GMC has an interesting position in the overall lineup of GM brands. Where Chevy has a clear place as the brand meant to meet the needs of the widest range of drivers and Cadillac is the high-end luxury brand, GMC lands somewhere in between. It shares a lot with Chevy in terms of its models and lineup, but they tend to have more to offer when it comes to comfort, sophistication, and technology—though this line has been blurred with how much Chevy packs into their vehicles these days. Someone looking for a GMC Acadia for sale has three different options to choose from, topping off with the Denali, which is well known as GMC’s highest trim level (though the Denali Ultimate has made that less distinct). Let’s check out the Acadia Denali to see if it lives up to the reputation that GMC has earned with its similarly named models.
But First, the Standard GMC Acadia Features
We’ll get into the features of the Acadia Denali in a moment, but looking at them in a vacuum wouldn’t be very helpful. To fully understand what kind of luxury the Denali delivers, we should check out the standard model and see where things start. The 2025 GMC Acadia Elevation (the starting trim) comes with a 2.5L turbocharged engine that delivers 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque, which is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s available with front-wheel drive (FWD) or all-wheel drive (AWD), a dual-outlet exhaust, and a heavy-duty cooling system for solid overall performance.
The Elevation has 18-inch wheels with all-season tires, black roof-mounted side rails, standard bodyside moldings, and IntelliBeam headlights. GMC makes heated, power-adjustable side mirrors with integrated turn signals standard on the Acadia, along with body-color door handles and an AutoSense power liftgate that can open automatically when the key fob comes close. It looks good from the outside and has impressive functionality for daily driving.
Inside, a 15-inch GMC Premium Infotainment display is standard with support for wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, with a 12-speaker Bose sound system, and an 11-inch Driver Information Center display. Eight-passenger seating is standard, featuring CoreTec seats, an eight-way power driver’s seat, a four-way manual front-passenger seat, and heated front seats. Tech features are generally quite impressive here, including tri-zone automatic climate control, keyless open and start, remote start, and adaptive cruise control. Even a wireless charging pad is standard in the Acadia Elevation.
What Does the Denali Trim Bring to the Acadia?
With so many impressive standard features, I’m curious to see what GMC adds with the Denali to indicate that it’s the luxury option for this three-row SUV. In terms of performance, the Denali has the same engine as the Elevation model and is similarly available with either FWD or AWD (the off-road focused AT4 trim is only offered with AWD). It has similarly impressive handling as the Elevation, thanks to a fully independent suspension with MacPherson strut coil springs up front to allow for plenty of movement while keeping you comfortably in control.
Exterior upgrades help enhance the overall looks and luxury feel of the Denali with plenty of unique touches that you won’t find on the Elevation. The Denali comes with 20-inch Pearl Nickel wheels that look great and are wrapped in all-season blackwall tires that are perfect for daily driving. Brushed aluminum roof-mounted side rails look excellent, along with High Gloss Black bodyside moldings and rocker moldings, plus bright upper door moldings to set everything off beautifully. A signature Denali grille caps off the front end with distinct looks, along with exterior illumination featuring animated lighting for added style. The driver-side outside mirror on the Denali is auto-dimming to help keep other vehicles from blinding you, while chrome strips on the door handles elevate (no pun intended) its styling even further.
Even though the standard features inside the Elevation model are already impressive, the Denali’s cabin does manage to take things further. You’ll find the same large displays here, along with the 12-speaker Bose sound system and other great features we’ve already seen. The Denali has seven-passenger seating thanks to a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row, rather than a bench, for added comfort. You get perforated leather-appointed seating inside this model, with a six-way power front-passenger seat, heated and ventilated front seats, and heated second-row seating. The Denali comes with a sport-style heated steering wheel, which is perfect for cold winter mornings, an eight-inch head-up display that projects information just below your sightline as the driver, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, and more.
Luxury and Safety Go Hand-in-Hand
I didn’t mention them sooner, but every Acadia comes with an impressive suite of driver assistance features to help keep you and others safer on the road. This includes Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Rear Cross Traffic Braking, and Reverse Automatic Braking. You’ll also find Intersection Automatic Emergency Braking, Blind Zone Steering Assist, and Lane Keep Assist with a Lane Departure Warning, which are all standard. This means that every GMC Acadia is designed to protect you—even an HD Surround Vision system that provides you with enhanced visibility around your vehicle is standard on every model.
To take things further, you can get GM’s impressive Super Cruise hands-free driving system on the Acadia Denali. This is one of the best hands-free systems in the auto industry, which functions on hundreds of thousands of miles of highways in the US; plus, it has been driven for more than 300 million miles so far, showcasing how well it works. If this isn’t something you’re interested in, then it’s probably not a big selling point, but there’s no denying that it’s a great option for those who are looking for it. Being able to take your hands off the wheel and relax a little more while still focusing on the road is my kind of luxury.
Is This Enough Luxury for a Denali Model?
So this is the big question now that we’ve had a good look at this model and everything it brings to the road. There’s no denying that it has some very fine luxury features and options; the leather-trimmed seating is nice, and the interior is welcoming and comfortable. If you need to have eight passengers in your vehicle, then shifting to a pair of captain’s chairs in the second row won’t work for you, but it is a more comfortable option for seven people. The exterior styling touches are nice, and the interior does have some upgrades, but I’m not sure it’s enough of a difference from what I’d expect from the Denali name. Strangely, the biggest problem with the GMC Acadia Denali is that so many impressive features are delivered as standard on the Acadia Elevation.
GMC has outdone itself when it comes to what you get on the starting model, leaving little room for improvement with the Denali. I’m not exactly complaining because finding the massive 15-inch infotainment display and impressive 11-inch driver screen, along with a Bose sound system and even a wireless charging pad, all standard, is fantastic. Putting these things within the reach of folks only interested in the starting model is great, and it helps showcase how GMC is a more sophisticated option than a similar Chevy model (in this case, the Traverse). Personally, I wouldn’t bother with the Denali because the Elevation already has everything I’m looking for—though I won’t deny that the Denali is more likely to turn heads and get attention when you’re out driving. For those looking for those extra touches and details, however, the Denali comes through without going overboard.
