The 2016 GMC Acadia is available in six trim levels. The SL which starts at $30,975 and only comes with front-wheel drive only, the SLE-1 and 2 trims that starts at $34,175 and $36,755 respectively and can be configured with four-wheel drive with a premium of $2,000, the SLT 1 and 2 trim that starts at $41,020 and $42,295 respectively. At the top of the range sits the Denali trim which offers luxury SUV-like features and starts at $47,890 with front-wheel drive and $49,890 with four-wheel drive.

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The 2016 GMC Acadia SLT-1 trim would be the best option since it comes equipped with features like 19-inch wheels as standard, tri-zone climate control leather interior, an eight-way power-adjustable passenger seat along with a ten-speaker Bose surround-sound audio system among other features.

Under the hood of the 2016 GMC Acadia is a 3.6L V6 engine which is standard on all its trims. The engine churns out a respectable 281 horsepower along with 266 lb-ft of torque through a six-speed shiftable automatic transmission. In the top-end Denali trim, the motor is tuned to dish out 288 horsepower and 270 lb-ft of torque which provides a slight improvement in the overall performance levels. The powertrain doesn’t feel quite athletic and is best driven in a relaxed state. 

The Ford Explorer dishes out the maximum horsepower of 290hp among the rivals here and is the quickest to the 60mph mark taking 6.4 seconds. But both the GMC Acadia and the Chevrolet Traverse take the top position in terms of torque output and clock respectable timings of 6.7 and 7.2 seconds in similar feats. The Toyota Highlander takes the bottom place in terms of power and torque output but has comparable acceleration times to the rest of the rivals here.

The GMC Acadia has never been given a full mechanical refresh since its launch almost nine years ago and that shows in its fuel efficiency. For an SUV the mileage is acceptable and the EPA has rated the 2016 Acadia at 15/22/18 for city, highway, and combined. But with a sizable gas tank holding about 22 gallons of fuel, the SUV delivers a commendable overall driving range.

The Toyota Highlander is the most fuel-efficient vehicle averaging 21 MPG here owing to its lower power and torque figures and with a gas tank of 19.2 gallons, it delivers some impressive driving range figures. The Ford Explorer is slightly better than the GM duo in terms of fuel efficiency but has the smallest gas tank of 18.6 gallons, yet it covers the maximum range on the highway of 535 miles. 

The 2016 GMC Acadia can be configured to seat either seven or eight passengers depending upon the requirement of the buyer and the second-row seats can be had either as a bench seat for three passengers or a captain's chair configuration to seat only two passengers. The interior feels well-built and extremely comfortable with great isolation from road noise as well. The cabin has a straightforward design and is quite practical as well.

The Ford Explorer has the most spacious cabin here with oodles of headroom for both the front and rear passengers. The Toyota Highlander is quite spacious too but its third-row seats are as impractical as they can get. Some interior features are:

• Power Liftgate
• Front Reading and Rear Reading Lamps
• Adjustable Steering Wheel
• Leather Wrapped steering wheel with heating function 
• Remote Trunk Release
• Universal Garage Door Opener
• Intermittent Wipers
• Electrochromic rearview mirror

How intuitive is the 2016 GMC Acadia’s infotainment unit?

The 2016 GMC Acadia comes with a 6.5-inch infotainment display and features most of the infotainment and connectivity options. The user interface is responsive and user-friendly with a neat layout and crisp graphics. Some of the features include a 4G LTE built-in WiFi hotspot, a six-speaker sound system, a CD player, and a USB/iPod interface among other features. Some infotainment features are:

• 6.5-inch touchscreen display 
• Navigation and Telematics
• 10-Speaker Bose Sound System
• GMC IntelliLInk
• Wi-Fi Hotspot
• Bluetooth and USB Support

As compared to its corporate cousin - the Traverse, the 2016 GMC Acadia looks more rugged and muscular with its flared fenders and pronounced front grille which, in the Denali trim, is even more of a head-turner as it gets a chrome mesh grille instead of the normal one.

Overall, the Acadia looks rugged and sporty as it follows a more traditional SUV-like design language than some of its competitors like the Pilot or the Highlander. The Toyota Highlander takes the top spot in terms of ground clearance section which allows it to venture off the roads more easily than the rivals here. Some exterior features include:

• 18-inch alloy wheels
• Roof rails
• Rear privacy glass
• Fog Lights
• Heated and power-folding mirrors
• LED running lights
• Power liftgate

The 2016 GMC Acadia also bagged some impressive crash-test scores from both the NHTSA and the IIHS. In the government crash test, the SUV secured a perfect 5-star score while the IIHS gave an overall “Good” rating as well. Some of the standard features include traction and stability control, front-seat side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, a rearview camera, and rear parking sensors. The OnStar telematics is also standard and proves to be extremely handy in various situations. Some Safety Features are:

• StabiliTrak electronic stability control system
• OnStar telematics
• Rear Vision Camera
• Child security rear door locks
• LATCH System
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System

The 2016 GMC Acadia is long due for a refresh but still, it does not show any major weakness against its competitors. It offers great comfort, quiet and smooth ride quality along with rugged looks and a poised stance which its rivals like the Honda Pilot are shying away from. However, because of the outdated equipment like the infotainment system, the Acadia surely is falling behind.