GMC crosses over into non-truck territory by Thom Blackett GMC Acadia: Introduction
GMC Acadia – First Drive: It provides the United States' first glorious glimpse of the sun each day between October and March, it boasts the natural wonder of Cadillac Mountain, and it calls the majestic rocky shores of Maine home. Acadia National Park offers beauty, ruggedness, and countless opportunities for enjoyment. Maybe that's why GMC decided to adorn its first crossover with the Acadia name. GMC pays homage to nature with its own mobile park, one displaying attractive style, capable and versatile utility, and a heritage of durability that brings all that life has to offer available to the active family. Leave it to a truck company to unleash one of the better non-truck crossovers the market has seen recently.
| If the 2007 GMC Acadia looks vaguely familiar, it's because it shares its GM Lambda underpinnings with the recently launched Saturn Outlook and upcoming Buick Enclave. Sales of the General's minivans (Chevrolet Uplander, Saturn Relay, and others) never amounted to much thanks to competition like the Honda Odyssey and Toyota Sienna, so they've been replaced by this new breed of large crossover vehicles. Blending the style of an SUV with the functionality of a minivan, the GMC Acadia and its brethren aim to attract new buyers wanting utility without the minivan's stigma or thirsty reputation of large SUVs. | |
| For cost-conscious shoppers interested in the style and utility of the all-new 2007 Acadia, GMC offers the SLE. Priced at $29,960 for front drive and $31,990 for awd (including a $735 destination charge), the Acadia SLE comes well-equipped with front-side and side-curtain airbags, air conditioning that includes second row controls, and the usual array of basic power features. In addition, GMC provides SLE buyers with one year of complementary OnStar service featuring turn-by-turn navigation, a CD/MP3 player, heated mirrors, 18-inch wheels rolling on 255/65 Goodyear Fortera tires, a tilt and telescoping steering wheel, and standard tire pressure monitoring, stability control, and traction control systems (the latter only on awd models). | |
| If buying the SLE base model doesn't quite make the grade, maybe the 2007 GMC Acadia SLT1 will. With the $735 destination charge included, a front-wheel-drive SLT1 starts at $33,950, while awd traction requires another $2,000. On top of what's already featured on the SLE, the SLT1 tacks on heated front chairs with driver's side height adjustment, leather upholstery, a tri-zone climate control system, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls. Should that list of content still register as insufficient, be aware that the list of standard goodies goes on with a 10-speaker Bose audio system packing a subwoofer, 6-disc CD changer, and rear sound controls; body-color heated and signaling mirrors; and digital readouts for exterior temperature and direction. | |
| At $36,105 (including the $735 destination charge), the 2007 GMC Acadia SLT2 is the model's premium trim. As expected, all of the equipment offered on the SLE and SLT1 is standard, yet there's also dual power front seats with memory, three months of complementary XM satellite radio service, a power tailgate, and heated windshield washer fluid. That adds up to a nice list of equipment, one that's not complete without a cargo cover and net, a remote ignition system, park-aid technology, extended-range keyless entry, a 115-volt power outlet, and a memory function for the exterior mirrors. All-wheel drive hardware brings the starting price up to $38,105. | |
| GMC has made it easy to dress up the base SLE with options like the Bose stereo with its six-disc CD changer, XM satellite radio, remote ignition, front power seats, park-aid system, and rear DVD player connected to an 8-inch Panasonic monitor. Other selections include a tow package and White Diamond Tricoat paint. Moving up to the SLT1 avails buyers to a 115-volt outlet, a power tailgate, cargo area sound controls for tailgaters, 19-in. wheels, dual sunroofs, and a heads-up digital display. A DVD navigation system and high-intensity discharge headlights are reserved for the Acadia SLT2, while the price of all models can be cut by $495 by opting for a second row bench seat over the standard buckets. | |
| Let's give credit where it's due – GMC designers did a darn good job with their first non-truck/SUV model. Like the Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave (with which the Acadia shares its underpinnings), the Acadia is wide and long, suggesting a blend between purposeful minivan and adventurous SUV. Up front is a mug decorated with chrome and hosting the large GMC badge, flanks are home to flared wheel wells, and the tail features stylish wraparound lenses, a spoiler, and sporty quad exhaust tips. Since we were evaluating early production units, the misaligned hood was taken with a grain of salt, especially given that all other gaps were tight and consistent. | |
