There are all sorts of clichés about reversing course, like “You can’t go home again” and
“There’s no turning back.”
But rather than stubbornly plowing ahead with something you know was a mistake, sometimes it’s best to just go back to what works.
That’s what GMC did with the 2024 Acadia. They realized their decision a few years ago to shrink the size of this three-row SUV was perhaps not the best move. So for this new redesign, they went back to the Acadia’s roots, which was similar to its sibling, the Yukon.
This model is bigger—adding nearly a foot in overall length—but it also makes good use of the latest tech improvements to deliver a solid competitor in the class.
The Basics
The Acadia is a three-row, mid-size SUV. All three of the trim levels—the Elevation, AT4, and Denali—are powered by a 2.4-liter, turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that produces 328 horsepower. So, in an interesting twist, they’ve upsized the vehicle’s size while downsizing from the previous V6. But throw in the turbo factor and this new engine is more powerful.
GMC isn’t the only manufacturer to do this, either. Toyota and Volkswagen made similar moves with their mid-size SUVs.
The Elevation and Denali come standard with front-wheel drive, with all-wheel drive an option. The AT4, however, which I drove for a week, comes standard with AWD. GMC targets the AT4 for people who long to get off-road, with a suspension tuned for that activity, along with a steel front skid plate.
The Inside
First things first: With its return to a larger footprint, the Acadia has all sorts of spacious room. Even with the second row’s captain’s chairs, you feel free and easy with good leg- and headroom. And, bonus, those second-row seats adjust forward and backward.
For that matter, even the third-row seats are decent for adults. And that’s rare—most of those way-back rows in other SUVs are barely tolerable for children.
The big stretch job also added cargo space. In fact, open up that hatch and you’ll find a whopping 23 cubic feet of space, which dwarfs what you’ll find in rivals such as the Toyota Highlander or the Jeep Grand Cherokee. If you’ve got stuff to haul, the Acadia doesn’t break a sweat.
As for comfort and accessibility, the Acadia may not blow you away with luxury touches. But the seating is roomy and comfortable, with eye-pleasing stitching and trim pieces.
The 15-inch infotainment screen dominates the dashboard, and there’s plenty of cabin storage. The center bin between the front seats is cavernous, and I like the hideaway storage area underneath the center console.
The Drive
Yes, GMC made this new, bigger Acadia a bit more powerful with that turbo drive. And yet, at times it didn’t seem like enough. During quick acceleration, the engine sounds like it’s not happy about the assignment. It is, after all, responsible for hauling a good amount of weight.
In a nutshell, while it does get the job done, it’s a bit noisier than you perhaps want.
The eight-speed transmission was smooth and capable, with no complaints during either up- or down-shifting. Handling, steering, and braking were all quite good, and the overall driving experience was smooth.
The Tech
My personal wish list is for a vehicle that combines solid touchscreen commands with the knobs/switches/toggles that we’ve grown to appreciate for their reliability.
The Acadia has a nice mix of the two.
The giant touchscreen in the middle of the dash accomplishes just about everything you’d want, while the climate control switches are more convenient than other cars that rely on all-touchscreen maneuvers.
You’ll also get a nice collection of driver safety tools to make your ride safer and give you greater confidence.
My test vehicle came with the Super Cruise package which includes the enhanced automatic parking assist and driver attention assist. I think most of us are gradually getting used to these newer features.
I love a smartphone charging pad, and the Acadia has one.
One funny anecdote about my week in the Acadia: During a drive back to Denver from Colorado Springs, dusk began falling and I reached for the light switch one usually finds on one of the stalks. It wasn’t there.
I looked on the dash to the left of the wheel. Not there. I was on I-25 and couldn’t take my eyes off the road for long stretches, and it almost got comical with me trying to find the controls for the lights.
Finally, I pulled off the highway into a parking lot and—don’t laugh—I actually pulled up a YouTube video for the new Acadia. Sure enough, a woman had posted a video about how the headlight controls were stashed on that big touchscreen in the middle. “Ahh,” I said.
The funny thing is, the lights were indeed on “auto” so I needn’t have worried. But you still want to feel like you have some control. I chuckled during the rest of the drive.
The Bottom Line
GMC pretty much read the writing on the wall after a few years experimenting with a smaller Acadia. The market just wasn’t embracing its slimmed-down style, so they sucked it up and went back to a larger version that still fits into the mid-size SUV category.
While it’s not the smoothest ride of the bunch, the Acadia makes up for a lot with its roomy interior, pleasant variety of tech touches, and an eye-pleasing look both inside and out.
If you’re in the market for a three-row SUV—without having to squeeze people into that tiny third row—the Acadia is a good choice.
The Details
2024 GMC Acadia AT4 AWD
2.5-liter four cylinder
328 horsepower
Eight-speed transmission
Fuel economy: 19/24/21 combined
MSRP: $50,000
As tested: $57,535
Reviewed by Dom Testa
Vehicle provided by manufacturer
