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Best of Both Worlds
The GMC Acadia combines
car comfort with truck
versatility
The gasoline crunch may
be forcing car buyers to
reconsider a sport
utility vehicle (SUV) as
a family car, but the
lifestyle needs that
contributed to the SUV’s
booming popularity in
the 1990s—cargo and
people carrying—still
exist. Luckily,
automakers have
responded to consumer
concerns by offering a
smaller, fuel-efficient
option—the crossover SUV.
General Motors
introduced the first GMC
model, the Acadia, in
2007, and for 2008, the
crossover attempts to
build on its initial
success.
The Crossover Appeal
The term “crossover”
refers to the segment’s
ability to broaden its
appeal as well as its
unibody construction,
which combines the
attributes of a car and
a truck-based SUV.
The truck-based SUV
excels when it comes to
towing, hauling and off-road
capability but
sacrifices its advantage
when it comes to ride
comfort, convenience
(i.e. parking), and fuel
efficiency.
As
a unibody, a crossover
SUV like the Acadia
rides more like a car,
has a lower step-in
height, and tends to be
more fuel-efficient but
also has some of the
capabilities of a truck-based
SUV.
For starters, the Acadia
comes with a standard
third-row seat and has
seating for seven to
eight passengers,
depending on whether a
customer chooses a bench
or two bucket seats in
the second row.
Powered by a 3.6-liter
V6 engine with 275
horsepower and 251 lbs–?ft.
of torque, the Acadia
can still tow up to
4,500 lbs. if necessary.
The engine is also
equipped with fuel
saving technology, like
variable valve timing.
Matched to a six-speed
automatic transmission,
that also improves fuel
economy by eight percent,
the Acadia achieves an
EPA-estimated fuel
economy of 16 miles per
gallon (mpg) in the city
and 24 mpg on the
highway.
If
equipped with all-wheel
drive, the Acadia loses
2 mpg on the highway.
What Women Want
SUVs appeal to women as
a sexier option for a
family vehicle but as
such, they deliver much
of the same convenience
of a minivan. The Acadia
provides easier access
to the second and third
rows via wider rear
doors. GM’s exclusive
Smart Slide second-row
seats move forward and
flip up for access to
the third row, or slide
back to extend the
legroom in the second
row.
A power liftgate that
opens and closes with
the touch of a button on
the key fob is standard,
and for an added touch,
the standard moonroof
has been enlarged into
the Skyscape dual
sunroof with a larger,
power-operated tilt-and-slide
roof and rear skylight.
Additional convenience
features include 24
places to store items,
including cup holders
and a front-center
console with a lower
console storage pull-out
tray that reveals a deep
space with 60 cubic
inches for storing
larger items.
With the second and
third row folded flat,
cargo room expands to
117 cubic feet.
Interior touches that
add elegance include
intuitively located
controls, comfortable
seats with a tailored
appearance and metal
finish accents
throughout.
Safety Above All Else
The pioneering OnStar
onboard information and
emergency technology is
a standard feature on
all Acadia’s. The
Generation 7 version of
OnStar includes a one-year
Safe & Sound plan and
the Advanced Automatic
Crash Notification
system that notifies an
OnStar adviser in the
event an airbag deploys.
A
new feature for 2008 is
the Panic Brake Assist
that detects panic
braking and adds
additional brake
pressure in order to
engage the anti-lock
braking system (ABS).
Along with ABS,
additional standard
safety features include
StabiliTrak electronic
stability control (ESC)
with rollover mitigation,
traction control and a
tire pressure monitoring
system.
According to the
National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration (NHTSA),
ESC will reduce single-vehicle
crashes of passenger
cars by 34 percent and
single vehicle crashes
of sport utility
vehicles (SUVs) by 59
percent, with a much
greater reduction of
rollover crashes. NHTSA
estimates ESC would save
5,300 to 9,600 lives and
prevent 156,000 to
238,000 injuries in all
types of crashes once
all vehicles are
equipped with the
technology.
The Acadia comes with
six standard airbags
including first front
and two head curtain
side impact air bags
that cover all three
rows.
Nicely appointed, from
luxury to safety
features, the Acadia
meets the needs of
families while helping
to curb the pain at the
pump.
Pricing for the 2008 GMC
Acadia starts at
$30,470.
By Valerie Menard
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