2024 GMC Acadia: Holden’s final new SUV will get main redesign

The GMC Acadia was the last SUV to come to Australia wearing Holden badges and was one of the last Holdens, period. Now it’s being replaced.

Set to go on sale in the US in early 2024, the already large crossover has swelled in size, measuring 269mm longer and 81mm taller.

That makes it closer in size to the first-generation Acadia that wasn’t sold here, and at 5179mm from stem to stern it’s longer than a Toyota LandCruiser 300 Series and just shy of a Jeep Grand Cherokee L.

Seven- and eight-seat configurations are available, and GMC promises nearly 80 per cent more cargo space behind the third row.

The Acadia continues to use the C1XX underpinnings of the similarly sized Buick Enclave and Chevrolet Traverse crossovers, and like the latter it has seen some downsizing under the bonnet.

The 3.6-litre petrol V6 is gone, replaced by a turbocharged 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine producing 244kW of power and 442Nm of torque – up 13kW and 75Nm – mated with an all-wheel drive system and an eight-speed automatic transmission.

This also replaces the outgoing model’s turbo 2.0-litre four, which produced 170kW and 350Nm. The outgoing Acadia was also offered with a naturally aspirated 2.5-litre four.

Maximum towing capacity is 2268kg.

The more off-road-oriented AT4 trim features a different Active Torque Control all-wheel drive system with twin-clutch rear differentials and hill descent control, along with a unique suspension tune with hydraulic rebound control.

It also has a wider track, a 25mm taller ride height, and 18-inch all-terrain tyres, and is additionally distinguished with its red tow hooks and integrated skid plates plus a Forest Storm interior with Mahogany stitching.

The Denali continues to sit atop the range, distinguished by its unique grille and 22-inch machined aluminium wheels.

Inside, there’s laser-etched wood trim, Galvano chrome accents, and perforated leather upholstery with heating and ventilation up front and heating for the second-row outboard seats.

The Denali also offers active noise cancellation technology.

All Acadia models have a portrait-oriented 15-inch touchscreen infotainment system with Google built-in, as well as an 11-inch digital instrument cluster.

The new Acadia is the latest GMC (and GM) product to gain Super Cruise, promising hands-free driving on more than 643,000km of roads in the U.S. and Canada.

Safety equipment on the Acadia includes autonomous emergency braking (forward and reverse) with pedestrian and cyclist detection and intersection assist, as well as blind-spot assist, rear cross-traffic assist, speed limit assist and adaptive cruise control.

360-degree cameras are also available, including a hitch-view camera.

The previous-generation Acadia was introduced in Australia in late 2018, but was discontinued with the shuttering of the Holden brand in 2020.

This rebadged GMC, along with the Equinox – a rebadged Chevrolet that arrived here in 2017 – indirectly replaced the long-running Captiva.

While the Holden brand is no more, GM has maintained a presence here with GM Specialty Vehicles, offering the factory right-hand drive Chevrolet Corvette and locally remanufactured Chevrolet Silverado and Silverado HD pickup trucks.

Recently, a trademark filing appeared on IP Australia for the GMC Yukon – a full-size SUV based on the Sierra, GMC’s counterpart to the Chevrolet Silverado. GMSV hasn’t confirmed a launch for this vehicle, however.