The Best Country Music Songs: 30 Days Of Ram 1500
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pleasant enough to drive, but it feels big
A prod of the throttle sometimes results in slow downshifts for passing power.
the Acadia is among the heaviest in its segment, which results in performance that is nothing to write home about
The steering is intuitive and rather light, which allows the driver to feel more in command.
nary a whiff of truck-stop mountain-man aggression
PERFORMANCE | 7 out of 10
Expert Quotes:
pleasant enough to drive, but it feels big
Edmunds
A prod of the throttle sometimes results in slow downshifts for passing power.
Consumer Guide
the Acadia is among the heaviest in its segment, which results in performance that is nothing to write home about
Car and Driver
The steering is intuitive and rather light, which allows the driver to feel more in command.
Cars.com
nary a whiff of truck-stop mountain-man aggression
New York Times
The 2012 GMC Acadia is available with a sole powertrain, configured with front-wheel drive or, optionally, all-wheel drive. In either version, straight-line performance is a little short of brisk, but the Acadia's ride and steering feel overcome its undeniable heft a bit better.
The heart of the Acadia is a 3.6-liter V-6 with direct injection and 288 horsepower. Teamed with a six-speed automatic transmission, the powertrain accelerates strongly enough for midrange passing and highway merging, but must first overcome its substantial 5000-pound curb weight. The transmission is slow to respond, especially at urban speeds, but shifts are generally smooth and clean.
With the optional all-wheel-drive system, the Acadia can send up to 65 percent of its power to the rear wheels. That can be useful in uphill takeoffs, when a bit of torque steer comes into play. The AWD system's also a good idea when towing anything near the Acadia's 5200-pound tow rating--and of course, in the northern tier of states where foul weather usually comes down in solid form.
While it's a heavy vehicle, the Acadia does a good job of feeling a little smaller than it is. Mostly that's due to its independent suspension, to its light power steering feel and the well-balanced ride quality, which mutes out most every bump without blocking out the feel of the pavement. It's more agile than it looks, and the handling's more than predictable, it's confident.
Conclusion
There's adequate performance in the 2012 GMC Acadia's V-6, but its strongest point is ride quality.
