If you’re among the millions of American drivers preparing to purchase a midsize SUV, prepare yourself for some confusion. This category is bursting with options, from new all-electric models to yawn-inducing incumbents that offer little style or individuality. With so many options, many buyers have a hard time settling on the right ute for their needs, especially when shopping for an everyday family vehicle. Considerations for space, safety, and convenience often conflict, requiring buyers to compromise.
Luckily, the all-new, completely redesigned 2024 GMC Acadia strives to meet every item on your wish list without breaking the bank. Along with GMC’s commitment to building premium American SUVs, the newest Acadia offers approximately 24% more cargo space and seating for up to eight passengers. Whether your family loves weekend road trips and family adventures, or your clan is more apt to stick close to home and shuttle the kids to and from their activities, the Acadia’s roomy cabin and long list of standard amenities will support your busy lifestyle.
The 2024 Acadia offers the most front legroom in its class and an overall roomier cabin thanks to a wider design and longer wheelbase. The four-trim lineup starts at around $40k, comparable to the starting MSRP of many of the category’s most popular models. The Acadia’s top-of-the-line Denali trim remains reasonably priced yet comes with the same high-end features found on luxury imports that cost thousands more. Families looking for a well-rounded midsize SUV that delivers big on convenience should take note of the following kid-friendly attributes…
Comfortable Cabin With Tons of Standard Features
GMC had a lot to work with when its engineers set out to design this model’s cabin. Measuring 10.6 inches longer and 3.2 inches taller than its predecessor, the redesigned 2024 Acadia features the largest cabin ever and exudes a truck-like curb presence that rejects the common, egg-shaped design shared by many midsize SUVs and harkens back to classic SUV architecture. For 2024, the Acadia lineup includes four trims: the Elevation, the Elevation Premium, the off-road-ready AT4, and the luxurious Denali.
The entry Acadia Elevation is the antithesis of a base trim, offering standard heated front seats and steering wheel, an eight-way power driver’s seat with multiple lumbar settings, and a wireless device charger. Buyers can opt for other upgraded features (like a panoramic sunroof) by adding one of GMC’s available equipment packages. Moving up to the Elevation Premium trim adds a set of captain’s chairs in the second row (which reduces passenger volume to seven) and a twelve-speaker Bose premium audio system.
While the AT4 adds mostly off-roading components, the cabin receives a trim-exclusive interior color scheme in a darker Forest Storm gray. The biggest cabin gains come with the Acadia Denali, which infuses the interior with a long list of luxury features. Leather seating surfaces, power second- and third-row folding seats for easy cabin configuration, and heated and ventilated front seating are just the tip of the iceberg. Small touches like ambient lighting and heated second-row outboard seats add to the Acadia Denali’s premium cabin vibe.
Robust Safety and Driver Assistance Technology
The 2024 model marks the first year of the Acadia’s third generation. With a full redesign comes upgraded technology, including semi-autonomous systems that help stave off driver fatigue and keep occupants safe. Up to 20 different safety technologies are on offer with the newest Acadia. Driver assistance systems use the vehicle’s onboard cameras, radar, and sensors to perform a multitude of automated tasks, including emergency automatic braking and blind spot monitoring. Together, these systems constantly monitor road conditions and notify the driver of potential hazards.
Still, not all of the Acadia’s safety features lean into advanced technology. All trims receive standard LED headlights and taillights, which increase visibility for not only the driver but other motorists as well. The Acadia’s nine available camera views display multiple viewpoints that include a close-up Hitch View to assist with trailer hook-up. Other camera views include a 360-degree bird’s eye view that displays the area surrounding your vehicle, making tight maneuvering—like parallel parking or navigating a busy school parking lot—easier and less stressful.
Opting for the rugged Acadia AT4 unlocks off-roading capability beyond what you’ll find on a typical family SUV. GMC—known for building capable trucks and large SUVs like the Sierra and the Suburban—taps into its off-road know-how, outfitting the AT4 with an extra inch of ground clearance, an off-road-tuned suspension that’s exclusive to the AT4 trim, and an Active Torque Control all-wheel drive system that optimizes traction with a twin-clutch rear differential design. For adventure-seeking families, the AT4 adds the extra capability necessary to tackle uneven surfaces and off-the-beaten-path destinations.
Connectivity and Convenience for the Whole Family
GMC doesn’t reserve the nicest infotainment features for top-of-the-line trims. Instead, all Acadia buyers receive a standard portrait-mounted 15.0-inch infotainment touchscreen, which offers fully customizable displays, Google compatibility, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. The modern dashboard expands to include an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster. Accessing and playing the kids’ favorite songs is easy with the Acadia’s intuitive connectivity, and sound quality is optimized via the standard twelve-speaker Bose audio system. If twelve speakers aren’t enough, Denali buyers can consider upgrading to the more powerful 16-speaker surround sound Bose system.
Though the kids may not directly benefit from the Acadia’s standard power-sensing liftgate, this sanity-saving feature helps mom and dad juggle armloads of groceries and luggage without having to fumble for the key fob or open the tailgate manually; it’s all about convenience and simplifying daily chores so everyone can relax and enjoy the drive. Multiple USB chargers are scattered throughout all three rows, eliminating sibling squabbles over the charging cord. Whether you choose a seven- or eight-passenger layout, there’s plenty of room for everyone to stretch out—even for the kids relegated to the third row.
Other small touches found across the Acadia trim range include a heating feature at the bottom of the windshield that keeps the wiper blades from freezing on cold days. Up to 5,000 lbs of towing capability comes standard, which is plenty to haul the family boat or RV. An expansive, pillar-to-pillar panoramic sunroof transforms the cabin with tons of natural light, making it feel even larger. Parents will also appreciate the available head-up display, which projects critical driving data at eye level on the windshield.
Truck-Like Capability With a Refined Cabin
A powerful standard engine, surprisingly robust towing capability, and respectable fuel economy ratings round out the newest Acadia’s value proposition and earn it a top spot on your family’s list of SUVs to consider. All Acadia trims come with GMC’s throaty 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder powerplant, which outputs 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque. All-wheel drive is available on all trims and standard on the Acadia AT4.
In addition to the long list of the Acadia’s safety, convenience, and luxury features, GMC also offers available Super Cruise driver assistance technology. Super Cruise is a hands-free cruise control system that works on more than 400,000 miles of connected highways and roadways. Available on the Elevation Premium, AT4, and Denali trims, Super Cruise allows drivers to remove their hands from the wheel while the system keeps the vehicle centered in its lane and traveling at a safe distance from the vehicle ahead. The newest version can also perform automatic lane changes and provide assistance with trailering.
The redesigned 2024 GMC Acadia is poised to shake up the midsize SUV category, especially for families who want to shy away from vanilla styling and lean into the latest advances in semi-autonomous driving technology.
