2018 GMC Acadia Road Test and Review

18 gmc acadia front sessions ・ Photo by Ron Sessions

After existing as an almost full-size SUV for its first decade in the market, last year GMC downsized its popular-selling Acadia. The 2018 Acadia is closer to the mid-size norm, slightly larger than a Kia Sorento but smaller than a Honda Pilot. However, it keeps its three-row seating availability. It’s as if GMC shrunk-fit the new Acadia around the driver to make it more agile and maneuverable for today’s congested roads and parking spaces. The idea was to give the buyer all of the sport-utility functionality they’ll need on an everyday basis without the larger bulk of a big, hulking SUV.

It’s available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive and five-, six- or seven-passenger seating. Including the $975 destination fee, front-drive Acadias include the $29,995 SL, mid-level $33,595 SLE, well-equipped $39,495 SLT, and range-topping $46,095 Denali. All-wheel drive versions are priced a couple thousand dollars higher.

Lap of Luxury

Even in base SL trim, the 2018 GMC Acadia is cheerful, with a standard leather-wrapped steering wheel, tri-zone automatic climate control, push-button start, a 7-inch infotainment touchscreen, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, and OnStar 4G LTE with an in-car Wi-Fi hotspot and USB outlets on all three rows. The SLE adds upgrades such as heated front seats and SiriusXM satellite radio, while the SLT brings power front seats with power lumbar adjustment, leather seating in the first two rows, a 120-volt outlet, an uplevel Bose audio system, and a larger 8-inch touchscreen.

The two-tone Denali trim pictured here upgrades the cabin to near Cadillac XT5 levels, with French-stitched leather trim on the doors, console, and dash; more soft-touch and padded surfaces on all touch points; ventilated front seats; power tilt/telescope steering wheel adjustments; a programmable heated steering wheel (with the remote-start features); and a large dose of wood and brushed-nickel accents.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Roomier Second Row

Despite being several inches shorter overall than previous-generation models, today's Acadia actually offers more rear seat legroom. The SL and SLE grades come with a split-folding three-passenger second-row bench, while the SLT and Denali trims offer six-passenger seating with these individually sliding, reclining second-row captain’s chairs. Heated outboard rear seats are included with the Denali trim.

The Acadia was one of the first General Motors vehicles to offer a rear-seat reminder, which displays a message and sounds a chime to remind the driver to check the rear seat for passengers if the rear doors were opened before the vehicle was started. An optional $1,995 rear DVD entertainment system includes dual, front headrest-mounted LCD monitors, wireless remote and headphones, and USB and RCA inputs.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Tight Third Row

The 2018 Acadia is available in five-, six-, and seven-seat configurations. The five-passenger is restricted to the all-terrain off-road appearance package — which, like the upcoming 2019 Chevrolet Blazer, has an adjustable cargo-management system in place of a third-row seat.

The six- and seven-seaters come with a third-row, albeit a small one. Don’t confuse the current Acadia rearmost chairs with the adult-sized third row it once offered as standard equipment in 2007 to 2016 models. Those actually had more interior space than the full-size GMC Yukon. It helps that the second-row Smartslide seats can be moved forward to aid access to the third row. But keep in mind that the current Acadia’s third-row seat is intended for kids old enough to climb back there on their own but small enough not to need much legroom.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Modest Cargo Capacity

Something had to give when GMC downsized the Acadia last year to a more maneuverable size. At just 12.8 cubic feet behind the third row, 41.7 aft of the second row, and 79 cubic feet with second and third rows folded, the 2018 Acadia offers significantly less cargo space than its 2007-2016 predecessor.

Still, the new Acadia is closer to the mid-size norm offered by competitors. And a big plus is that both the second- and third rows fold flat, allowing easy loading of long items without ramping up at the front. A cargo package with a rubberized liner, net, and security shade is available.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Hatch Control

An SUV’s rear hatch can be a real noggin-banger for tall people and an impossible reach for others.

The Acadia’s power programmable liftgate control, located within easy reach of the driver on the door panel, lets owners adjust its opening height where they want it.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Powertrain Options

The 2018 GMC Acadia is available with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or a 3.6-liter V6. Both are teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission with a console-mounted shift lever. The direct-injected 2.5-liter, standard on most Acadia models, is a double-overhead-cam design with variable valve timing and delivers 193 horsepower and 188 lb-ft of torque. A stop-start system saves fuel by shutting off the engine at stoplights or when idling in traffic then automatically restarts the engine when the driver lifts a foot off the brake pedal. It delivers modest performance and is EPA-rated at 21 mpg in the city and 25 to 26 mpg on the highway. 

Optional on the Acadia and standard in the Acadia Denali is a direct-injected, DOHC V6 also with variable valve timing. It’s shared with the Cadillac XT5 and is rated at a more-than-ample 310 horsepower and 271 lb-ft of torque. EPA estimates are 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. Unlike the SUVs from some European and Asian luxury brands, the Acadia’s engines are tuned to run on less-expensive regular unleaded fuel. The maximum trailering rating is 4,000 pounds.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Drive Selector

All Acadia models except the base, front-drive-only SL are available with a choice of front- or all-wheel drive. The AWD system is an on-demand type, automatically switching from front- to all-wheel drive if front-wheel traction is diminished.

This improves fuel economy by not driving the rear wheels when they aren’t needed to maintain traction. This drive selector mode knob on the console allows the driver to conveniently choose between 2WD, AWD, snow, and trailer towing modes.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Maneuverable Size

The nice thing about the 2018 GMC Acadia is it doesn’t feel like you’re driving around in a big truck. It’s lighter on its feet than past examples, with crisp on-center steering response and 18-, 19-, or 20-inch alloy wheels, the latter standard on the top-of-the-line Acadia Denali. The 2018 model is up to 700 pounds lighter than the first-generation 2007-2016 model, and you really notice the reduced heft in crisper handling and improved fuel economy. Plus, with several hundreds of pounds less weight to get up to speed, whether it’s merging on the freeway, passing a slower car on a two-lane road, or just moving with the ebb and flow of traffic, the new Acadia simply has more spunk.

Continuously variable ride control is optional, adjusting shock-absorber damping in real time to achieve an optimal balance of ride and handling. The system will firm up the shocks to maintain body control over large swells and dips while backing off damping over rough patches to take the edge off sharp impacts such as potholes and frost heaves.

Photo by Ron Sessions

Safety Considerations

The 2018 GMC Acadia is available with a number of advanced safety and driver-assist systems. All Acadias come with eight airbags, traction control, stability control, and a backup camera. A standard Teen Driver feature allows responsible adults to set limits and keep tabs on miles and speeds driven.

The SLT adds rear park assist that beeps to keep you from backing into stuff, plus a lane-change alert that lets you know if you are diving (or driving!) outside the painted lines, and blind-zone and rear cross-traffic alert systems that keep tabs on traffic and pedestrians behind you. The Denali brings a more comprehensive driver alert package that includes autonomous low-speed braking, automatic high-beam control, front park assist as well as the rear assist, forward collision alerts, and a haptic Safety Alert driver seat that buzzes your butt to get your attention if the vehicle detects a nearby obstacle that presents a safety concern. Adaptive cruise control is not available.

Photo by Ron Sessions