DETROIT -- The big question was left hanging after GMC showed a shrunken 2017 Acadia this month at the Detroit auto show: What does the redesign mean for the Acadia's crossover cousins, the Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse?
The '17 Acadia, which goes on sale this spring, is about 7 inches shorter, 700 pounds lighter and loses about 40 cubic feet of storage vs. the outgoing version.
It's a downsizing that General Motors executives say was needed to meet consumer demand for better fuel economy in a more efficient package.
But they were mum on whether the same approach would go for the Enclave and Traverse, both slated for redesigns in 2017. Well, mostly mum.
Global product chief Mark Reuss offered this hint when asked what to expect on the next-generation Enclave and Traverse: "The brand separation in size and mission and the positioning of these vehicles," he said, "has never been more differentiated."
Industry analysts expect the Enclave and Traverse to be built on a long-wheelbase version of the '17 Acadia, leaving them closer in size to that of the current large crossovers. That should leave room for Chevy to slot a new, midsize crossover between the Traverse and the compact Equinox, three sources told Automotive News in July.
