2017 GMC Acadia To Start At $29,995*

Acadia Envoy

not too late to change the badges

I think it is good the price dropped $2k, the V6 probably costs more than the old V6 though.

Sounds like they did it right on this new version.

I would have expected a bigger price drop.

This GMC now is more in line with a base Kia Soerento, as they both don't come with 3 rows standard and have a four cylinder engine,

The GMC costs about 3 grand more base model to base model.

Given that such a model is just a formality, the real news should be that GMC has managed to shrink the vehicle and its engines, while maintaining the price point, if not moving it higher.

Not bad, though the Denali interior - because aside from the chrome treatment outside is not even comparable to a Buick level or Ford Platinum level interior...

I applaud any price drop. I love seeing a company pass the savings on to the customer. They already had people paying the $1,900+ per vehicle before so to drop the price and pass their savings on is awesome. 

I would have expected a bigger price drop.

 

This GMC now is more in line with a base Kia Soerento, as they both don't come with 3 rows standard and have a four cylinder engine,

 

The GMC costs about 3 grand more base model to base model.

 

Given that such a model is just a formality, the real news should be that GMC has managed to shrink the vehicle and its engines, while maintaining the price point, if not moving it higher.

 

Not bad, though the Denali interior - because aside from the chrome treatment outside is not even comparable to a Buick level or Ford Platinum level interior...

^^^^^^^^^ winner winner^^^^^^^ yup, that's GM, make it smaller and charge more.

 

I would have expected a bigger price drop.

 

This GMC now is more in line with a base Kia Soerento, as they both don't come with 3 rows standard and have a four cylinder engine,

 

The GMC costs about 3 grand more base model to base model.

 

Given that such a model is just a formality, the real news should be that GMC has managed to shrink the vehicle and its engines, while maintaining the price point, if not moving it higher.

 

Not bad, though the Denali interior - because aside from the chrome treatment outside is not even comparable to a Buick level or Ford Platinum level interior...

^^^^^^^^^ winner winner^^^^^^^ yup, that's GM, make it smaller and charge more.

 

Am I supposed to be pleased by your reaction or am I supposed to imagine your statement aloud in Eric Cartman's voice and laugh my a$$ off?

It will be interesting to see how this does, with the much smaller size. Nice new features, not a huge difference in economy, just the newer 3.6L and still a 6-speed, or it seems like much larger use oddly of the 2.5L in lower models...wonder how that will do.

Should attract new people who the previous was too big for, but for everyone else used to the current big ones, they may have to wait for the bigger Chevy and Buick iterations to come out later.

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

 

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

 

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

The Yukon starts $17,000 more than the Acadia and with the 2k price drop it will be 19k difference. That's pretty significant to most people, probably all buying the Acadia. So while it is only a step away it is an un-affordable jump for most. 

So size per dollar is why people are upset about it. Personally, I like it because I like the Edge and Grand Cherokee size vehicles. Larger, 2 row SUVs.  

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

 

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

 

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

when we got our Town and Country, the Acadia / Traverse was the next leading option.  Wife wanted an Acadia due to size.  She was cool towards the Explorer due its interior limitations.

People don't want Suburbans and Tahoes, and Yukons, that is an ENTIRELY DIFFERENT BUYING CROWD.  Plus the full framers are all priced out of budgets of mostly everyone these days.  Lambdas are parkable and ride like a car.

GMC buyers don't want Chevy's.  GMC is there (and profitable) because people don't want to be seen with a lowly Chevy badge.  (Chevy=Kia to a lot of folks on the status meter)

GMC buyers like GMC's and don't want Buicks.  (GMC is butch, Buick is femme)

Go to other forum boards, you see the opinion is mostly the same.  WTF was GMC thinking.  Especially now that people are turning in Acadia leases, i was reading the other day, one guy did an early pull in by several months just so he could get it in before the downsize.  It is fairly epxressed that at least GMC should continue to make the current Acadia ala 'Malibu Limited' until the SUPPOSED Acadia XL comes on board, it would give some way for GMC to retain its current customers.  GMC product planners should be fired for that.

Lambdas truly are perfect size vehicles.  Like the old full size Impala/Caprice/Bonnevilles/Eighty Eights/LeSabres of before, there is a significant enough meat of the market to offer them in each brand.

The new Acadia is like if you took the Colorado and Canyon and named them Sierra and Silverado.

You can almost always move a vehicle up in size.  The swords come out when you downsize them.

If the SUPPOSED Acadia XL does not have the same interior dimensions and capacities of the current one, then GMC really will have screwed the pooch.

Real truth is GMC downsized the Acadia to put a four cylinder in it, give you less, and charge you more.  They squeezed a whole 1 mpg more out of it when they gutted their product.  FAIL.

thanks for your beautiful profanity.  If you want, you can send me 19,000 bucks and I will use it when i upgrade to a Suburban.

Sorry but I just don't get the big deal being made here about a nameplate going smaller.

I also think this is smart of GM. I guess "Not bad" doesn't divulge as much enthusiasm.

Though at the auto show, I sized it up to the old one right there as well. I gotta say, it's a different proposition now. I'm guessing GMC is trying to become more "athletic" as a brand.

I think it'll ride the new wave of crossovers just like the old one. But the value proposition is no longer there. You can get a Kia Sorento that has done really well in most magazine reviews for a lot less. And people at the show were comparing those two like crazy.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/06/curbside-classic-gms-deadly-sin-1-1986-buick-riviera/

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/06/curbside-classic-gms-deadly-sin-1-1986-buick-riviera/

Note even an issue here as the CUV class is not the same thing as what happened in the 80's. Also the new regulations will drive all MFG to down size at some point.

I think what is missed here is that there will be a larger model between this one and the Yukon that is coming to fill the gap based on the Canyon.

