GMC shrinks Acadia, aims refined crossover 'at heart of midsize' market

DETROIT -- The GMC Acadia will be dramatically downsized from the big crossover that has been in service for nearly a decade when the next generation rolls out this spring.

GMC unveiled the 2017 Acadia at the auto show here today. It will be more than 7 inches shorter, 3.5 inches narrower and 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor to better position the Acadia “at the heart of the midsize” crossover market, GMC chief Duncan Aldred says.

With those dimensions, the redesigned Acadia is closer to a Jeep Grand Cherokee or Honda Pilot in size compared with the outgoing Acadia and its corporate cousins, the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse.

It will continue to have three rows of seats in most models and will be offered in five-, six- or seven-passenger configurations, depending on the model.

“Arguably, you could say that we’re rightsizing it,” Aldred said in an interview. “It’s perfectly sized for the heart of that segment, with Toyota Highlander-like proportions but with better luggage capacity.”

It will continue to be offered with Denali upscale trim as well as a new All Terrain model that will provide off-road capability, GMC said.

The 2017 Acadia is the first vehicle to be built on the next generation of GM’s so-called Lambda platform, which also underpins the Enclave and Traverse. It’s unclear whether those nameplates will also be downsized when they are redesigned, which is expected in 2017.

Sources told Automotive News last year that GM plans to build two versions of the Traverse: a long-wheelbase model that would be about the same size as the current Traverse, and a short-wheelbase model to create a new midsize entry similar in size to the redesigned '17 Acadia.

Aldred said the addition of a longer Acadia down the road is not in the plan for now.

Aligning the Acadia’s size to rivals such as the Pilot and Ford Explorer will make for easier cross-shopping and could put it on the consideration lists of new buyers, AutoPacific Inc. analyst Dave Sullivan says. But the loss of space behind the third row could turn off loyalists, especially owners who use the big crossover as a minivan alternative.

“That has been a big competitive advantage for the Acadia -- it’s one of the few crossovers that is a viable substitute for a minivan,” Sullivan said. “It will be interesting to see how they retain that customer base.”

U.S. sales of the Acadia have defied gravity even as the big crossover enters its 10th year of service (it was released in 2006): Deliveries hit 96,383 vehicles last year, a record for the nameplate. Aldred believes that downsizing the crossover will lead to higher volumes.

The redesigned Acadia’s base engine gets downsized, too, to a new 2.5-liter inline-four engine that GMC says will produce 194 hp and uses GMC’s first stop-start system to coax an estimated 22 mpg in city driving and 28 mpg on the highway for front-wheel-drive models. That replaces a 3.6-liter V-6 that is the sole engine on the current Acadia.

A new, more-powerful 3.6-liter will be offered as an option on the '17. It will get an estimated 17 city/25 highway mpg and offer 4,000 pounds of trailering capacity through use of an available towing package.

Both engines will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with an electronically controlled gearshift.

The exterior design changes are subtle, with some of the current Acadia’s angular, trucklike cues giving way to smoother lines.

It retains a rectangular, chrome-trimmed grille, squared-off and flared wheel arches and wraparound rear side windows with blacked-out D-pillars. The crossover features wraparound headlights and C-shaped taillights.

“The original Acadia was very truck-inspired,” Helen Emsley, executive director of GMC design, said in a statement. “The new model has a decidedly SUV influence conveyed in sculptural details, softened corners and a sleeker windshield angle.”

The interior includes aluminum trim and most of the connectivity offerings that have been rolling across most of GM’s models, including a 4G LTE wireless connection and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The second seat’s sliding feature is improved, GMC says, and a 50/50-split third-row seat folds flat behind the second. Levers at the rear of the vehicle make it easier to fold the second- and third-row seats, GMC says.

Touches include a pull-out storage drawer at the rear of the center console for rear passengers to store electronic devices and clutter. A standard rear-seat-alert system reminds the driver when an item might have been left in the second or third row.

GM says the new, lighter body structure and shortened length allow for more-responsive driving dynamics and better maneuverability. All models have a drive-mode selector that changes the chassis and powertrain setup to suit driving conditions: snow, sport and trailer/tow with additional modes for awd models, including one that disconnects the rear axle from the drive system to save fuel.