GMC is taking things a step farther with its new Acadia: the new verion has a model that can go off-road.

The battle for superiority in the luxury crossover segment just got a little more fierce with the introduction of the new 2017 GMC Acadia at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

GMC took some chances with the new Acadia with two new powertrains – one for the fuel economy conscious and one for those who want some oomph – as well as introducing a new “off-road” model.

“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 this spring, almost a decade after its original introduction, and coming off of its strongest sales year ever in 2015 with 96,393 deliveries.

“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,” said Aldred. “It’s a shining example of GMC’s momentum and we’re confident it will grow with the new Acadia.”

The difference between the Acadia and other crossovers is the off-road capability with the All-Terrain model.

The difference between the Acadia and other crossovers is the off-road capability with the All-Terrain model. 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. And while it is engineered for optimal performance in wet, snowy and icy conditions, it also provides enhanced stability in dry conditions

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.

Being able to go off-road also nets you a little different exterior look as well 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.

(GMC teases new Acadia ahead of Detroit Auto Show debut. For more, Click Here.)

For the Acadia’s designed to stay on the tarmac, GMC has tweaked the ride and handling to give better feel and more control as well as improved performance. 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.

The new Acadia Denali is laden with infotainment and safety technology.

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 700 pounds, 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 700-pound weight loss not only improves the Acadia’s handling, it shows up in the crossover’s fuel economy numbers. GMC is offering the CUV with a new, 2.5-liter engine standard, offering an estimated 28 mpg on the highway for front-wheel drive models. City fuel economy offered is GM-estimated at 22 mpg and is bolstered by GMC’s first application of Stop/Start technology, which enhances efficiency in stop-and-go driving.

A new, available 3.6-liter V-6 engine is more powerful and efficient than the current model, while offering 4,000 pounds estimated trailering capability (with the available towing package). It is GM-estimated at 310 horsepower and 25 mpg highway. All of the fuel economy figures are GM estimates as the EPA numbers aren’t available.

(Click Here for details about GM’s plans to add an array of utility vehicles.)

Both of 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.

All of this talk about driving characteristics and fuel economy is all well and good, but the Acadia really best known as a luxury crossover. These days, luxury doesn’t just mean leather and wood, but it also means technology for the entertainment of passengers as well as the safety of all.

The new Acadia lives up to those expectations with available phone integration technology through GMC’s available IntelliLink system. It offers support for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, making it easy to connect to some of the features smartphone users rely on most.

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.

(To see more about Kia’s Telluride concept, Click Here.)

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.