As for size that matters little as it is all about packaging and useful space. GM has had an issue with that like in my Terrain where it has lots of wasted space but being built on an old platform I understand why.

Today they have new models that may be smaller in foot print but much larger in usable room.

As for the third row I am sure there are some that need it but for the most look around and generally I see them empty or with a kid that just wanted more space between the parents leaving the second row empty.

I know in our case as with most others the space would get used only a few times over the life of the vehicle in the family.

The increased sales of smaller SUV and CUV models are not flukes as this is where people want to be. They want cheaper to buy and operate as well as easier to drive but retain most of the utility.

They will do fine here and just keep in mind we have yet to know or see all their moves. GM is far from done with the SUV market moves.

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

 

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

 

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

The Yukon starts $17,000 more than the Acadia and with the 2k price drop it will be 19k difference. That's pretty significant to most people, probably all buying the Acadia. So while it is only a step away it is an un-affordable jump for most. 

 

So size per dollar is why people are upset about it. Personally, I like it because I like the Edge and Grand Cherokee size vehicles. Larger, 2 row SUVs.

Note another model can fill that price gap very easily with RWD/AWD!

This is why we should not panic and slashing our wrist and gnashing of teeth in fear of dooms day like some project.

And yes it will have a third row.

 

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/06/curbside-classic-gms-deadly-sin-1-1986-buick-riviera/

Note even an issue here as the CUV class is not the same thing as what happened in the 80's. Also the new regulations will drive all MFG to down size at some point.

I think what is missed here is that there will be a larger model between this one and the Yukon that is coming to fill the gap based on the Canyon.

As for size that matters little as it is all about packaging and useful space. GM has had an issue with that like in my Terrain where it has lots of wasted space but being built on an old platform I understand why.

Today they have new models that may be smaller in foot print but much larger in usable room.

As for the third row I am sure there are some that need it but for the most look around and generally I see them empty or with a kid that just wanted more space between the parents leaving the second row empty.

I know in our case as with most others the space would get used only a few times over the life of the vehicle in the family.

The increased sales of smaller SUV and CUV models are not flukes as this is where people want to be. They want cheaper to buy and operate as well as easier to drive but retain most of the utility.

They will do fine here and just keep in mind we have yet to know or see all their moves. GM is far from done with the SUV market moves.

 

it totally is the same thing.  Take a nameplate, downsize the heck out of it, people get pissed.

It's the exact same thing.  

I can't wait for the auto show here in a few weeks.  I'm going to hang by the GMC area and listen to the Muhricans ask the GMC folks 'why in the hell would you downsize it, it's exactly as we like it'

Not the same thing. The GM deal in the 80's was a knee jerk reaction to a fuel crises issue that never happened. On top of that the cars they came up with were strictly all badge engineered to the point of being a joke.

The fact was all their cars looked the same and really were poorly built. Two issue today that is not in play.

Factor in the changes are not done yet and we still have more models to come before we panic too much. It is what you don't know that rationalizes the changes that are made today.

The fact is everyone is going to have to down size. A smaller RWD SUV will be needed at a Yukon will not be able to do it all anymore. Ford will have a new Bronco that will be slotted over the Explorer that is now competing with the Acadia.

To be honest with the number of people defecting from the large SUV models to the smaller CUV models just on price alone may make this a good move. People are just tapped out and are now wanting to give up the SUV but they are unable to shell out the $55K-$65K it takes anymore. The cost of living is rising faster than wages and it is not going to change soon and if some people running win the oval office it will only get worse but that is a whole other argument.

Here is some things to consider.

The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds.

GMC says it will still swallow people, Not Eight but still seven-passengers. While you lose one person, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft.

So basically they repackaged the vehicle to where you lost one person but you gain more cargo room. What do most people do the most haul 8 people or cargo?

Like my Terrain has a lot of wasted space that does little. The sliding rear seat is neat but in truth once you set it you never move it forward or back and even all the way forward you are never crowded. I would trade it for better cargo use in the back and a fold flat seat.

Then as for badge engineering it is not being done here. This is the same platform as the XT5 and they are worlds different.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/02/comparing-the-exterior-proportions-of-the-2017-cadillac-xt5-to-the-2017-gmc-acadia-dimensional-brief/

The C1XX is very flexible and will do a lot and even more than we have seen so far. Also we will see a Bronco competitor as GM knows it is coming. It should slot right in over this and just under the Yukon.

Do before some of us get into a panic attack lets consider the reality here. To be honest this one may just sell better because it looks like a real truck and not an over sized minivan. While not hideous it was never the most stylish machine on the road. practical but not a real truck like vehicle like is so popular today.

Today it is more important to make it look like a truck than anything else in many cases. Just look at Fords Explorer and how well it is moving. It is not a truck but a Uni-body FWD based vehicle but that is what people like.

 

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

 

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

 

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

The Yukon starts $17,000 more than the Acadia and with the 2k price drop it will be 19k difference. That's pretty significant to most people, probably all buying the Acadia. So while it is only a step away it is an un-affordable jump for most. 

 

So size per dollar is why people are upset about it. Personally, I like it because I like the Edge and Grand Cherokee size vehicles. Larger, 2 row SUVs.  

 

I got cha... but if U read my post.. I did include the ENCLAVE in those "steps away.."

Here is some things to consider.

The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds.

GMC says it will still swallow people, Not Eight but still seven-passengers. While you lose one person, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft.

So basically they repackaged the vehicle to where you lost one person but you gain more cargo room. What do most people do the most haul 8 people or cargo?

Like my Terrain has a lot of wasted space that does little. The sliding rear seat is neat but in truth once you set it you never move it forward or back and even all the way forward you are never crowded. I would trade it for better cargo use in the back and a fold flat seat.

