Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Car Review Column

Apr. 19--GMC'S ACADIA HITS THE GROUND RUNNING: Just about everybody knows that Chevy is the best-selling vehicle line at General Motors. But almost as important to the company's bottom line is the GMC brand, which, up until this year, has sold almost nothing but trucks.

Meet Acadia, the company's all-new crossover. Crossovers are built on car platforms, combining the best of minivans, sport utility vehicles and passenger cars. And Acadia is one of the best ones on the market.

Thanks to a roomy third row seat, a wealth of valuable standard features, classy styling and solid construction, GMC is hitting the market running with this one.

Acadia's lineup, which includes all-wheel drive in all but one version, ranges in price from $29,255 to $37,370. The standard equipment includes OnStar; first, second and third row head curtain, side impact air bags; manual front and rear air conditioning controls; cargo storage under the rear floor; cruise control; full power equipment; traction and stability control; tilt and telescope steering wheel; and six-speed automatic transmission.

Niceties, such as remote start, rear parking assist, a universal home remote and heated leather seats, come standard with the SLT-2 trim package.

The interior is one of the nicest from GM. Big, easy-to-understand markings grace all the levers you need to move the seats back and forth, for instance. Leg room is plentiful in the front and second rows, and quite adequate in the third one.

Storage room is plentiful too, including a glove box, a bin above the instrument panel, and spaces in the center console, front row seatbacks and below the rear cargo floor.

The center armrest slides easily forward or back to adjust to your own comfort level. On the rear of the center console are the rear seat audio controls, which are easy to reach and aesthetically pleasing.

While the Acadia feels somewhat heavy, it does accelerate briskly, thanks to a 3.6 liter, 275 horsepower V-6 that is rated at 18 mpg in the city and 26 on the highway.

One of the few problems I found concerned the six-speed automatic. While it shifted well under most circumstances, there were times -- mainly at speeds under 45 mph or so -- when it felt as if the system were searching for the right gear. This was disconcerting when it happened.

Consumers in online forums loved what they called "super build quality," the styling and the power of the engine. But they weren't pleased with the transmission quirks and some felt gas mileage should be better.

Don Hammonds can be reached at dhammonds@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1538.

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