The 2011 GMC Acadia ranks 14 out of 23 Affordable Midsize SUVs. This ranking is based on our analysis of 69 published reviews and test drives of the GMC Acadia, and our analysis of reliability and safety data. The GMC Acadia is an ideal minivan alternative. Its base price may seem high, but in return you get seating for seven or eight, massive cargo capacity, and excellent fuel economy. For 2011, a new Denali trim takes the Acadia into luxury SUV territory – and unfortunately, luxury SUV pricing. On the surface, the Acadia may not seem like the best deal. It’s nearly $32,000 base price is one of the highest in its class and its fuel economy is only about average. But when you delve a little deeper, you’ll see that the Acadia is actually a great value. It can seat more people and carry more cargo than most of its competition. It can even match some large SUVs in these areas -- and they’ll cost you thousands of dollars more and return much worse fuel economy. In fact, for an eight-passenger SUV, the Acadia’s base fuel economy rating (17/24 mpg city/highway) is quite good. For 2011, GMC is extending its ultra-luxury, super-blingy Denali trim -- formerly reserved for its Yukon and Envoy -- to the Acadia. The GMC Acadia Denali will come with distinct exterior styling (think lots of chrome, even on the 20-inch wheels) and tons of interior niceties, including heated and cooled leather seats, mahogany wood trim and rearview camera. But all the bells and whistles are purely superficial -- the Denali trim will come with the same engine and mechanics as the other Acadia trims.