Then as for badge engineering it is not being done here. This is the same platform as the XT5 and they are worlds different.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/02/comparing-the-exterior-proportions-of-the-2017-cadillac-xt5-to-the-2017-gmc-acadia-dimensional-brief/

The C1XX is very flexible and will do a lot and even more than we have seen so far. Also we will see a Bronco competitor as GM knows it is coming. It should slot right in over this and just under the Yukon.

Do before some of us get into a panic attack lets consider the reality here. To be honest this one may just sell better because it looks like a real truck and not an over sized minivan. While not hideous it was never the most stylish machine on the road. practical but not a real truck like vehicle like is so popular today.

Today it is more important to make it look like a truck than anything else in many cases. Just look at Fords Explorer and how well it is moving. It is not a truck but a Uni-body FWD based vehicle but that is what people like.

Good points. I have heard ramblings of a Canyon/Color based SUV on the way.. and why not?? Its another no brainer considering GM can't possibly justify having a platform that good.. all by itself selling only two truck names. 

 

 

People who cry about this vehicle being smaller are fools.. most likely fools who again have no thoughts of buying in the first place. The Yukon sits not two steps away... if CUVs is your thing.. the Enclave is 2 more steps away. GMC went the intelligent route and shrunk this vehicle to the proper proportions it should have back in 2006.. again.. creating the Lambdas to take over for the possibility of the demise of BOF SUVs in the GM line-up. They CORRECTED the wrong, also I still say that the Traverse should have gotten this treatment as well since the Tahoe and Suburban exist.

 

Buick now has the medium Envision and large Enclave.

GMC now has the medium Acadia large Yukon, and larger XL.

Chevy now has the medium Traverse, large Tahoe, and larger Suburban

Cadillac now has the medium XT5, large Escalade, and larger ESV

 

What the f@#k is so hard about understanding that?

The Yukon starts $17,000 more than the Acadia and with the 2k price drop it will be 19k difference. That's pretty significant to most people, probably all buying the Acadia. So while it is only a step away it is an un-affordable jump for most. 

 

So size per dollar is why people are upset about it. Personally, I like it because I like the Edge and Grand Cherokee size vehicles. Larger, 2 row SUVs.  

 

 

 

 

I got cha... but if U read my post.. I did include the ENCLAVE in those "steps away.."

 

You're right. I guess I just assumed staying with the GMC family because GMC's and Buick's styling is very different. 

Hey kind of random, kind of not, my sister and her husband are buying a used '09 Yukon SLT. gimme the down low on it. Ups and downs to it? I don't really know much about it yet as that's about all they told me so I'm assuming the 5.3 and 4wd. Back then was their 4wd a form of an AWD system but 'stronger'? 

Stronger. More in line with business. 4WD-L and 4WD-H. AWD is all the time.. and for various reasons, including F/E, not as strong as 4WD. I had a Tahoe of the generation GM900s and loved it. Always started and always got the job done. Was nice to look at and still to this day looks good when I see them on the road. 

Stronger. More in line with business. 4WD-L and 4WD-H. AWD is all the time.. and for various reasons, including F/E, not as strong as 4WD. I had a Tahoe of the generation GM900s and loved it. Always started and always got the job done. Was nice to look at and still to this day looks good when I see them on the road. 

I thought it would have been 4WD but I read this, "The full-time 40/60-split all-wheel drive is basically unchanged (a rear-drive model comes later)". Granted that was a Denali review I was reading..but still.. 

Personally, I think the Tahoe of that generation looks better than the Yukon but if you want a little more luxury to your BOF SUV then get the GMC. 

Was yours a 5.3 as well? It looks like they offered a handful of engines back then. 

Here is some things to consider.

The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds.

GMC says it will still swallow people, Not Eight but still seven-passengers. While you lose one person, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft.

So basically they repackaged the vehicle to where you lost one person but you gain more cargo room. What do most people do the most haul 8 people or cargo?

Like my Terrain has a lot of wasted space that does little. The sliding rear seat is neat but in truth once you set it you never move it forward or back and even all the way forward you are never crowded. I would trade it for better cargo use in the back and a fold flat seat.

Then as for badge engineering it is not being done here. This is the same platform as the XT5 and they are worlds different.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/02/comparing-the-exterior-proportions-of-the-2017-cadillac-xt5-to-the-2017-gmc-acadia-dimensional-brief/

The C1XX is very flexible and will do a lot and even more than we have seen so far. Also we will see a Bronco competitor as GM knows it is coming. It should slot right in over this and just under the Yukon.

Do before some of us get into a panic attack lets consider the reality here. To be honest this one may just sell better because it looks like a real truck and not an over sized minivan. While not hideous it was never the most stylish machine on the road. practical but not a real truck like vehicle like is so popular today.

Today it is more important to make it look like a truck than anything else in many cases. Just look at Fords Explorer and how well it is moving. It is not a truck but a Uni-body FWD based vehicle but that is what people like.

 

 

Good points. I have heard ramblings of a Canyon/Color based SUV on the way.. and why not?? Its another no brainer considering GM can't possibly justify having a platform that good.. all by itself selling only two truck names.

You would do the GMC just for the Denali profits alone.

 

Stronger. More in line with business. 4WD-L and 4WD-H. AWD is all the time.. and for various reasons, including F/E, not as strong as 4WD. I had a Tahoe of the generation GM900s and loved it. Always started and always got the job done. Was nice to look at and still to this day looks good when I see them on the road. 

I thought it would have been 4WD but I read this, "The full-time 40/60-split all-wheel drive is basically unchanged (a rear-drive model comes later)". Granted that was a Denali review I was reading..but still.. 

 

Personally, I think the Tahoe of that generation looks better than the Yukon but if you want a little more luxury to your BOF SUV then get the GMC. 

 

Was yours a 5.3 as well? It looks like they offered a handful of engines back then. 