| Back in the old days, GMC built trucks for work duty, so little attention was paid to interior comfort or ergonomics. Times have obviously changed, and one look inside the 2007 Acadia shows that GMC has kept pace. With seating for seven or eight, the brand's first crossover is spacious, with an attractive and functional layout and premium touches such as leather upholstery and chrome accents. Company reps claim the materials are “top notch, and the gloss levels are low.” True, the shine factor is under control, and the mesh headliner is a nice touch, but there were too many hard plastics with varying grains, and several bits were a bit loose and misaligned (again, these were early production units). | |
| We found the 2007 GMC Acadia comfortable after a couple hundred miles behind its tilt and telescoping wheel. In addition to plenty of head room, there's a sliding padded center armrest provided for an optimum fit, slightly rubberized door sills for resting forearms, and padded door armrests serve as a cozy respite for the occasional elbow. The front buckets feature long lower sections for thigh support, and the cushions are a suitable compromise between firm and cushy. However, the front lower side bolsters proved insufficient in even gentle corners, though those on the back rest worked well enough to keep torsos in place. | |
| Each of the Acadias we tested were the eight-passenger versions, meaning they featured the sliding second row 60/40 split bench seat rather than the standard buckets (opting for the bench knocks $495 off the base price). Generous amounts of leg, foot, and head room are pluses, and while we appreciate the knee-friendly curved front seatbacks, we wish they were covered in soft fabric instead of hard plastic. Seat bottoms are too short and flat. Ample outboard headrests work to support and protect vulnerable noggins, and padded door armrests ensure an added level of comfort. A fold-down, padded center armrest includes two cupholders but sits too low, and when it's folded into the seatback makes for an uncomfortable back rest. | |
| With General Motors doing away with its minivans, vehicles such as the GMC Acadia are intended to at least partially fill the gap for three-row vehicles capable of carrying several passengers and their gear. As is the case with most crossovers, the Acadia's shape precludes third-row comfort and ease-of-entry offered by traditional minivans, but the innovative Smart Slide second row seat makes it relatively simple to reach the back row, and the rear split bench is about as comfortable as you'll find in any current crossover. The seat is flat, though your gluteus maximus will appreciate the ample cushion, and taller riders will applaud sufficient headroom. Anyone over 5-ft.-8-in. tall might long for extra leg room. | |
| To make rear seat access as easy as possible, an innovative second row seat was designed for the GMC Acadia. With a pull of a large lever on the outer edge of the seat back (and a little muscle), the lower cushions tilts forward and the whole section folds compactly behind the front bucket. It takes a time or two to master, but after that the process proves quicker and easier than the tumble and fold action found in other crossovers and three-row SUVs. Plus, since the second row 60/40 split bench slides fore and aft, adjustments can be made to improve the comfort of second- and third-row passengers. | |
| When not saddled with the chore of human transport, the 2007 GMC Acadia crossover can swallow up to 117 cu. ft. of cargo behind the front row. When all seats are in use, that figure drops to 19.7 cu. ft., which is admirable when compared to the 7.5 cu. ft. offered by the competing Jeep Commander. Maxing out the interior volume simply requires folding the second and third row seats, which results in a flat load floor spanning from just behind the front seats to the tailgate. Aiding in the cargo-hauling effort are a lined cubby atop the dash, door storage, and pockets on the backs of the front buckets. The tailgate features an integrated handle and dual overhead lights. | |
