new 2017 Acadia – a reimagined crossover aimed at the heart of the midsize segment, designed to offer great versatility and refinement, with more advanced safety technologies. The new Acadia offers more-efficient powertrains, while continuing to offer three rows of seating on most models. The premium Acadia Denali returns, along with a new All Terrain model offering enhanced off-road capability. "GMC is a strong, growing premium brand and the Acadia is a cornerstone of our success story," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of GMC Sales and Marketing. "The all-new Acadia leverages GMC's proven SUV experience to take on and shake up one of the largest vehicle segments, with a strong blend of design, technology and capability." The new Acadia goes on sale later this year, almost a decade after its original introduction, and coming off its strongest sales year ever in 2015 with 96,393 deliveries worldwide. "Typically, a vehicle's sales can be illustrated on a bell curve during its lifecycle, but the Acadia's success has defied convention with impressive sustainability," he pointed out. "It's a shining example of GMC's momentum and we're confident it will grow with the new Acadia," he added. The strategic re-scoping of the 2017 Acadia offers customers a midsize crossover positioned between the compact Terrain and full-size Yukon. Depending on the model, it is available with five-, six- or seven-passenger seating, while offering greater maneuverability than the first-generation model. "The new Acadia captures a greater feeling of refinement, in everything from the responsive feeling behind the wheel to the way passengers interact with its intuitive features," said Rick Spina, executive chief engineer for compact and crossover SUVs at General Motors. "It's a vehicle that offers the functionality Acadia is known for, while delivering big advantages and balance to customers' everyday lives." The new Acadia is 318 kilograms lighter than the current model, which pays dividends with fuel efficiency. A new, available 3.6L V-6 engine is more powerful and efficient than the current model, while offering over 1800 Kilograms of estimated trailering capability (with the available towing package). It is GM-estimated at 310 horsepower and 9.41 L/100km highway (FWD models – EPA estimate not available). The Acadia's new engines feature direct injection and variable valve timing, and both are mated to six-speed automatic transmissions and an electronically controlled drive mode selector. The 2017 Acadia builds on a legacy of intuitive functionality, with new features such as a split-folding second-row seat that improves on the original Smart Slide feature of the current model. It offers greater flexibility, including the capability of the curbside seat sliding and tilting forward, even with a forward-facing child seat in place, while the driver-side section tips and slides forward for easier access to the third row. The 50/50-split third-row seat folds flat for a completely flat load floor behind the second row and when the second row is also folded, there's 2,237 liters of cargo room. Levers at the rear of the vehicle make it easier to fold the second- and third-row seats. Additional solutions range from simple to technologically advanced. The rear of the center console, for example, features a unique pullout storage drawer. It is accessible to rear-seat passengers and allows items such as electronic devices and small toys to be stored out of sight, for greater security and reduced clutter. There's also a new, standard rear seat alert that can remind the driver when an item may have been left in the second- and third-row seats. Additionally, all three rows offer USB charge ports for compatible electronic devices. The new Acadia offers a greater emphasis on refinement, while remaining instantly recognizable with an evolution of the vehicle's signature, Commands Respect design cues such as a chrome-trimmed grille, squared off and flared wheel arches and a wraparound rear side windows with dark D-pillars. "It's a confident design influenced by extensive customer input," said Helen Emsley, executive director, Global GMC Design and User Experience. "The original Acadia was very truck-inspired, but the new model has a decidedly SUV influence conveyed in sculptural details, softened corners and a sleeker windshield angle." New dimensional grilles and wraparound headlamps – HID lamps on Denali and halogen projectors on other models – reinforce the confident, refined appearance, while standard LED signature lighting on all models reflect GMC's premium attributes. Complementing C-shape rear lighting graphics add a cohesive detail to the design. Premium cues distinguish the Acadia Denali. Like all Denali models, it features a dimensional chrome grille, along with integrated chrome side trim, chrome-accented door handles, a chrome lower-rear