 

Yes.. mine was a 5.3L with plenty of power tho. I preferred the Tahoe of the GMT900s except if were talking about the Escalade.. which was my fav, especially in Platinum form.

 

 

Stronger. More in line with business. 4WD-L and 4WD-H. AWD is all the time.. and for various reasons, including F/E, not as strong as 4WD. I had a Tahoe of the generation GM900s and loved it. Always started and always got the job done. Was nice to look at and still to this day looks good when I see them on the road. 

I thought it would have been 4WD but I read this, "The full-time 40/60-split all-wheel drive is basically unchanged (a rear-drive model comes later)". Granted that was a Denali review I was reading..but still.. 

 

Personally, I think the Tahoe of that generation looks better than the Yukon but if you want a little more luxury to your BOF SUV then get the GMC. 

 

Was yours a 5.3 as well? It looks like they offered a handful of engines back then. 

 

 

 

Yes.. mine was a 5.3L with plenty of power tho. I preferred the Tahoe of the GMT900s except if were talking about the Escalade.. which was my fav, especially in Platinum form.

 

My 94 GMC Suburban SLE that I still own has the 5.3. Awesome engine that can be built up so easily. I also love my Escalade ESV Platinum. If you are going to spend the money, that is the way to go. Still have my 2006 as my wife and I love doing road trips in it.

 

 

 

Stronger. More in line with business. 4WD-L and 4WD-H. AWD is all the time.. and for various reasons, including F/E, not as strong as 4WD. I had a Tahoe of the generation GM900s and loved it. Always started and always got the job done. Was nice to look at and still to this day looks good when I see them on the road. 

I thought it would have been 4WD but I read this, "The full-time 40/60-split all-wheel drive is basically unchanged (a rear-drive model comes later)". Granted that was a Denali review I was reading..but still.. 

 

Personally, I think the Tahoe of that generation looks better than the Yukon but if you want a little more luxury to your BOF SUV then get the GMC. 

 

Was yours a 5.3 as well? It looks like they offered a handful of engines back then. 

 

 

 

Yes.. mine was a 5.3L with plenty of power tho. I preferred the Tahoe of the GMT900s except if were talking about the Escalade.. which was my fav, especially in Platinum form.

 

My 94 GMC Suburban SLE that I still own has the 5.3. Awesome engine that can be built up so easily. I also love my Escalade ESV Platinum. If you are going to spend the money, that is the way to go. Still have my 2006 as my wife and I love doing road trips in it.

 

Yes the 5.3L. An engine that my dad refers to as the "almost Chevy 327ci". He is old school.. and always go so far as to convert every engine Liter to Cubic Inches. 

Yup. mine right now sits at 402. In 2006 pulled the engine and built it out to be a 402. Thing pulls and moves the Suburban like grease lighting.

Downsizing isn't a bad thing.  In fact I think it is a good idea for some models, as most of these cars get bigger and bigger.  Size creep keeps making sedans like the Malibu, Camry, and Fusion bigger, then you don't need an Avalon, Taurus or Impala anymore.  And you have phased out your top end model.  Why not do it in reverse and phase out your lowest end nameplate?

In the Acadia's case, they made it the size of the Highlander and Pilot, that is an incredibly smart move.   The Envision is actually a small crossover, Nissan Rouge, Honda CRV or Lincoln MKC size.    I expect the Terrain and Equinox will drop to that size as well, which allows Chevy the room to add a new crossover.  So Chevy would have Trax, Equinox, new cuv, Traverse.  Buick would have just 2 CUVs, but Buick 3, so that gives them 5 int hat dealership.

You mean GMC would have 2, and Buick would be 3? 

Yeah. Downsizing is for realz. Like once this last bastion of boomers buys their last vehicles...

Man, will the auto companies miss the glory days.

Like my generation - all of them are leveraged. Okay not all, but not me either, thank god.

Well I was thinking maybe GMC would add a compact crossover below Terrain, maybe slightly bigger than a Trax, but something to compete with Jeep Renegade.  Crossovers are king right now, but you don't need 3 versions of a Trax.

I hate the Trax. It's like an automotive abomination. I love the Encore, but the Trax, well, maybe not the new one as much, but it reeked of 2013 Malibu. That's what it reeks of to me. 

It's just a transmogrification of so many legacy Chevy styling cues, all cheapened in order to extract larger margins on a jacked up Sonic. Alright, the Sonic is really nice.

But the Trax is really not. I'll steer every person to just buy the Buick every time. 

GMC needs something uber fuel-efficient. I think a Duramax diesel in a Jeep competitor, is in the cards.

Here is some things to consider.

The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds.

GMC says it will still swallow people, Not Eight but still seven-passengers. While you lose one person, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft.

So basically they repackaged the vehicle to where you lost one person but you gain more cargo room. What do most people do the most haul 8 people or cargo?

Like my Terrain has a lot of wasted space that does little. The sliding rear seat is neat but in truth once you set it you never move it forward or back and even all the way forward you are never crowded. I would trade it for better cargo use in the back and a fold flat seat.

Then as for badge engineering it is not being done here. This is the same platform as the XT5 and they are worlds different.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/02/comparing-the-exterior-proportions-of-the-2017-cadillac-xt5-to-the-2017-gmc-acadia-dimensional-brief/

The C1XX is very flexible and will do a lot and even more than we have seen so far. Also we will see a Bronco competitor as GM knows it is coming. It should slot right in over this and just under the Yukon.

Do before some of us get into a panic attack lets consider the reality here. To be honest this one may just sell better because it looks like a real truck and not an over sized minivan. While not hideous it was never the most stylish machine on the road. practical but not a real truck like vehicle like is so popular today.

