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So we just put over 3000 miles on a GMC Acadia rental + I know a couple people were interested in what I thought of it...
Well, first of all, I'm not really an SUV type of person + really didn't rent this by choice - just wanted a rental with roof rails + was aiming to get a Forester or Outback but they were out... anyway, this has further cemented my opinions wrt SUVs. Overall, my wife + I liked it a bit better than the Forester we rented last year, largely because the handling + power was more predictable. That said, it is obviously not a sports car + handles pretty much as I would have expected - like driving a giant waterbed, suspended by a pile of marshmallows. It really is big - it can seat as many as 8 (given the right configuration). Not much cargo room if you use all the seats up. Ours (GMC Acadia SLT-1 with AWD) seated 7 + had "leather" seats that were ok but nothing like saab seats (lumbar support was minimal + seat "bolstering" designed for those of substantial girth)... Engine is a 3.6L DOHC V6 VVT with direct injection that gets 288hp at 6300 rpm and 270lb/ft at 3400 rpm. Transmission is a 6 speed automatic, and EPA fuel economy is 16/23 mpg. It weighs a whole lot though, so the power is just enough. Transmission shifts smoothly and quickly too, at least to downshift - not very keen to upshift, maybe partly because it is designed to tow stuff, but not great for fuel economy... basically, the powerplant is adequate, the driving experience is boring.
As I commented previously on the general board, the side view mirrors are great + that's good because the blind spots are hard to check (a cyclist on the passenger side is as good as dead) because it's so high up you see over stuff. Rearview camera + sensor works ok despite the bizarre angle + is essential to avoid running over children + small animals.
The killer for me was the real life fuel economy. I don't putter, but I've never got a ticket either. Averaging 75 mph on the highway with a ski box and 2 bikes on the roof I got about 16mpg. City was about the same. Take off the bikes, and I got about 18mpg. Imho, that is pretty horrendous. In contrast, on the same route in a 9-5 arc without a roof rack, I averaged about 32mpg. Forester (4 speed auto) with the rack setup, 20mpg.
Other minor nitpicks:
- automatic tranny doesn't hold on hills (it rolls back significantly such that I needed to use the brake like a clutch with my right foot to stop it rolling when starting on big hills). Forester did this too (but less).
- turn signal cancel often caused opposite signal to flash (and canceling that often went back to the original signal) thoroughly confusing people behind me... detents in the stalk didn't seem to match what the lights did!?!
- turn signal, wipers, high beam, all on 1 stalk. no right hand stalk. weird to me... yay beancounters...
- lots of plastic, but overall, not too bad interior for what it is.
Overall, I don't get why so many people buy these things. I suppose some want to haul a dozen children to soccer while looking like they can scale a mountain... but the clearance on this thing wasn't that good even (7")... big low hanging plastic bumper extensions would break off first time off road. for us a 9-5 wagon does all this thing does with more style, comfort, fuel economy, fun, and all for roughly the same price. I don't understand why Saab didn't sell bazillions of them!
James...
posted by 67.158.7...
, Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:58:35
, Tue, 24 Aug 2010 12:11:13, Thu, 26 Aug 2010 12:55:12
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