fascia and specific six-spoke wheels. Inside, all Acadia trim levels feature unique interior color and trim combinations and incorporate authentic aluminum trim. As a contemporary crossover designed for families on the go, the 2017 Acadia offers the latest active safety features to protect them, as well as the latest technologies to keep them connected. The active safety features are designed to help make drivers more aware of their surroundings and potential crash situations. They are available depending on the model and include: New Front Pedestrian Braking New Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking (standard on SLT-2 and Denali) New Forward Automatic Braking (available on Denali) New Following Distance Indicator New IntelliBeam automatic headlamp high-beam control New Surround Vision camera system New Safety Alert Seat Forward Collision Alert Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert Front and Rear Parking Assist. An available Tow Vision Trailering system helps make hitching easier by employing a rear-vision camera, with dynamic guidelines, to help line up the Acadia's hitch with the trailer, as well as offering views of the trailer while driving. And when it comes to connectivity, the Acadia is plugged in with available phone integration technology through GMC's available IntelliLink system, making it easy to connect to some of the features smartphone users rely on most. Built on a new, lighter body structure, the 2017 Acadia's driving dynamics are more responsive, while its shorter length and narrower width enable greater maneuverability, for easier turning in parking decks and easier parking in home garages. The body structure incorporates press-hardened, high-strength steels, which allowed thinner components in some areas offering comparable or better crash performance than conventional materials. They also help reduce the base curb weight by 318 kilograms, compared to the current model. New splayed front frame rails also contribute to crashworthiness. They flare outward to provide effective folding and crushing performance during small overlap frontal crash situations. The new Acadia retains a front-drive layout with available all-wheel drive. All models feature a new drive mode selector, which allows the driver to alter chassis and powertrain attributes to suit a variety of driving conditions. Front-drive models offer Normal (2x4), Snow, Sport and Trailer/Tow modes, while AWD models offer 2x4 (AWD disconnect), 4x4, Sport, Off Road and Trailer/Tow modes. The AWD disconnect mode effectively disconnects the rear axle from the drive system to save fuel. On-demand AWD capability can be reapplied on the go by switching the drive mode selector to 4x4 mode. Additional chassis and driving dynamics features include: MacPherson strut front suspension Five-link rear suspension Rack-mounted electric power steering system Four-wheel disc brakes with Duralife rotors Electronic park brake Available electronically controlled continuous damping system. The new All Terrain model matches distinctive design elements with enhanced off-road-driving ability. At the heart of the Acadia All Terrain's capability is an advanced AWD system with Active Twin Clutch, which optimizes traction for every condition it encounters. It is engineered for optimal performance in a wide range of slippery conditions ranging to wet to ice and loose surfaces. It also has a specific All Terrain mode in place of the Off Road mode on the drive mode selector, which works with the model's exclusive AWD system to offer enhanced hill-climb capability. All Terrain models are distinguished from the rest of the Acadia lineup with a body-color grille surround, black chrome trim and unique wheels. Inside is exclusive five-passenger seating, dynamic All Terrain interior accents and covered storage bins in the rear cargo floor in place of a third-row seat. The 2017 GMC Acadia will be produced at General Motors' Spring Hill (Tenn.) assembly facility, with globally sourced parts. Built on the philosophy of ‘Commands Respect', GMC has built pickups since 1902. With a rich heritage in the Middle East and an impressive 111 years of presence, innovation and engineering excellence is built into all GMC vehicles. The brand is evolving to offer more fuel-efficient pickups, crossovers and SUVs. The GMC portfolio in the Middle East features Terrain small SUV and Acadia crossover. The Sierra half-ton pickup is the most powerful light duty pickup on the market, and the first full-size pickup to receive the highest possible five-star Overall Vehicle Score for safety since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration changed its New Car Assessment Program for the 2011 model year. Every GMC model, including Yukon and Yukon XL full-size SUVs, is available in Denali luxury trim. GMC also offers customers a high-level aftersales service experience. — SG
