2015 GMC Acadia

The 2015 GMC Acadia is available in five trims, namely; SLE, SLT, and the Denali. The Denali trim will be reviewed separately. The SLE and SLT trims offer two sub-trim levels, the SLE-1, SLE-2, SLT-1, and the SLT-2; which differ in the equipment as they are offered. All the trims are equipped with a 3.6L V6 engine with a standard FWD system and an option to be upgraded to an AWD system. The SLT-1 adds leather upholstery, Bose stereo to the list while the Denali gets various additional safety features like lane departure, collision warning and, heated and ventilated seats for the interiors list.

We Recommend

The base trim, SLE-1 priced at $33,975 comes equipped with standard features like a 6.5-inch touch screen, Bluetooth, a rearview camera, rear parking sensors, satellite radio; and is the one we recommend as it caters to the needs of most of the buyers at an affordable price.

The 2015 GMC Acadia is available with a standard 3.6L V6 engine offering a 281 horsepower output with 266 lb-ft torque. However, in the Denali trim the engine is tuned to produce 288 hp and 270 lb-ft torque. All the trims come standard in an FWD drivetrain configuration and can be upgraded to an AWD system. The engine comes mated to a 6-speed automatic gearbox that feels smooth and refined to an extent. It changes the gear quickly as you revv up but could feel a bit resistant to a downshift. 

Driving this SUV is an impressive experience thanks to the great handling dynamics and a responsive engine. The V6 engine offers impressive power delivery for everyday usage but feels underpowered on a highway ride with some large cargo. It covers the 0-60MPH run in 7.8 seconds and the quarter-mile run in 16.1 seconds. These are respectable numbers for a crossover SUV. When properly equipped, 2015 Acadia can tow up to 5200 lbs.

Although priced higher, Acadia gives a hard time to its rivals in terms of performance. It is at par with the Chevrolet Traverse with similar figures. The Toyota Highlander is the most powerful of the lot on paper and also on roads. It significantly beat its rivals by at least a second in the 0-60MPH run but soon ran out of steam on the quarter-mile.

Talking about fuel economy the 2015 GMC Acadia stands weak with economy figures at 17 MPG in the city, 24 MPG on the highway, and 19 MPG on combined usage on a front-wheel-drive setup. On the All-Wheel-Drive system, the figures take a dip by 1mpg. It comes equipped with a 22-gallon fuel tank that helps the SUV in reaching a range of 374 miles in the city and 528 miles on the highway.

When fuel efficiency is concerned the 2015 GMC Acadia isn’t the most preferred SUV in the segment. Among the rivals, the Toyota Highlander outshines the others with Honda Pilot lacking by 1 MPG on city roads. Impressive fuel efficiency coupled with a larger fuel tank, the Honda Pilot offers the best driving range among its rivals.

2015 Acadia offers comfortable and cushioned seating for 8 people. The cabin feels sturdy and well constructed with some premium materials. It shows the brand’s efforts in providing a mesmerizing cabin experience for its buyers. The dashboard is equipped with soft-touch plastics and padded surfaces. The NVH levels inside the cabin are also decent, offering a calm and noise-free ride to its buyers. The standard package for interior includes Cloth upholstery with heated, ventilated, and leather seats available as an upgrade. 

Moreover, you also get features like tri-zone automatic climate control, leather upholstery in the first and second rows, heated front seats, an 8-way power driver and passenger seat in the SLT trim. The top of the line Denali trim screams luxury all over. Cargo space offered in the Acadia is also decent at 24.1 cu-ft behind the third row. It can also be increased thanks to the split-folding third and second-row seats.

The in-cabin experience the 2015 Acadia offers is among the best in its class. Among its competitors, the Highlander offers the most spacious cabin for the front rows but falls behind in terms of space offered on the third row and cargo. The 2015 Honda Pilot offers decent interior space but a small cargo capacity and a not-so-good interior.

Standout interior features:

• Heated Leather Wrapped steering wheel
• Tri-zone automatic climate control
• Leather upholstery
• Heated front seats
• 8-way power driver and passenger seat

How intuitive is the 2015 GMC Acadia infotainment unit?

2015 Acadia comes equipped with a 6.5-inch touch screen display as standard and the system supports various features like satellite radio, OnStar telematics, Amazon Alexa, Bluetooth, etc. The system is pretty easy to figure out for someone new thanks to the intuitive UI. The infotainment also comes with a few knobs and buttons for someone not used to touch controls. It comes with the intellilink infotainment system which consists of large physical controls thus easy to use but doesn’t get Android Auto. For your music needs, you get a 10-speaker Bose sound system on the SLT trim.

Standout infotainment features:

• 6.5-inch touch screen display
• Apple Carplay
• OnStar telematics
• CD Player
• 10-speaker Bose sound system
• Bluetooth
• Satellite radio
• WiFi Hotspot

The 2015 GMC Acadia boasts a neat design capable of attracting attention on the roads. At the front, it gets a three-grille bar sporting a red GMC emblem at the center. The headlamps are distinctly angled which gives it a decent look from the front. For the side profile, round flares along with the 20-inch wheel design give out a bold appearance. 

However, at the back, the tail lamps give out more of a generic feel. You also have several wheel design options to choose from right from 18-inch alloys in the base trim to 20-inch wheel in the Denali. Denali gets other special upgrades like more body colors available and a mesh grille.

Talking about the exterior dimensions, theChevrolet Traverse is the longest car in the segment while the Acadia is the one with the most width and height. The curb weight of the Toyota is the lightest at 4244lbs with the Honda Pilot right behind it at 4295lbs. The Acadia and the Traverse being sisters offer similar wheelbase dimensions but Traverse falls short 0.2 inches than the Acadia in terms of ground clearance.

Few major exterior features include-

• Machined Aluminium 20-inch Wheels
• Heated Power-Retractable Mirrors
• LED Daytime Running Lamps
• Projector Beam Head
• Power Liftgate
• Projector Beam fog Lamps

The 2015 GMC Acadia has received impressive safety crash test scores in tests done by IIHS and NHTSA. It received an overall rating of five out of five stars while lacking in the frontal crash and rollover test. IIHS rated it “Good” in all test parameters except for the frontal crash prevention where it scored a low score. It comes with various standard safety features like a rearview camera and parking sensors. You also get rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision monitor, lane departure warning, and blind-spot monitor through optional packages.

Other salient safety features include:

• Blind Spot Monitor
• Electronic Stability Control
• Traction Control
• Lane Departure Warning
• Cross-Traffic Alert

The GMC Acadia offers its buyers an impressive driving experience with a pretty decent exterior and a comfortable interior. The crispy styling inside the SUV and the materials used inside the cabin give out a premium feel. Unlike previous-gen Acadia, 2015 MY now offers large cargo space and is a preferred choice of people looking for a crossover for occasionally carrying stuff. Although it doesn’t return decent fuel economy figures, the 2015 GMC Acadia is a decent everyday use car and among the best in its competition.