Rugged luxury comes with a tech spin on the 2015 GMC Acadia

As the cousin to the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave because of their shared platform the GMC Acadia for 2015 comes in with a much more rugged appearance than the other two as well as a luxury interior and equipment that can easily rival Cadillac.

When the Acadia is in the Denali trim it isn’t even any doubt that this is truly one of the most luxurious SUVs on the planet offering opulence and elegance as well as beastly off road performance for any owner to seriously enjoy the ride.

Even when the third row of seats is in place, which allows for seating up to eight comfortably, the Acadia has a great deal of cargo space to allow the hauling of gear, luggage, or that unique treasure found when shopping for antiques or at yard sales. Competing in a class that includes such popular names as the Hyundai Santa Fe and Toyota Highlander the Acadia comes in ready to leave them in the dust. The Acadia offers more luxury and technology than the Honda Pilot as well as better ground clearance and towing capability than the Ford Flex. The Acadia is a highly touted offering from GMC that is meant to set new standards for the SUV classes and the 2015 model does so in abundance.

Added new for the 2015 model, the Acadia gains a heated steering wheel, a new 20-inch wheel design and a revised color palate for the SLT-2 and Denali trims. For anyone who needs a great eight passenger vehicle to haul it all, this is the SUV to choose with its 5,200 pounds towing capacity and seating for up to eight. Driving the Acadia feels like a car rather than the feeling expected of large SUV with its advanced and highly responsive steering system that is easily able to maneuver in and out of traffic as well as take on curvy roads and off road terrain with ease. The suspension is super improved to expertly handle any road defect while keeping the occupants smoothly and securely in their seats. The cabin is surprisingly quiet inside this big SUV, which begins the luxury feeling to go along with the awesome handling and controls.

Amazingly there is only one engine offered for the Acadia and it comes in the form of a 3.6-liter V6 engine that comes in with 288 horsepower and 270 lb.-ft. of torque on the Denali trim. For the SLE and SLT trims the power numbers are only slightly lower at 281 horsepower and 266 lb.-ft. of torque which is still plenty to get this beast going where it needs to go. This engine is partnered with a six-speed automatic transmission that really maximizes the engine performance and offers a fuel efficiency of 17 city/24 hwy mpg for the front-wheel drive models and 16 city/23 hwy mpg for the all-wheel drive versions. This amazing power plant is capable of towing up to 5,200 pounds which is plenty to get a good sized trailer to the lake for the weekend.

Inside the cabin the Acadia has a third row of seats that can fully accommodate adults allowing these rear of the vehicle passengers the same ride enjoyment as the rest of the vehicle. Most vehicles in this class give up cargo space when a third row is installed, but the Acadia does not at all and when both the second and third rows are folded down the cargo area becomes a massive 116.9 cubic feet. All materials used are upscale and the Denali trim offers a major amount of luxury to be enjoyed. The controls are easy to use and well-positioned for any driver to get in and be able to operate the vehicle with ease.

From the outside the Acadia is beautiful and bold with is big size and classic SUV good looks. There is plenty of chrome trim around the grill and across the big vehicle to add style and sophistication for all to enjoy. The front grill is a classic GMC style with horizontal vents and a large GMC emblem across the front. This grill is flanked by large LED headlights that offer an imposing view of the vehicle from the front. The wheels come in a star-spoked patter and are large 18-inches in size. Add a rear spoiler, chrome exhaust tips and roof rail accents and the Acadia really stands out with style.

The standard equipment offered for the Acadia includes one year of complimentary OnStar service, a color touch screen audio system with six speakers and MP3 capability, satellite radio, seven passenger seating, dual exhaust chrome tips, a rear spoiler, a sliding second row of seats, fog lights, a rearview camera, rear parking assistance, 18-inch alloy wheels, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes, tire pressure monitoring and seven airbags. The Denali trim adds a heated steering wheel, heated and cooled front seats, a dual SkyScape sun roof, perforated leather seating and 20-inch wheels.

There are many optional features offered for the Acadia including dual sun roofs, a rear entertainment system, a color touch screen navigation system, IntelliLink Bluetooth streaming, tri-zone automatic air conditioning, heated and cooled front seats, a premium audio system with Surround Sound, a heads up display, cargo area audio controls, eight-passenger seating, a power lift gate, HID headlights, 20-inch wheels, forward collision alerts and lane departure warnings. Adding the long list of great features put the Acadia in line as one of the most comprehensive SUV’s on the market for drivers to enjoy.

At the base model, the SLE-1 in front-wheel drive the Acadia will bring a price starting around $35,000. Heading up the food chain to the fully loaded Denali trim will fetch an asking price that comes very close to $55,000. Even though the Acadia is higher in price than the competition it offers a lot more features and equipment to enjoy even in the entry level models. When searching for a great SUV to buy, the Acadia is an exceptional choice for anyone to select.