2008 GMC Acadia: the Gracious SUV

The GMC Acadia is a crossover SUV from General Motors. It was released and went on sale in the United States in December 2006 and in Canada in January, 2007.

GM has made a carryover from the 2007 model which is named as the 2008 Acadia. It is a 4-door, up to 8-passenger sport-utility, available in 6 trims, ranging from the SLE-1 FWD to the SLT-2 AWD. Both trims are equipped with a standard 3.6-liter, V6, 290-horsepower engine. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. It was introduced in 2007 with all models available in front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive configurations. It has been a consumer favorite since its introduction due to its well regarded car-like handling.

On its exterior and auto parts as well, reviewers declare it as sleek and pleasant looking. Its styling has been a big hit in reviews. It is proportioned overall with just the right size of grille and headlights. This exterior design managed to get away from the bulky appearance and improved its graciousness. It has a huge front bumper but it’s been made pleasant looking due to being camouflaged by its black color and a bright strip on top. The base model SLE is well equipped with 18 inch alloy wheels, power windows and door locks.

Inside the 2008 GMC Acadia is roomy, versatile and uses high quality materials. It has thrown out its cheap-looking plastic and bargain-basement cloth. The instrument panel and other interior elements feature high-quality and low-gloss materials.

Its standard features include leather upholstery, heated front seats, power seats and tri-zone automatic climate control and a Bose stereo system with 10 speakers, in dash 6 CD changer, subwoofer and steering wheel mounted audio controls.

The seats are very comfortable; most reviewers think this is one of the major improvements that GM made over the years. These three row seats can be configured for seven or eight passengers with the third row that uses what GM calls its Smart Slide feature. The Acadia offers more cargo space than any other affordable midsize SUVs.

According to usnews.rankingsandreviews.com “It gets top scores of five stars for driver safety and passenger safety in frontal crash tests, and five stars for both the front and rear seats in side crash tests”. Safety features include dual frontal airbags, side air curtains, and seat-mounted side-impact airbags for driver and front-seat passenger, OnStar, anti-lock brakes, and StabiliTrak electronic stability control. Brake Assist has been added for 2008.

Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.