quiet ride. Its got the Brut of an SUV with the ride of a fine car. The best of both worlds. Plenty of leg room in the second and third rows.

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  Great family car - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By mike brien - July 10 - 3:00 am

  We have had our Acadia for 3 weeks and drove to South Carolina and back from NY without any problems. Very comfortable (15hrs of driving straight). We drove through snow, sleet, wind, rain and sun. It handled great in every aspect. We have two young kids. They had plenty of room for all the toys and things to keep them occupied for 15hrs.

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  Acaida PMS - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By almost perfect - July 1 - 1:43 am

  My Acadia has 2500 miles on it. I like it real well. But the transmisson is not sure a lot of the time what it is suppost to do. It shifts up or down when it wants to, not when it is suppost to. I love the car but transmission thing is very hard to live with. It gets 20 to 22 mpg, looks great. I went back to dealer, but they said it was ok. I am hoping they will have a recall on it.

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  Excellent says it all! - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By Jim V. - May 29 - 11:40 am

  We needed a vehicle to haul 2 children and thier friends. Gas mileage was a concern. This vehicle has plenty of room and great gas mileage. A added bonus was the fact that everyone that sees it comments how great it looks.

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  Horrible mileage - 2007 GMC Acadia
  By FamilyDude - May 6 - 4:30 am

  Vehicle may ride nice, and has decent leg room, but plan on stopping for gas often. Routinely getting 12MPG. A full size 4x4 Avalanche in our driveway gets better gas mileage under the same driving conditions. My recommendation is to buy a real truck until GMC has the Acadia properly road tested.

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  Acadia - 2008 GMC Acadia
  By vad1819 - April 27 - 2:33 pm

  Ive drove CX9, Veracruz, Commander, Subaru, Pathfinder all these cars has 3rd seat. I stoped CX9 or Acadia. CX9 stiff drive, low power, mean you really got push it, very complex cd/radio controls, but good turning performance. Acadia is much quiet in side, no road noise, power better than CX9, seat design better, more space in 3rd row seat.