2024 GMC Acadia Is A Baby Yukon Now, Because This Is The Way (2024)

It's fair to say that when it comes to badge engineering, General Motors is king. For the longest time, we've seen the General deliberately sell us three, sometimes four times the same product wearing a different grille, headlights and nameplate.

It got so bad at one point that GM even tried messing around with foreign brands. Remember the Saab 9-2X, that weird Subaru that was pretending to be a Saab? Yup, that was a GM effort alright.

The first-generation GMC Acadia was arguably one of the worst victims of this. It spawned from the pre-bailout GM years, a product built on the cost-effective front-wheel-biased Lambda architecture - a derivative of the Epsilon platform - alongside three virtually identical products: the Saturn Outlook, the Buick Enclave and the Chevrolet Traverse. They were as forgettable as all the other poorly-built badge engineer vehicles GM had been shoving down our throats for over three decades.

But although its past still haunts it, GM is no longer the carmaker it once was. Sure, it still manufactures different vehicles on a single platform, but so does everyone else now. Perhaps, more importantly, is how far GM has gone in the business of bad-engineering its vehicles. The 2024 GMC Acadia is clear proof of this. Although it still shares most of its mechanical components with an Enclave and a Traverse, it finally comes through as its own, bespoke model, allowing it to finally be relevant in this space.

2024 GMC Acadia

7.5/ 10

For its third generation, the GMC finally distinguishes itself enough from its other GM corporate cousins to truly come through as its own thing. The premium Denali version borders on Cadillac levels of luxury, while the AT4 offers a truly impressive off-road package, although we're not sure if Acadia owners will actually take their SUV in the trails.

Pros

• Smooth operator.
• Truly spacious and practical interior.
• Denali and AT4 trims actually alter the Acadia's character.

Cons

• Loud and harsh four-cylinder engine.
• Absolutely no form of electrification.
• Some competitors offer more third-row legroom.

2024 GMC Acadia First Impressions

If you're looking at the new Acadia's front section and thinking "wait, is that the new GMC Yukon", you're not alone. I, too, had the same first impression when I first spotted these things out there in the wild.

That's no coincidence, says GMC, as it's been on a mission in recent years to give its brand a lot more identity and presence. This bolder and more utilitarian look therefore aims at better harmonizing the Acadia with GMC's newer models, but to also allow General Motors to cover all facets of the highly lucrative midsize, unibody, three-row SUV segment.

Do I like the way this new Acadia looks? I mean, it's fine in the sense that it definitely has a lot more character than before. My light blue Denali example sure looked classy with its model-specific 22-inch wheels. The AT4, with its slightly lifted ride height and beefier tires (more on that later), definitely has its own distinct appearance. It also feels great to not be looking at a vehicle that's basically a Chevy Traverse wearing a different grille.

Exterior Dimensions

2024 GMC Acadia: Differences Between The US And Canadian Markets

GM is generally pretty good at offering both the US and Canadian markets essentially the same thing, and the 2024 GMC Acadia is no different. In both markets, the vehicle is available in only three trim levels; Elevation, AT4 and Denali.

The only major difference is that the Canadian market gets standard all-wheel drive across the board, while in the US, it's a $2,000 option for an Elevation and a Denali. American AT4 Acadias get standard all-wheel drive due to that trim level's off-road-capable promise.

Driving Impressions And Performance

The 2024 GMC Acadia first drive event was held over a two-day period. I was first given the keys to a Denali model. The following day, I drove an AT4 along some dirt roads and did some light off-roading with it. By light, I do mean very light off-roading.

Underneath the Acadia's Yukon-shaped body is the same C1XX platform as before, but with improved chassis stiffness, different suspension geometry and reinforced high-strength steel, or so GMC says. The old 3.6-liter V6 is now a thing of the past. It's been replaced by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder unit good for 328 horsepower, an 18-hp increase over the V6. But it's the torque figure that sees the most generous boost, up to 326 lb-ft from 271.

This is the only available engine for the entire Acadia lineup, and gone is the old nine-speed automatic transmission. It's been replaced by an all-new eight-speed unit.

Opt for an AT4 model, and you'll be getting an enhanced all-wheel drive system that employs mechanical torque vectoring to the rear wheels thanks to a clever twin-clutch rear differential system. All Acadias can have their all-wheel drive system manually disengaged by hitting a switch on the dashboard.

The Acadia is butter smooth, quiet and much more grown-up than the model it replaces. GM did a fantastic job of quelling the vibrations and road noise that the old Acadia was plagued with. Suspension damping on the Denali is also superb, allowing this big guy to glide over uneven terrain without the unwanted shakes and wobbles of past models.

The four-cylinder engine sure knows how to get this large SUV up to speed, and the transmission - in typical GM fashion - shuffles from one cog to the next without fail. It's a great transmission, one that never hesitates to downshift when asked to do so.

So, while there's more performance coming out of this smaller unit, I definitely miss the old V6's velvety smooth decibels.

Out there on the gravel and in deep sand behind the wheel of the AT4, GMC's torque vectoring system showed me its worth. Stomp the accelerator pedal with traction control turned off on slippery surfaces, and the Acadia never budges. There isn't even the slightest desire to kick out the rear.

Sure, that's no fun for enthusiasts like you and I, but for the target buyer that'll presumably drive this up to the cottage loaded with kids, a dog and everything that comes in between, this all makes total sense. Although I'm not sure what kind of buyer goes off-roading in a GMC Acadia.

Performance Specifications

2024 GMC Acadia Fuel Consumption

Although the EPA still hasn't published official fuel economy numbers for the 2024 GMC Acadia, Natural Resources Canada's official website has already posted some estimates for the all-wheel drive model.

