The GMC Acadia was introduced in 2006 for the 2007 model year. The Acadia doesn’t stand out in any significant way, because shared design and engineering resources with a bunch of other General Motors SUVs, crossovers, and even minivans. Examples include the Buick Enclave, the Chevrolet Traverse, the Saturn Outlook and, in recent years, the Holden Acadia from GM’s Australian brand.
The Acadia was developed specifically to consolidate GM’s lineup of three-row vehicles across North America, which, at the time, included fleet-focused models such as the GMC Safari and the Pontiac Montana minivan. As such, the Acadia was marketed more to families, while other GMC vehicles tended to target commercial/fleet buyers or professional tradespeople. GMC’s familiar tagline, “We Are Professional Grade,” predates the Acadia. An example of this strategy is that the Acadia was GMC’s first front-wheel drive vehicle.
In recent years, the Acadia has shifted from a full-size to a midsize crossover design. Although it’s survived lots of GM’s bloodshed over the years (unlike its predecessor, the Oldsmobile Bravada, and the aforementioned Saturn Outlook) it has a lot of competition even from within its own family, so might be a great choice for a used crossover SUV. Look to the GMC Acadia Denali for a truly upscale experience.
GMC Acadia Buying Guide: Cost, Reliability, and the Best Years to Buy
- Frequently Asked Questions
- GMC Acadia Pros and Cons
- GMC Acadia Generations
- Third Generation (2024-)
- Second Generation (2017-2023)
- First Generation (2007-2016)
Frequently Asked Questions
Which GMC Acadia years are the best?
Stick with late used Acadias, in particular, the 2016, 2019, and 2022 model years have better reliability ratings than other Acadia model years.
What are the worst GMC Acadia years?
Data shows the 2007 and 2008 model years are lower than average reliability. It’s worth noting that, as well as being the first years of Acadia, they also coincide with the timeframe of General Motors’ government bailout and the shuttering of several brands.
Is a used GMC Acadia a good deal?
It can be. The Acadia isn’t as recognisable as similar crossovers and SUVs from Chevy and Buick, which means they may not be as sought after on the used market. Buying the right Acadia trim and model year is a good way to find a bargain.
GMC Acadia Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Three generations to choose from
- Full-size and midsize versions
- Similar to Chevrolet and Buick SUVs
Cons:
- Dull styling in older generations
- Dull to drive
- Below-average fuel economy mpg in older versions
GMC Acadia Generations
Third Generation (2024-)
The GMC Acadia was fully redesigned for the 2024 model year. The new Acadia is spacious for a midsize SUV, and features more rugged styling than many competitors. However, it has a very high starting price for the class—an MSRP of $42,900 for the base trim at the time of writing—which is higher even than many more upscale or luxurious competitors. This Acadia earns praise for its user-friendly infotainment system, its spacious rear seats, and its good cargo capacity, in particular, but many other SUVs are a better value and have more performance options, even among a Buick GMC dealership.
The 2024 Acadia was designed on the larger GMC Yukon’s platform, hence its cavernous interior. It’s available with just one powertrain, a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder unit with 328 horsepower and 326 lb-ft of torque. It’s paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a choice of front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD).
The third generation Acadia is available in Elevation, AT4, and Denali trim levels (as of this writing, which covers the 2024 and 2025 model years). Common amenities across the GMC Acadia trim levels include the GMC infotainment system, a sunroof, Bluetooth, a power liftgate, captain’s chairs instead of a second-row bench seat, a heated steering wheel, a Bose 12-speaker audio system, a Trailering Package with 5,000 lbs of towing capacity, and driver-assistance features, such as lane departure warning, a head-up display, and rear park assist. These models may also be available with GM’s Super Cruise limited hands-free driving system.
Elevation is a well-equipped base trim, though expensive for a midsize crossover. The GMC Acadia AT4 is off-road focused and includes GM’s Active Torque Control AWD system, plus upgrades such as hill descent control, an outdoors-inspired cabin, and all-terrain tires. The Denali goes upscale with leather upholstery and more in the way of comfort features, such as cooled front seats and heated second-row seats for the window-seat passengers, and exclusive designs for the aluminum wheels.
