Roomy Acadia easy on eyes, easier on fuel
Jim Mateja
Chicago Tribune
Published February 11, 2007
There was a time when owning a Chevy Suburban or Tahoe or a Ford Expedition or Lincoln Navigator put you on the A-list.
The machine meant you had prestige, image and lots of dough.
Bigger was better and biggest was best.
But things change with time and gas prices so the automakers have turned to crossovers to give consumers a less energy-consuming alternative.
General Motors is coming out with a trio of crossovers built off a new front-/all-wheel-drive platform--the GMC Acadia, Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave. The GMC and Saturn are on sale now, Enclave arrives in the second quarter. Look for a Chevrolet version soon though GM won't confirm or deny.
We tested the 2007 AWD Acadia, which went on sale last month.
The Crossover comes in FWD or AWD but only with a V-6.
"It's bringing in people we haven't seen before," said John Larson, general manager of Buick-Pontiac-GMC, referring to folks moving out of mid- and full-size SUVs.
With most Buick-Pontiac-GMC dealers channeled into a single store, it means many will offer Acadia and Enclave. This seems to defeat the purpose of consolidation.
The V-6 responds quickly, making Acadia no slouch moving off the line or into the passing lane. Limber and nimble.
There's low step-in height so no need for running boards. The suspension is more like a car's than a truck's. Not luxury sedan smooth but forgiving enough so you don't have lots of jarring and jostling. Little lean in corners and turns. Quick steering response and a nice, tight turning radius.
Other nice touches include a power liftgate activated by pressing the key fob or the button in the instrument panel. And the armrest between driver and passenger slides back to expose large coin/cell phone holders. Remove the holders and create a massive stowage container. Probably large enough for a purse.
If you want to make the cabin feel more spacious, you can get dual skyscape sunroofs ($1,300): a small power sunroof over driver and passenger, a larger skylight over second-row occupants. Both come with sunshades.
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