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2008 GMC Acadia Quality Review

May 30, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

Subpar interior trim
Edmunds

Drives more like a car than an SUV
Kelley Blue Book

Notably space-efficient interior
New York Times

The 2008 GMC Acadia pleases reviewers with good interior room and clever seating options, but some materials and interior trim are less rich than the Acadia’s price would suggest.

The 2008 GMC Acadia, USAToday says, has only “almost immeasurable 1% less passenger room than you get inside [Chevrolet] Tahoe and [GMC] Yukon”—both of which are traditional full-size, truck-based SUVs. Inside the Acadia, GMC has “easy-to-configure second- and third-row seats,” according to Cars.com. The third row can be folded into the floor, they note, while “the second-row captain's chairs also fold flat and slide to create a larger cargo area for hauling long items.”

Edmunds bestows its stamp of approval on the 2008 GMC Acadia’s interior layout and roominess: "Thanks to its space-efficient design, the GMC Acadia provides sedanlike comfort for all passengers," they write. Kelley Blue Book agrees that the interior is "roomy, versatile and utilizes high-quality material."

However, the New York Times, which is highly complimentary of the GMC 2008 Acadia's "tailored" outward appearance, was more critical of the inside. This source mentions that "the company's secret contract with Cheap Plastic Inc. may not be over yet: the Acadia's interior driver door handle, that critical hands-on interface between man and machine, was unpleasantly sharp and finished in bogus chrome."

In terms of quietness, ConsumerGuide says: "[There is] little road rumble, though the 19-inch tires thump slightly over bumps. Wind noise is low, with only a muted whistle from the outside mirrors at highway speeds. Acadia's quiet, refined engine growls pleasantly under brisk acceleration."

TheCarConnection.com believes that what makes the 2008 GMC Acadia particularly swell is the plus-size accommodations. It's huge inside, with a standard third row and room for seven to eight people (depending on the configuration). The third row's a real third row, too, not there only for advertising purposes. There's almost 20 cubic feet of additional storage space behind the third row, plus maximum towing capacity is 4,500 pounds.

Conclusion

The 2008 GMC Acadia has a flexible and roomy interior, but some finishes aren’t the greatest.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 8 out of 10Expert Quotes:Subpar interior trimEdmundsDrives more like a car than an SUVKelley Blue BookNotably space-efficient interiorNew York Times The 2008 GMC Acadia pleases reviewers with good interior room and clever seating options, but some materials and interior trim are less rich than the Acadia’s price would suggest. The 2008 GMC Acadia, USAToday says, has only “almost immeasurable 1% less passenger room than you get inside [Chevrolet] Tahoe and [GMC] Yukon”—both of which are traditional full-size, truck-based SUVs. Inside the Acadia, GMC has “easy-to-configure second- and third-row seats,” according to Cars.com. The third row can be folded into the floor, they note, while “the second-row captain's chairs also fold flat and slide to create a larger cargo area for hauling long items.” Edmunds bestows its stamp of approval on the 2008 GMC Acadia’s interior layout and roominess: "Thanks to its space-efficient design, the GMC Acadia provides sedanlike comfort for all passengers," they write. Kelley Blue Book agrees that the interior is "roomy, versatile and utilizes high-quality material." However, the New York Times, which is highly complimentary of the GMC 2008 Acadia's "tailored" outward appearance, was more critical of the inside. This source mentions that "the company's secret contract with Cheap Plastic Inc. may not be over yet: the Acadia's interior driver door handle, that critical hands-on interface between man and machine, was unpleasantly sharp and finished in bogus chrome." In terms of quietness, ConsumerGuide says: "[There is] little road rumble, though the 19-inch tires thump slightly over bumps. Wind noise is low, with only a muted whistle from the outside mirrors at highway speeds. Acadia's quiet, refined engine growls pleasantly under brisk acceleration." TheCarConnection.com believes that what makes the 2008 GMC Acadia particularly swell is the plus-size accommodations. It's huge inside, with a standard third row and room for seven to eight people (depending on the configuration). The third row's a real third row, too, not there only for advertising purposes. There's almost 20 cubic feet of additional storage space behind the third row, plus maximum towing capacity is 4,500 pounds. ConclusionThe 2008 GMC Acadia has a flexible and roomy interior, but some finishes aren’t the greatest.  2008 GMC ACADIA STYLING | [8 out of 10] Kelley Blue Book: "a handsome package that looks masculine and up-scale" New York Times: "a bit more tailored and masculine" Orlando Sentinel (via Cars.com): "very well-appointed" TheCarConnection.com team did not see a great deal of strong ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

Among all the world's vehicles--and excluding the 2008 GMC Acadia's cousins at other General Motors divisions (Buick, Saturn, Chevrolet)--the Acadia has only one direct competitor: the Ford Taurus X. While the Taurus X is more than competent, many buyers will like the GMC's styling better. The Acadia's powertrain outmuscles Honda's eight-passenger crossover, the Pilot, and with the better products coming out of GM factories, quality issues shouldn't be the concern they were a few years back. While larger for the 2008 model year, the Toyota Highlander can't match the interior room of the Acadia. The Mazda CX-9 is also worth putting on your list, as it comes close to matching many of the Acadia's people and cargo capabilities, while offering superior driving dynamics.

Next Steps:

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See the GMC Acadia in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007

Comments (3 total)

  1. By Karen #1, Posted: 8/29/2008

    assistant

    How do you fix the hesitation in the engine for the 2008 Acadia? You have to have heard from alot of people on this. It loses so much power going up hills and its hesitates when you coast down a hill. Please give me an honest answer, I love the vehicle except for this problem.

  2. By CJR #2, Posted: 1/2/2009

    Love the Acadia

    Love this roomy SUV. Looks sharp and drives like a dream. We traded our Odyssey for it,and we like the change. Easy to handle, so it is fun to drive. Love the design and overall appearance. The two sun roofs are great, too. Great options!

  3. By Kirby #3, Posted: 10/22/2009

    I love my Acadia, but having a problem, when it rains my driver's side floor gets wet. Is anyone else having this problem or knows how to fix it?

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