new 2017 Acadia – a reimagined crossover aimed at the heart of the midsize segment – is especially designed to offer great versatility and refinement, with more advanced safety and connectivity technologies. From a safety perspective, the 2017 Acadia comes packed with features intended to help make drivers more aware of their surroundings and potential crash situations. These technologies include Front Pedestrian Braking, Low Speed Forward Automatic Braking, Forward Automatic Braking, Following Distance Indicator, IntelliBeam automatic headlamp high-beam control, a Surround Vision camera system, a safety Alert Seat, Forward Collision Alert, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Lane Change Alert with Side Blind Zone Alert and Front and Rear Parking Assist. In addition, 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. 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. And they help reduce the base curb weight by 318 kilograms, compared to the previous model. Moreover, 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. Furthermore, 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. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto allow drivers to make calls, send and receive messages and listen to music right from the vehicle's touchscreen. — SG