Today it is more important to make it look like a truck than anything else in many cases. Just look at Fords Explorer and how well it is moving. It is not a truck but a Uni-body FWD based vehicle but that is what people like.

its been stated over and over, the 700 pounds is an entirely bogus comparison, as the new base engine is a gutless four banger.  And overall the mpg increases are a joke considering the 'weight loss' and the big downsizing.  We won't know the true weight loss until they get 2 equally optioned v6 models on the scale (old and new) to have a true apples to apples comparison.

the new narrow interior will only swallow 6 people.  Many people may order the current model with second row captains chairs already.  But some, like a commenter on the acadia forums said they like their acadia due to the fact they can get 3 car seats in the second row.  Now they can't.  Having three to sit comfortably in the second row means 5 passengers and being able to fold the third row to bust open cargo capability, and still have the third row available at other times.  The lambdas have been praised for having third row room for large adults, or for 3 people, which pretty much no other crossovers can do.  (which is why their sales are exceptional)

GM sold millions of FULL SIZE 'minivan looking' lambdas, especially during a disastrous recession (Acadia owners love the look of their vehicles)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Lambda_platform#Sales

The reason the Explorer became relevant again was the fact it became a crossover and it got significantly larger.  The Explorer was a dead freaking duck until they redefined what an Explorer was and responded to the size of the Lambdas, as the Lambdas set the market on fire.  The first two rows of the Explorer are quite nice in girth but the second row leg room is compromised and the third row overall is not as good as the lambdas.  The Explorer is actually a bit of a tweener in that regard, they did about all they could do to upsize a vehicle on the platform that was available to them.  Many of the Exploder customers are people who used to have Expeditions back in the day, and still want a large vehicle, but the price and gas mileage, and low production of the Expedition means those customers get the next largest Ford option.

The facts remain that GMC is vacating their place in a huge market segment, a profitable one, and really should of had a better plan in place to realign their products.  History will show it will have been better for them to have either named this new thing the Terrain, or Envoy.  They might receive similar backlash when downsizing the Terrain, I know a few Terrain owners and they love their Terrains.  You can always upsize a name plate because you give the customer more.  You can't downsize a nameplate so drastically because the customer has a deeply engrained notion of what the size and comfort level of the nameplate is. If you take away any of that, you've now given the customer less.

As far as the looks, the new one looks ok, but its not amazing, especially considering its just a watered over look of the GM SUV's from 10-12 years ago.  Who knew the beloved Isuzu ass ender was such a predictor of the style of the future

Honda, until they found their new 2016 Civic engines are self destructing, will have otherwise found out the magic in upsizing, not downsizing...they found it out before with the Accord.

Until you have driven or been in the new model you will not know the truth of anything.

Weight loss is a bigger move than performance and even if it were just 300 pound it would be noticeable.

Second the packaging inside may prove to be more efficient than you think. Again just how many of these daily do you see with someone in the third row that is not a single kid with the front seats empty or open. From what has been reported the seats fold up better the change is nice nets little loss due to better use of the space left.

Third it is expected a new RWD model will move into the slot this one had and you can have that extra empty seat to haul around that seldom get used.

Forth they sold well but today the models that look more like a truck are starting to sell even better. This is still a make it look like a truck and it will sell better market.

I think you really need to let GM finish their moves as I think you will find that they are vacating nothing once they are done. You only base your ideas on emotions of what you see and not the rest of the plan we most likely will see.

I will see this one this weekend in person to really get a better feel for it. Based on already owning a Terrain I can say they will still sell the hell out of this even with the 4 as that is the most popular engine on the present Nox and Terrain. But if that engine is a problem they can still order the V6 like I did so where is the issue?

I mean if you want to hate this one that is fine but I think in the end you claims and emotions will prove groundless once every thing is completed. You will find a market that will embrace this one as well or better than the last and you will find the slot it moved from filled with a new and more capable model in the near future.

The fact is the shapeless mini van model did well but I think this one re sized and replaced in the original slot with a model that could take on a Grand Cherokee with the precious 9/8th passenger. will do better. Also with the Bronco coming the old Mini van model would be as dated as the Checker Cab.

As for looks they are subjective. I think you will find the new model will sell just fine and be more than crazy profitable with the new Denali package added.

Never underestimate GM and SUV/CUV models as they have almost always sold well less the extended version of the one you describe that was a desperate model done at a time they could not afford to do anything else. The smaller model sold just fine and made a lot of money. The real issue was the MPG that sucked.

It is fine to hate if that is your choice but at least have a legitimate proven points before you try to use them. Let the public decide as they are the ones who pick winners and losers. Of later they have made GM winner with many things some people piss and moan about.

Who's to say that GMC won't put another crossover above the Acadia, and under Yukon.  I could see having 8 crossovers at a Buick-GMC dealership, is that is basically all that sells, cars sales are in the tank.

Who's to say that GMC won't put another crossover above the Acadia, and under Yukon.  I could see having 8 crossovers at a Buick-GMC dealership, is that is basically all that sells, cars sales are in the tank.

That is what I clearly posted. The odds are there will be a model between that may be RWD. There could even be a larger model on the same platform. The bottom line is we have yet to see all the new SUV models to come.

I saw an Acadia today and it should do well. It is more like a SUV vs, mini van looking. The seating is generous but more conventional. It should better compete head to head with other models out there.

Cargo area is the area that took the greatest hit but nothing that can not be worked around and not lacking to most others in class.

If they tried to sell this at the same price I could see issues but with the price cut this has opened the door to whole new group of buyers and I suspect the old buyers will have a new model soon to pick up where the Old Acadia left off.

I also saw the Buick Envision. While small on the outside it looks to have nearly the same usable room inside as my Terrain. It should do well in the same size with the Terrain and Nox.

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2009/06/curbside-classic-gms-deadly-sin-1-1986-buick-riviera/

Bull pucky!

