The 2012 GMC Acadia comes in 5 trim levels, SL, SLE, SLT-1, SLT-2, and the top rim Denali. The base trim SUV features basic features like air conditioning, a bare-bones music system, privacy glass, etc. The optional preferred package includes remote ignition, leather-wrapped steering, and Bluetooth. The SLE trim gets parking sensors, a power liftgate, and power-adjustable driver & passenger seats.

The SLT-1 trim enhances Acadia’s personality with 20-inch wheels and on the inside, you get 3 zone climate control & leather upholstery. from here on the Acadia keeps getting better interior creature comforts like ventilated seats, power-adjustable passenger seats, and a sunroof.

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The base trim is as always stripped off of features so let's not talk about that. The SLE trim almost has all the features we need daily like power-adjustable seats, power liftgate but it still lacks some. Thus, the SLT-1 trim gets the pick from our side as it has heated mirrors, a much better music system, leather upholstery, and the most important feature- a 3-zone automatic climate control. These are the features we need daily and not those chrome-plated grilles or 20-inch wheels. 

The 2012 GMC Acadia comes with a 3.6L, V-6 engine which produces 288 hp & 270 lb-ft of torque. It is mated to a 6-speed auto transmission with an FWD setup as standard. You can get AWD as well for just $2000 extra. The crossover SUVs are supposed to let us have all the practicality and space of a big SUV but drive much better than them. The Acadia has perfectly balanced handling, especially after considering its weight.

You will feel the heft of this SUV while driving but it is very well contained compared to its body on frame brothers. The engine provides ample thrust in all scenarios and returns a decent fuel economy as well. It sprints from 0-60mph in 7.7 seconds and breaches the quarter-mile mark in 15.6 seconds.

There couldn’t be a more balanced comparison than this one. All of the SUVs have very similar engines and so is the 0-60 MPH timing. The numbers are nearly identical but that’s obvious considering the weights and overall sizes of the vehicles. Aerodynamics also plays a key role as the curvy Mazda CX-9 seems to cut through the air more effectively than the rest. 

The Acadia with FWD returns a decent fuel economy of 17/24/19, City/Highway/Combined. The AWD drive system returns slightly decreased efficiency of 16/23/19 City/Highway/Combined. Considering the overall heft the Acadia is doing a fine job at staying economical, that V-6 engine deserves a pat on the back as well. The Acadia also offers a decent range at over 400 miles combined on a full tank of gas at 22 gallons.

All but the 2012 Ford Explorer have exactly similar mileage figures. Even the fuel tank capacity doesn’t have much of a difference. The Explorer still has better fuel economy than all of the rivals of 20 MPG and as expected it lacks the fuel tank capacity. Both the Chevrolet and Mazda have larger fuel tanks, and while the former shares its underpinnings with the Acadia, it also manages a range of more than 400 miles.

The 2012 GMC Acadia has a nice dual-tone interior, most of which is black with silver trims on the center console. The dashboard is very uncluttered and feels clean as all the switches and A/C vents are situated on the center console itself. The quality of the materials used is better than most of its rivals. Only the base trim Acadia comes with an 8-passenger seating arrangement and the rest of the trims have captains’ chairs on the second row which makes them a 7-seater.

The front seats are comfortable but lack any bolstering, GMC has made the seats extra thick to compensate for the lack of lateral support. The second-row bench-type seats can properly seat 3 passengers with comfort. Thanks to the aggressive angle of the seats, under-thigh support is very good on the second row. The third-row seating has always been reserved for kids but on the Acadia, you just might be able to fit adults back in there.

The cargo capacity of the GMC and Chevrolet is great, the best in its segment. With all the seats up, you have plenty of space to keep your stuff, 24 cubic feet to be specific. With both the rows folded flat there’s a whopping 116.9 cubic feet of space for cargo. Both the Mazda CX-9 and Ford Explorer can seat seven passengers and have lower cargo space.

 Let's see some of the standout interior features of the 2012 GMC Acadia:

• 8-way perforated power driver seat
• Illuminated Denali logo on the door sill
• Dual-pane sunroof (Optional)
• Sunshades 
• Memory function for the driver (Optional)
• Head-up display (Optional) 
• 3-zone auto climate control (Optional) 
• Second-row audio controls 
• Smart one lever second-row sliding seats

How intuitive is the 2012 GMC Acadia’s infotainment unit?

The Acadia comes with a basic music system with a 6-speaker set up on the base trim. The higher trims get a 10-speaker Bose sound system with a touchscreen LCD. The navigation system is DVD-based, unlike the hard-disk-based ones we used to see. Thankfully the touchscreen has an antiglare coating on it so harsh sunny days won’t be an issue. Even though we have been blessed with a touch interface we still have knobs and switches to quickly access the favorite radio stations or menus.

• LCD touch screen
• Bose sound system
• Navigation
• AM/FM
• CD player
• Bluetooth 
• HomeLink 

The Acadia has a conservative overall styling and nothing on this SUV seems overdone. Even the top-trim Denali only has a chrome-plated grille and wheels to make it stand out but the rest of the design stays the same. At the front, we have the dual projector-beam headlight setup and fog lamps below them. The front bumper is made of black plastic for protection purposes on the base trim, the Denali gets body-colored bumpers and side skirts. The slight muscular design on the fenders does help the Acadia to have a wider stance overall.

At the rear things are very simple with just a simple tail light setup and dual-tip exhaust ports. Overall the exterior of the 2012 GMC Acadia has been kept as simple as possible and this is a prime example of less is more.

The Ford Explorer is the smallest SUV in terms of length in the group but it has more overall height than others. The Chevrolet Traverse is the longest and that results in more interior space. The 8.0-inch ground clearance on the Mazda isn’t significantly greater than the rest but it is still better and that means greater abilities on rougher terrains. 

• Projector-beam headlights
• Chrome grille
• 20-inch wheels
• Roof rails
• Mirror integrated turn signals 

All of that weight means more sheet metal and that results in better strength and the Acadia has proven that in crash tests. It has got 5 stars in overall safety along with 5 stars in side crash tests. The Rollover rating is very good as well with 4-stars. The IIHS has bestowed Acadia with the 'Top Safety Pick' accolade for a splendid performance in all the crash tests they conducted. Let’s see below what kind of safety features the Acadia comes with.

• OnStar telematics
• Parking sensors 
• Blind-spot monitors
• Rearview camera 
• Anti-theft alarm system 
• Hill hold assist 

The Acadia is a great SUV with tons of space on the inside for up to 8 people. SUVs were supposed to be lethargic but the Acadia has broken the curse and the car-like handling it offers might make you change your mind. The V-6 engine offers more than enough power for daily drives despite its weight and still returns great gas mileage. The comfort features like climate control, power-adjustable seats with ventilation, and a premium Bose sound system make it a near-luxury SUV at a lesser price. Moreover, the third-row accessibility of this SUV is one of the best we have seen. Compiling all this in one package makes the GMC Acadia a top choice for families.