As of this writing, there were no recalls in the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) database for the 2024 and 2025 GMC Acadia, which indicates there are no serious known problems at this time.
Considering the third generation of the Acadia has been on the market since only 2024, there are a lot for sale in used car classifieds, and the average price for a 2024 model, according to CarGurus data, is about $50,000. That’s on a slight downward trend over the past year, though price fluctuations during a vehicle’s first year on the used car market don’t necessarily give shoppers much to go on. As of this writing, used 2024 Acadias across the country varied from about $38,000 to about $68,000. At that price point, they’re nearly all low-mileage Denalis.
Second Generation (2017-2023)
The second generation of the Acadia marked the move from a full-size to a midsize SUV, and therefore, a lower MSRP, but accessibility was compromised, because it lost its optional eight seats. This generation was updated in 2020 with a new infotainment system that included Apple CarPlay and Android Auto functionality, smartphone compatibility, itself upgraded to available wireless smartphone compatibility in 2021.
The Acadia was introduced with a choice of 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine or 3.6-liter V6 engines, rated for 193 hp and 188 lb-ft and 310 hp and 271 lb-ft respectively. In 2020, the four-cylinder was replaced with a 2.0-liter turbo four with a combined 230 hp and 258 lb-ft. Front- and all-wheel drive were available throughout the generation.
The trim lineup was extensive, consisting of SL, GMC Acadia SLE-1, SLE-2, GMC Acadia SLT-1, SLT-2, and Denali designations, as well as an All-Terrain package that added rugged styling elements and offered the option to remove the third row in favor of more cargo space.
The second generation of the Acadia is known to be fairly reliable, though shoppers in search of a used model should, of course, do their research.
According to CarGurus data, early second-generation Acadias can be had for as little as around $10,000, or as much as $54,000 for a late Denali version, though such an example would be overpriced. Expect to pay an average of about $32,000 for a 2023 model, the last of this generation, though average prices are down both year-over-year and recently for all second-generation models.
First Generation (2007-2016)
The Acadia was unveiled in 2006 for the 2007 model year. It was GMC’s first unibody vehicle, sharing design and engineering with the likes of the Buick Enclave and the Saturn Outlook, as well being as GMC’s first vehicle with front-wheel drive. This full-size crossover SUV was designed to replace several three-row vehicles from across the General Motors portfolio. There were other GMC SUVs on the market at the time, but this was the brand’s first venture into the family-friendly crossover market, which prioritized affordability and comfort over performance and capability.
This generation came exclusively with a 3.6-liter V6 engine. The early years were rated for 275 hp and 258 lb-ft and, in 2009, specs were upgraded to 288 hp and 270 lb-ft. The 2016 Limited trim upgraded yet again to 310 hp and 271 lb-ft. A six-speed automatic transmission was standard across the lineup, and the Acadia was available with front- or all-wheel drive.
Early Acadias came in SL, SLE, and SLT trims, with the luxurious Denali introduced for the 2011 model year and the Limited introduced for 2016. While the base and mid-level trims concentrated on practicality, the Denali wore unique front and rear-end treatments, a honeycomb-pattern grille, chrome brightwork, unique 20-inch wheels, and inside, premium perforated leather upholstery and wood trim. These upgrades were consistent with other GMC models bearing the Denali badge—the Terrain and the Yukon. Later, GMC would designate the S-trims with -1s and -2s to further differentiate between feature packages.
The 2007 and 2008 Acadia model years were problematic, typical of a new model introduction. General Motors, as a whole, also wasn’t in great shape at the time, as the company was negotiating a government bailout and shuttering brands. That said, known issues related to assembly line problems were quickly rectified, and now, they’re the least reliable simply because they’re the oldest.
Prices for first generation Acadias range from an average of about $5,600 for a 2007 model to about $13,500 for a 2016 example, based on CarGurus data. Across this generation, average prices are down recently and year-over-year. Current listings as of this writing range from a low of $3,600 for a high-mileage 2012 model to a high of $23,000 for a 2015 Denali model, which is above average.