The reason that Riviera failed was because it suddenly looked like an N-Body Buick Somerset/Skylark and was only marginally larger.   The new Acadia moves into a size class that sells at fantastic numbers yet GM has been absent from for some time.  And with the Traverse and Enclave still at their old size, GM keeps fingers in both pies.  The Terrain will be going smaller with the next time around, so now GMC will be better positioned.

 

Here is some things to consider.

The 2017 Acadia has lost 700 pounds compared to its predecessor thanks to high-strength steels allowing redesigned parts, and the fact that it overall, the vehicle is actually smaller. Length is reduced by 7.2 inches on a wheelbase diminished by 6.4 inches, it is 3.5 inches narrower and sits 3.9 inches lower. The 2016 Acadia was 4,656 pounds, the 2017 is 3,956 pounds.

GMC says it will still swallow people, Not Eight but still seven-passengers. While you lose one person, you gain convenience with a split-folding second row featuring tilt-and-slide for both sections. The third-row seats fold flat into the cargo floor, and if the second row is folded as well, cargo capacity improves over the 2016 Acadia, 79 cubic feet compared to 70 cu-ft.

So basically they repackaged the vehicle to where you lost one person but you gain more cargo room. What do most people do the most haul 8 people or cargo?

Like my Terrain has a lot of wasted space that does little. The sliding rear seat is neat but in truth once you set it you never move it forward or back and even all the way forward you are never crowded. I would trade it for better cargo use in the back and a fold flat seat.

Then as for badge engineering it is not being done here. This is the same platform as the XT5 and they are worlds different.

http://gmauthority.com/blog/2016/02/comparing-the-exterior-proportions-of-the-2017-cadillac-xt5-to-the-2017-gmc-acadia-dimensional-brief/

The C1XX is very flexible and will do a lot and even more than we have seen so far. Also we will see a Bronco competitor as GM knows it is coming. It should slot right in over this and just under the Yukon.

Do before some of us get into a panic attack lets consider the reality here. To be honest this one may just sell better because it looks like a real truck and not an over sized minivan. While not hideous it was never the most stylish machine on the road. practical but not a real truck like vehicle like is so popular today.

Today it is more important to make it look like a truck than anything else in many cases. Just look at Fords Explorer and how well it is moving. It is not a truck but a Uni-body FWD based vehicle but that is what people like.

 

its been stated over and over, the 700 pounds is an entirely bogus comparison, as the new base engine is a gutless four banger.  And overall the mpg increases are a joke considering the 'weight loss' and the big downsizing.  We won't know the true weight loss until they get 2 equally optioned v6 models on the scale (old and new) to have a true apples to apples comparison.

 

the new narrow interior will only swallow 6 people.  Many people may order the current model with second row captains chairs already.  But some, like a commenter on the acadia forums said they like their acadia due to the fact they can get 3 car seats in the second row.  Now they can't.  Having three to sit comfortably in the second row means 5 passengers and being able to fold the third row to bust open cargo capability, and still have the third row available at other times.  The lambdas have been praised for having third row room for large adults, or for 3 people, which pretty much no other crossovers can do.  (which is why their sales are exceptional)

 

GM sold millions of FULL SIZE 'minivan looking' lambdas, especially during a disastrous recession (Acadia owners love the look of their vehicles)

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GM_Lambda_platform#Sales

 

The reason the Explorer became relevant again was the fact it became a crossover and it got significantly larger.  The Explorer was a dead freaking duck until they redefined what an Explorer was and responded to the size of the Lambdas, as the Lambdas set the market on fire.  The first two rows of the Explorer are quite nice in girth but the second row leg room is compromised and the third row overall is not as good as the lambdas.  The Explorer is actually a bit of a tweener in that regard, they did about all they could do to upsize a vehicle on the platform that was available to them.  Many of the Exploder customers are people who used to have Expeditions back in the day, and still want a large vehicle, but the price and gas mileage, and low production of the Expedition means those customers get the next largest Ford option.

 

The facts remain that GMC is vacating their place in a huge market segment, a profitable one, and really should of had a better plan in place to realign their products.  History will show it will have been better for them to have either named this new thing the Terrain, or Envoy.  They might receive similar backlash when downsizing the Terrain, I know a few Terrain owners and they love their Terrains.  You can always upsize a name plate because you give the customer more.  You can't downsize a nameplate so drastically because the customer has a deeply engrained notion of what the size and comfort level of the nameplate is. If you take away any of that, you've now given the customer less.

 

As far as the looks, the new one looks ok, but its not amazing, especially considering its just a watered over look of the GM SUV's from 10-12 years ago.  Who knew the beloved Isuzu ass ender was such a predictor of the style of the future

 

 

Honda, until they found their new 2016 Civic engines are self destructing, will have otherwise found out the magic in upsizing, not downsizing...they found it out before with the Accord.

 

Weight was the biggest killer in the current Lambdas.... it very much overwhelmed the 3.6 V6 and you had to spin the snot out of them to keep them rolling. That really hurt fuel economy. 

The Pilot is terrible.  It's okay if you're a Dollars-per-Cubic foot buyer who doesn't want a minivan, but that's the extent of the positive things I can say about it. Interior material quality is well below par.

Having seen it today I believe the truck SUV look of the new model will do more to win sales than anything. The interior should be better and the seat folding looked like it was more efficient.

As for the weight loss it will help in MPG but the fact is a non turbo 3.6 is an RPM engine and it will take RPM to get to the power band as it does not start till 3000 RPM. Now with that said RPM in a multi valve engine can not be judge the same as a SBC. The air flow and the valve timing need the RPM and even at the higher speed they can be more efficient due to air flow.

The real problem is so many people went from say a Tahoe to the 3.6 and no one told them you have to rev these engines to get into the power band as they are not the same engine as the LS.

You have to treat these much different.