Of course, due to the brief and controlled nature of the first drive event, I was unable to properly evaluate the vehicle in that respect. I'll need to live with a press unit during an entire week in my neck of the woods to truly assess its real world fuel economy.

Natural Resources Canada And As Tested Fuel Consumptions (AWD Model)

Interior Design And Comfort

GMC has really been busy with its Denali trims lately. For the Acadia, you really get a sense that you're sitting inside something premium, but not so much to overshadow what Cadillac will sell you these days.

My tester sure looked dashing with its contrasting white and light brown interior, although I'm not sure if it's the best option if you've got kids and pets. It definitely brightens up the cabin though. Build quality is frankly excellent, and the light wood trim on the dashboard definitely allows this cabin to come through as something of good quality.

You probably also noticed how different the Acadia's dashboard layout is compared to the Traverse and Enclave. The entire design is actually unique to this model.

There's also a recurring blocky theme in the Acadia's cabin that reflects its "Professional Grade" tagline. I really like what they've done with this thing.

This is a relatively large midsize crossover, so just like its main rivals, it offers a decent amount of rear leg and headroom for the second row. That row of seats can, of course, be moved forward or rearward for extra room. There are USB-C connections back there and an independently controllable climate control pannel.

Accessing the third row is achieved rather easily by manually lowering the second row, but once back there, I was disappointed to find limited legroom even with the second seat moved as far forward as possible. I've seen better from, say, the 2024 Hyundai Santa Fe which, ironically, is a full 13-inches shorter than this Acadia.

Interior Dimensions

Technology And Ease Of Use

Just like the Chevrolet Silverado and Equinox EV I recently drove, this new Acadia is equipped with GM's fully integrated infotainment system. It acts a bit like the Tesla system in the sense that it doesn't require you to connect to Android Auto/Apple CarPlay. It rather forces you to install your favorite apps directly onto the system like you would with your smartphone.

Now, I'm still not sure how any of this plays out in the real world as I still haven't had a chance to configure this system myself from the get-go using my Google account, but since GM had them all set up for us during the event, it obviously all worked flawlessly.

This system is also rather easy to comprehend, quick to respond and displays its information through clean graphics and a user-friendliness not many carmakers can master. Although I do wish GM gave me physical controls for simple things like headlights. That said, I do appreciate the physical toggle buttons at the bottom of the screen to operate the climate control system.

Cargo And Storage Space

GMC prides itself on the fact that this new Acadia is considerably more practical than the model it replaces, with a 23% increase in total cargo space (with all seats folded flat) and an 80% increase in minimum cargo space (with all seats in place).

These new numbers therefore allow the new Acadia to jump back to the front of the segment, besting the Hyundai Santa Fe (80 cu-ft total), the regular Toyota Highlander (84.3 cu-ft) and the Honda Pilot, just to name a few. As a matter of fact, in terms of total cargo space, the Acadia comes neck to neck with a Toyota Grand Highlander (97.5 cu-ft).

How The 2024 GMC Acadia Compares To Its Competition

The Acadia faces a full army of competitors, which partly explains why its sales haven't been stellar in recent years. It's not that the last model was necessarily a bad product, but there are so many great offerings out there that it sort of disappeared within the segment. GMC would like to change that with this new model.

The obvious two main rivals are from the same family; the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave, although the Buick leans more towards the premium category. I've already mentioned the Honda Pilot, the Toyota Highlander and the Hyundai Santa Fe, but there's also the Hyundai Palisade, the Kia Telluride, the three-row Kia Sorento, the Nissan Pathfinder, the Mitsubishi Outlander, the Ford Explorer, the Dodge Durango, the Mazda CX-90, the Volkswagen Atlas, the Subaru Ascent, and soon, the new Toyota 4Runner with optional third row.

It's a crowded segment indeed, but I reckon that, since it's sized about the same, the Toyota Grand Highlander is the one to beat.

2024 GMC Acadia Versus 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander

Out of the box, a front-wheel drive Grand Highlander is almost $1,000 more expensive. You can also only get all-wheel drive when opting for the $53,795 Platinum model. For almost $4,000 less, GMC will sell you an Acadia AT4, complete with the improved all-wheel drive system, a modified suspension, a lifted ride height, off-road tires and skid plates.

In terms of output, the Grand Highlander's turbocharged 2.4-liter four-cylinder puts down less horsepower (265 hp) and torque (310 lb-ft) than GM's 2.5-liter unit. The Toyota's maximum towing rating is, however, identical to the GMC at 5,000 pounds. So from a financial standpoint, GMC is selling you more SUV with the Acadia.

That all being said, the Grand Highlander offers a much broader model lineup, with up to seven different trim levels, versus only three for the Acadia. It's also available with not one, but two hybrid powerplants, one of which churns out an impressive 362 combined horsepower. So, if fuel economy and greenhouse emissions are a priority for you, then a Toyota Grand Highlander is definitely the one to target. Toyota's proven track record for reliability is also unmatched.

GMC Finally Has A Face

Except for its pickup trucks, GMC never really had an identity up until recently. But with models like this Acadia and the recently revamped Canyon, you really get a sense that General Motors is injecting newfound vigor into this brand. This Acadia truly looks and feels like something different from its Chevrolet and Buick twins. It emits a similar kind of vibe as what the Hyundai group has recently been doing with Kia and Genesis.

It's still too early to know if this strategy will pay off for GMC. Historically, the Acadia always lagged behind its Japanese competition in terms of sales. Maybe this time, North American consumers will take notice. At least now, they're not buying into a soulless, badge-engineered copy.