| The 2007 GMC Acadia crossover swaps the big, easily-manipulated controls of the brand's heavy-duty work trucks for those that are smaller and more stylish. They're not great when clumsy glove-clad fingers are involved, but they add to the interior's overall design, and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the dials included soft rubber grips. This attention to detail is a sign that GM has heard the calls for improved quality and materials. Controls are logically placed, with the sunshade button placed overhead, and the well-marked radio and climate functions laid out as expected in the center dash. | |
| Over the years, there have been many calls for GM to move away from its reliance on the antiquated four-speed automatic transmission. We saw the light last year when the new full-size GM SUVs came with a six-cogger, and now we're happy to report that the 2007 GMC Acadia is delivered with an equal number of gears. The new adaptive tranny, complete with a manual mode, is mated to a 24-valve, 3.6-liter dual overhead cam, aluminum V-6 with variable-valve timing that pushes 275 horsepower at 6,600 rpm and 251 lb.-ft. of torque at 3,200 rpm. The EPA rates fuel economy at 18 mpg city and 26 mpg highway for front-drive models, and 17/24 mpg for all-wheel-drive Acadias. | |
| For this particular unveiling, GMC invited us to Palo Alto, California for a couple days of driving variants of the all-new 2007 Acadia, with time left over for some seat time in the rest of the brand's lineup, including the redesigned 2007 Sierra pickup. Our time piloting the Acadia, in base SLE front-wheel-drive and SLT1 all-wheel-drive guise, took us along the sunny highways and back roads outside Palo Alto, providing ample opportunity to evaluate the vehicle's road manners and level of athleticism. | |
| Despite a curb weight ranging between 4,722 and 4,936 lbs. (front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive, respectively), the 2007 GMC Acadia's standard 3.6-liter V-6 engine performs admirably. That' because those six cylinders work to pump out 275 horsepower and 251 lb.-ft. of torque, which while not overwhelming, proves to be quite capable of moving the heavy Acadia with ease. Power delivery is seamless thanks in part to the 6-speed automatic transmission, which we were happy to discover included a manual shift feature. Less impressive was the 14.9 mpg registered while driving an all-wheel-drive Acadia SLT1, a far cry from the 17-mpg city and 24-mpg highway ratings from the EPA. | |
| Sitting lower than a traditional SUV (ground clearance is 7.4 in.), the 2007 GMC Acadia has been engineered with stable handling in mind. Other contributors include the relatively long 118.9-in. wheelbase, the wide track, and optional variable effort steering. We experienced the variable effort system on an all-wheel-drive SLT1 Acadia and found felt overboosted and lacked the road feel of the basic rack-and-pinion assembly in the SLE. The independent suspension provides a comfortable ride but feels soft in corners, and the antilock braking system (abs) is effective and easily modulated. SLE models wear 255/65R-18 Goodyears that are biased for comfort; we noticed little benefit when moving up to the SLT's 255/60R-19 Goodyear Eagles. | |
| Besides attractive styling, the 2007 GMC Acadia offers reasonably comfortable seating for up to eight passengers, copious amounts of cargo room, a comfortable ride, a long list of desirable standard and optional features, and an impressive powertrain. Kudos also go out to the nifty Smart Slide second row seat, little details such as rubber radio control grips, six standard airbags, and a 4,500-lb. tow rating that should accommodate just about any weekend toy. | |
| There's no getting around that 14.9 mpg figure we calculated while driving the Acadia, due in no small part to the vehicle's asphalt-bending curb weight. Skinny may be in on the fashion runways, but GMC obviously prefers fat on the highways. Another negative includes interior plastics that, while much improved, need to feature more soft-touch surfaces and fewer grain patterns. Finally, as comfortable and well designed as the Acadia may be, there's no denying that a minivan still trumps a crossover in terms of comfort, ease of entry, and overall practicality. | |
| GMC is entering a growing field of crossovers, with some coming from the domestics and a growing number from overseas competitors. Among the home-grown alternatives are the Chrysler Pacifica, the Ford Freestyle, and the Acadia's corporate siblings – the Buick Enclave and the Saturn Outlook. International entries include the popular Honda Pilot, the redesigned Hyundai Santa Fe, the all-new Mazda CX-9, and the Toyota Highlander. | |
| Test Vehicle: 2007 GMC Acadia SLE fwd | |
Specifications: Dimensions
| Curb Weight, lbs.: 4,722 (fwd); 4,936 (awd)
Photos courtesy of GMC Source : http://www.autosite.com | |
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