Also anymore with the DI I think you need to run them harder to keep the carbon build up down. I have noted the harder you drive these the less issue carbon appears to be. Not sure if that is true but the vehicles putted around town have issues more often than someone who revs it out often. The valve overlap is to push fuel into the intake just a fraction of a second and I wonder if that is what is going on.

Well, the Riviera should have maintained its larger size.  I was like 18 when those downsized versions came out.  I lived in diehard GM country.  I remember all the backlash like yesterday.  People avoided the downsized cars like the plague.

It's that kind of thinking GM from time to time gets into, trying to outsmart itself.

I was all jazzed up on the new Camaro until i touched one in the flesh recently.  You thought the old one was a bunker and small / cramped?  You can't even slip a piece of paper between the back of the front seat and the cushion for the rear seat.  How are you supposed to put something with legs back there?  The side windows almost literally ARE mailslots.....how the hell are you going to see out of this car?

But, the Camaro had to get smaller, ya know.  It's amazing, GM does sometimes put out well packaged vehicles that use their space well and provide room.  The new Malibu is one of those cars.  And then we have cars like the new Camaro, or the ATS, etc......when they try to downsize it and they go too far.  GM really screws the pooch a lot.

The thing is here, the Acadia and GMC have loyal followers, and to the nameplate and brand, and to the vehicle the size it is now.  At a minimum, keep the current Acadia in production ala Cruze Limited or Malibu Limited.  At LEAST give those with leases ending a chance to stay in the size they want and in the brand they want.  GMC drivers don't want to slum with Chevy's.  Buicks are different than GMC's.  They should have produced a 2017 Acadia Limited XL for those who want to have a large GMC.

And it would be another thing if this new Acadia was a looker, but its not.  The Terrain is better looking with its boxy, edgy lines, and the Grand Cherokee is way better looking.  The old trailblazer /envoy /ext's were always sorta dumpy looking.   This new Acadia has some of that tall narrow upright dumpiness.  Grand Cherokee is a sexy vehicle. 

Well, the Riviera should have maintained its larger size.  I was like 18 when those downsized versions came out.  I lived in diehard GM country.  I remember all the backlash like yesterday.  People avoided the downsized cars like the plague.

 

It's that kind of thinking GM from time to time gets into, trying to outsmart itself.

 

I was all jazzed up on the new Camaro until i touched one in the flesh recently.  You thought the old one was a bunker and small / cramped?  You can't even slip a piece of paper between the back of the front seat and the cushion for the rear seat.  How are you supposed to put something with legs back there?  The side windows almost literally ARE mailslots.....how the hell are you going to see out of this car?

 

But, the Camaro had to get smaller, ya know.  It's amazing, GM does sometimes put out well packaged vehicles that use their space well and provide room.  The new Malibu is one of those cars.  And then we have cars like the new Camaro, or the ATS, etc......when they try to downsize it and they go too far.  GM really screws the pooch a lot.

 

The thing is here, the Acadia and GMC have loyal followers, and to the nameplate and brand, and to the vehicle the size it is now.  At a minimum, keep the current Acadia in production ala Cruze Limited or Malibu Limited.  At LEAST give those with leases ending a chance to stay in the size they want and in the brand they want.  GMC drivers don't want to slum with Chevy's.  Buicks are different than GMC's.  They should have produced a 2017 Acadia Limited XL for those who want to have a large GMC.

 

And it would be another thing if this new Acadia was a looker, but its not.  The Terrain is better looking with its boxy, edgy lines, and the Grand Cherokee is way better looking.  The old trailblazer /envoy /ext's were always sorta dumpy looking.   This new Acadia has some of that tall narrow upright dumpiness.  Grand Cherokee is a sexy vehicle.

Well you need to be fair here on the Camaro. We made a point to get in nearly every coupe at the show and found one thing. If you had the seat far enough up to get in back the driver was uncomfortable. Note I am only 5/11-6 FT.

We got in the Dodge, the ATS, Mustang, and a host of Asian Coupes and and petty much all suffered rear seats that did not lend itself to being used. I have been in a back of a fifth gen with 6ft 4" buddy up front and neither of us had an issue. It was tight but not as bad as any coupe sampled today.

Now here is the real issue. Nearly all cars had head room issue. I had my head hitting the rood in nearly all. At least in most including the Camaro the padded head liner was there but in the Mustang it was hitting the glass.

This is why people do not buy coupes anymore as it is nearly the commitment you make when you buy a sports car 2 seater.

As for your down size bitch. Now you need to clarify that GM down sized at a time where all models went down in size and styling as simply badge engineering. This was a dark time for the GM design and there were reasons the cars came out homely. Yest it was the styling not the size that killed sales not to mention the quality issues.

Today they have moved two models down in size but also in price. And why pray tell did they do that because we will see more models fill in the gap they left so GM better matches up with the models they have in place of being the odd one out.

Also the new Buick envision while smaller looked to have as much or more usable interior room as my Terrain that is poorly packaged. This should really make the new Nox and Terrain a hit. If some one wants something larger the new Acadia and the coming larger model should resolve any needs imaginable. This is far from what happened in the 80's,

I think some people outsmart themselves thinking they know what is wrong but they fail to use all the evidence that is available to give a clearer picture of what happened and what is going on.

The real reality will smack home soon as all MFG will have to down size in all models to meet regulations or they will have to add more higher priced hybrid systems to meet coming regulations in many models. GM is in a good spot right now as they are leading on the lowering of weight as this will be the new war the MFG will fight. More power is not where it is at but less mass is the new game in town.

The lossing of 300-700 pounds we have seen is tough to do with out going all aluminum etc. They still have that card to play yet too so GM is doing well in this aspect.

As for the styling you may not like the new Acadia but it was drawing a large crowd with many positive remarks. Note too the XT5 also looks good and would never be mistaken for being on the same platform by the average customer.

