2013 GMC Acadia
For automakers, the prospect of freshening up a successful model can be daunting. Focus on only the minutiae, and your efforts may go unnoticed by the buying public; change too much, and you risk alienating your core customer base. Considering that 2011 was the most successful sales year for the Acadia since its 2007 debut, we understand why GMC made few obvious changes in this restyle.
Acadia V1.1
For the latest incarnation of this three-row crossover, the softly rounded nose and recessed grille of the outgoing model have been replaced by a comparatively upright three-slot affair with sharper creases. Standard diffused LED running lamps make their first Acadia appearance and are paired with both the standard projector-beam and optional HID headlamps. Aft, a new taillight treatment echoes the look of the front lamps. The rear glass gets a wraparound look that appears to have been donated by the now-defunct Saturn Outlook, and it’s capped by a new spoiler. As with the outgoing Acadia, wheels come in either 18- or 19-inch varieties, although the designs have been updated.
Power in all Acadias comes from the same 3.6-liter V-6 used in the 2012 model, all 288 of its horsepower now routed through a “next-generation” six-speed automatic said to have better shift response and improved drivability. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive remains an option. Mileage remains unchanged at 17 city mpg and 24 highway for front-drivers or 16/23 when equipped with AWD.
First-Class Upgrade
As seems to be the trend these days, the Acadia’s interior now employs so-called “upgraded soft-touch materials”—this was easily the most needed improvement on the otherwise-competent and comfortable crossover. The upgrade is complemented by ambient red lighting on the dashboard and a standard rearview camera. High-zoot SLT models get aluminum accents on the center console, doors, and dash because nothing says “I’ve made it” like random applications of an alloy material.
Speaking of high-zoot, the Denali edition returns for 2013 with many of the same premium features as before: 20-inch wheels, chrome accents, a power rear liftgate, heated and cooled front seats, and a special “acoustic package” designed to keep road noise to a minimum.
The 2013 Acadia and its Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse brethren will be the first vehicles available with a front center airbag. It’s designed to prevent the driver and passenger from colliding in the event of a side-impact crash. Six months of OnStar’s Directions and Connections service comes standard on all 2013 Acadias, and radar-based rear- and side-alert warning systems will be optional.
Sidestepping the Suburban Stigma
While we contend that most crossovers can’t carry anything or anyone that a minivan couldn’t handle efficiently, they so far seem to have escaped the wrath of the self-appointed tastemakers responsible for thinning the herd of minivans that once proudly roamed the suburban landscape. Not wanting to tempt fate, GMC hasn’t made big changes for the big Acadia, and we expect similar subtle upgrades to be applied to its Buick and Chevy counterparts for 2013 as well. The updated Acadia will go on sale in the fall of this year.
Source: [Car & Driver]
For the latest incarnation of this three-row crossover, the softly rounded nose and recessed grille of the outgoing model have been replaced by a comparatively upright three-slot affair with sharper creases. Standard diffused LED running lamps make their first Acadia appearance and are paired with both the standard projector-beam and optional HID headlamps. Aft, a new taillight treatment echoes the look of the front lamps. The rear glass gets a wraparound look that appears to have been donated by the now-defunct Saturn Outlook, and it’s capped by a new spoiler. As with the outgoing Acadia, wheels come in either 18- or 19-inch varieties, although the designs have been updated.
Power in all Acadias comes from the same 3.6-liter V-6 used in the 2012 model, all 288 of its horsepower now routed through a “next-generation” six-speed automatic said to have better shift response and improved drivability. Front-wheel drive is standard; all-wheel drive remains an option. Mileage remains unchanged at 17 city mpg and 24 highway for front-drivers or 16/23 when equipped with AWD.
First-Class Upgrade
As seems to be the trend these days, the Acadia’s interior now employs so-called “upgraded soft-touch materials”—this was easily the most needed improvement on the otherwise-competent and comfortable crossover. The upgrade is complemented by ambient red lighting on the dashboard and a standard rearview camera. High-zoot SLT models get aluminum accents on the center console, doors, and dash because nothing says “I’ve made it” like random applications of an alloy material.
Speaking of high-zoot, the Denali edition returns for 2013 with many of the same premium features as before: 20-inch wheels, chrome accents, a power rear liftgate, heated and cooled front seats, and a special “acoustic package” designed to keep road noise to a minimum.
The 2013 Acadia and its Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse brethren will be the first vehicles available with a front center airbag. It’s designed to prevent the driver and passenger from colliding in the event of a side-impact crash. Six months of OnStar’s Directions and Connections service comes standard on all 2013 Acadias, and radar-based rear- and side-alert warning systems will be optional.
Sidestepping the Suburban Stigma
While we contend that most crossovers can’t carry anything or anyone that a minivan couldn’t handle efficiently, they so far seem to have escaped the wrath of the self-appointed tastemakers responsible for thinning the herd of minivans that once proudly roamed the suburban landscape. Not wanting to tempt fate, GMC hasn’t made big changes for the big Acadia, and we expect similar subtle upgrades to be applied to its Buick and Chevy counterparts for 2013 as well. The updated Acadia will go on sale in the fall of this year.
Source: [Car & Driver]
