NAIAS 2016: 2017 GMC Acadia Saves on Fuel, Spends on Gym Membership

Revealed overnight before its in-person, on-stage performance at the 2016 North American International Auto Show, the 2017 GMC Acadia will gain a new, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with start/stop tech and lose nearly 700 pounds of heft.

The former Lambda-based crossover also sees a significant realignment in size thanks to a switch to the new Chi platform that underpins the new Cadillac XT5. The Acadia’s wheelbase shrinks by over 6 inches, length by 7 inches, and width by 3 inches.

The new four-cylinder engine spits out 190 horsepower and 194 lbs-ft of torque, while the larger 3.6-liter V-6 engine is pumped up to 310 horsepower and 271 lbs-ft of torque this time around, besting the same-sized mill in the current Acadia by 29 horsepower and only 1 lb-ft of torque. Six-speed automatic transmissions will send power to either the front or all four wheels. GM estimates fuel economy for front-wheel-drive models at 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway for the 2.5-liter engine and 17 mpg city, 25 mpg highway for the V-6.

Inside, the Acadia will seat five, six or seven passengers, depending on trim. Newly designed second row, split-folding seats offer better access to the third row, even when a child seat is in place. That third row splits 50/50 and can fold flat into the floor. Both seats can be folded down from the rear of the vehicle, making available 79 cubic feet of volume for cargo.

The top-trim Denali model will be joined by a new All Terrain trim for 2017, bringing the Acadia in line with other GMC models. A full bevy of active safety equipment will also be available, including, GM states, a “rear seat alert that can remind the driver when an item may have been left in the second- and third-row seats.” (In this case, “the driver” can be replaced with “absent-minded parent” and “item” can be swapped for “child.”)

As with all GM vehicles these days, OnStar is standard and 4G LTE and Wi-Fi hotspot is available on the 2017 Acadia. GMC’s redesigned and re-engineered crossover goes on sale this spring.