The new Acadia is a modern look that to be honest has some traits of the Ford Explorer and Grand Cheerokee but with a much more rakes wind shield and flow to the nose. It really looked much more upscale. They had an old Acadia there and it made it look as old as it was.

The Terrain Denali was there and God they killed it. The added trim really does not work well and it just looked like a real mess in Denali trim. I offered I would not trade my SLT2 for one. I hope this is fixed with the new model. The present one left me with a taste of vomit in my mouth.

I expect the new Canyon based SUV when it arrives will challenge the Cherokee. The quality issues and the issues with the future of FCA are not going to help Jeep much till it gets sorted out. The quality issues are now coming to roost even more with front suspension and steering rack issued on models with only 50K miles. We will see more on this later. It is a shame as they may have a winner but Fiat cost cutting my damage them in long run.

FYI have you even seen a new Acadia let alone even sat in one? FYI the third row even sits an adult.

If you want to hate that is fine but at least come up with something a little more legit.

"The real reality will smack home soon as all MFG will have to down size in all models to meet regulations"

See, that's weak, this why the auto industry sucks.  Because the regulations should not be that oppressive.  So GM has to succumb to smaller and more expensive.  79 cu ft of cargo vs 11x whatever, and the 2016 FWD v6 ratings are 17/24.  GM announced 17/25 for the 2017 with v6 and fwd.  a lot of work for one highway mpg (apples to apples).  Looks fairly unimpressive by that count.  But it does beat its size mate, the suzuki XL7 so i guess that is progress.

​Of course GM has to succumb to the oppressive govt and that forces people into less and less, not by choice.  The price goes up because of all the extra work to squeeze out that half an mpg.

I have never ever achieved the highway rating on the current FWD lambdas.... And I'm the kinda guy that usually beats EPA highway, even in a Tahoe.

I'm guessing that I may actually hit the EPA in the new one. I'll point out that a RWD Grand Cherokee V6 8-Speed has the same rating as the new Acadia and I usually beat EPA in that too.

I have never ever achieved the highway rating on the current FWD lambdas.... And I'm the kinda guy that usually beats EPA highway, even in a Tahoe.

I'm guessing that I may actually hit the EPA in the new one. I'll point out that a RWD Grand Cherokee V6 8-Speed has the same rating as the new Acadia and I usually beat EPA in that too.

That is hard to do in most GM cars anymore.

I generally meet and more often beat the numbers.

The rise of regulations is not weakness. It is the way it goes with big government. Corporations like people really are getting less say about the rules and laws anymore as the lobbyist and special interest have take control of both sides of conservative and liberal politics.

While higher MPG is done in the name of a Green future much of the Green regulations are done with a lot of money being paid by people who are making a lot of money from it. While some of these folks may be doing it for a noble cause many are just in it for the money.

I may not always agree with them but they have a right to push their products too. I just do not agree that they should be hiding their profits behind their save the environment preaching. If you want to do it be honest and say you are making a buck from it or donate all the profits back into the cause.

 

That is hard to do in most GM cars anymore.

 

I usually do in anything that isn't a 3.6 V6 SUV.  I do really well in their Turbo-4s.  I haven't driven a 2.5 recently enough to remember.  The 3.6 in sedans gets me just EPA.

The Chryslers with a Pentastar I will beat EPA easily. 

I have never ever achieved the highway rating on the current FWD lambdas.... And I'm the kinda guy that usually beats EPA highway, even in a Tahoe.

I'm guessing that I may actually hit the EPA in the new one. I'll point out that a RWD Grand Cherokee V6 8-Speed has the same rating as the new Acadia and I usually beat EPA in that too.

THAT is a somewhat fair statement.

I turned away from getting a Traverse and got the van, partly due to that.  The Chrysler van does bang up mpg.  I had heard with traverses you get standard issue 15-17 in town, maybe 20 or so highway, although in rebuttal to that there, our Taurus X averaged 18-20 overall.  And I am incredibly skeptical that the real world mpg of the new one will be that much better.

That is hard to do in most GM cars anymore.

 

I usually do in anything that isn't a 3.6 V6 SUV.  I do really well in their Turbo-4s.  I haven't driven a 2.5 recently enough to remember.  The 3.6 in sedans gets me just EPA.

 

The Chryslers with a Pentastar I will beat EPA easily.

I have two HV V6 a 3.6 Bu and a 3.0 Terrain. The Terrain hits the GM EPA number or does one better. The BU even driven hard in winter gets 23 city and summer 25. Highway I can get 30-32.

The HHR 2.0 Turbo gets 25 and 32 even with the tune and driven hard. The EPA numbers were something like 18 and 24. I never came close to that.

My 3800SC cars all hit the numbers spot on.

GM has done a lot with their tuning with the cam, gearing and transmissions. How they ever got the 4 in the Nox and Terrain to run as well as it did is proof. It is way under powered for what the mass was but it still drove well.

One thing to keep in mind is the Lambda models are about as old as you can get at GM anymore and the mass is really a problem. GM just in the last 5 years has come a long way. The new BU, Camaro and new CT6 show just what they can do. For this kind of weight loss sit takes a lot of detailed engineering and GM has finally had the money to do this.

To be honest the 300 pound loss in the Malibu is on the scale of like adding 100 HP to the engine as it is that big of a deal. It will be interesting to see how long it takes the others like Ford to try to match that. They went Aluminum in the trucks and really just got caught up with Chevy.

  GM announced 17/25 for the 2017 with v6 and fwd.  a lot of work for one highway mpg (apples to apples).  Looks fairly unimpressive by that count.  But it does beat its size mate, the suzuki XL7 so i guess that is progress.

I would hope so, considering the XL7 has been out of production for over 6 years....