Redesigned 2024 GMC Acadia Features a Turbo Engine and Standard Safety Systems

Like the Toyota Highlander, Chevrolet Traverse, and Volkswagen Atlas, the GMC Acadia is the latest SUV to ditch the V6 powertrain for good, replacing it with a turbo four-cylinder. In the Acadia, the engine will produce 328 horsepower and 326 lb.-ft. of torque, significant increases over the 3.6-liter V6 that powered the last Acadia we tested.

While the last Acadia was smaller than its Traverse and Buick Enclave siblings, this version has grown larger, with GMC emphasizing additional front-row legroom and improved storage behind the third-row seat. 

We like the Acadia Denali that we tested, finding it had a composed ride and responsive handling, although the push-button gear selector was fussy and distracting to use. GMC has addressed that, and we’ll be interested in evaluating the stalk-type selector that’s on the right side of the steering column.

Much like the Traverse, the outgoing Acadia is a competitive and compelling three-row SUV and is a CR Recommended model. But reliability and owner satisfaction, based on member surveys, are just average, and past reliability was a mixed bag. Time—and new surveys—will tell if there are meaningful improvements on those fronts. 

GM didn’t make a radical change in style with the 2024 Acadia, which is instantly recognizable as part of the GMC family. 

The front end follows the recent freshenings of the GMC Canyon and Sierra pickup trucks, with a wide grille and slimmer daytime running lights on either side. The luxury-focused Denali version has more flashy trim below the grille, with integrated fog lights at the bottom corners. 

The off-road-ish AT4 trades those shiny bits for more durable materials that can take abuse from rocks and other on-trail obstacles, along with two prominent red tow hooks that sit inboard the fog lights on either side and a visible skid plate. But don’t be fooled; this is no Jeep Grand Cherokee TrailHawk.  

Both versions have large wheel arches, sculpted door panels, and a prominent, body-colored rear-roof pillar, though the AT4’s 1-inch higher ride height and smaller 18-inch wheels with all-terrain tires (the smaller wheels allow more cushioning and protective sidewalls on the tires) give it an aggressive stance. The Denali comes with 22-inch wheels and tires, which GMC proudly says are the “largest ever on Acadia.” However, we’ve found in our extensive tire and vehicle testing that larger wheels and tires tend to result in worse ride comfort unless a sophisticated active suspension is used to compensate for that. 

Here’s where the bigger dimensions are sure to pay off. The new Acadia is 10.6 inches longer and 3.2 inches taller than its predecessor, according to GMC. The automaker claims that there’s almost 80 percent more cargo room behind the third-row seat, and more than 36 percent more room behind the second-row seat when compared with the outgoing Acadia. While we measure cargo differently at Consumer Reports than automakers do, our tests showed that the outgoing Acadia’s smaller dimensions compromised its ability to carry cargo. (Learn more about how we test cars.)

Unlike the Traverse, with its smoothly integrated screen and air vents, the 2024 GMC Acadia has a slightly blocky, work-focused look, even in the luxe Denali trim. A portrait-oriented, 15-inch touchscreen is standard and dominates the interior, housing all of the usual media, infotainment, and mapping functions along with vehicle settings and menus for towing or parking assistance. 

The next-generation Acadia ditches the 3.6-liter V6 for a 2.5-liter turbocharged four-cylinder. Despite having fewer cylinders, this powerplant has slightly more horsepower than the previous V6, rising from 310 hp to 328 hp for the 2024 model. Typical of turbos, torque makes greater gains, moving up from 266 lb.-ft. to 326 lb.-ft. 

That engine is paired with an eight-speed automatic transmission instead of the previous nine-speed. As before, the next Acadia is rated for a maximum 5,000-pound towing capacity. 

The AT4 uses a twin-clutch all-wheel-drive system to improve off-road traction. And this trim has unique suspension tuning to tackle the rough stuff, hill descent control, and driver-selectable terrain modes to dial in performance according to the road and trail conditions. 

The Acadia comes with a large suite of standard active safety and driver assistance features including automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning, lane keeping assistance, and automatic high beams. 

Adaptive cruise control, blind spot warning, rear cross traffic warning with reverse automatic emergency braking and pedestrian detection, and sign recognition also come standard. Some safety warnings are communicated via vibrations to the driver’s seat. 

The Acadia also comes with a Buckle to Drive feature that requires both the driver and front passenger, if there is one, to fasten their seat belts before the SUV can be driven. It also has GM’s Teen Driver feature, controlled via an app, that allows parents to apply certain restrictions, such as speed and audio volume, and track a teen’s driving performance. 

Available upgrades include a driver attention monitor, active parking assistance, and a Super Cruise active driving assistance system that allows hands-free operation on many highways.