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When I was in Detroit for the auto show in early January, good fortune sent a Porsche Cayman test-drive car my way. Why do I mention this in a review of crossover SUVs? Because while I was there, the GMC folks lent me an Acadia. So I let the Porsche sit for a day while I put GMC's first-ever crossover SUV through its paces. And I couldn't help but compare the yin of the Acadia with the yang of the Cayman.
RELATED LINKS | |||
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SLIDE SHOW: Rating the 2007 Crossovers | ||
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Kiplinger's 2007 Auto Buyer's Guide | ||
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Best Cars of 2007 | ||
Ditching the Cayman was almost a relief. Climbing in and out of the low-to-the-ground driver's seat requires contortions that could be hazardous to some boomers' health. Behind the wheel, when everyone is admiring your testosterone-intensive Guardsman Red vehicle, there's pressure to, ah, perform. On the other hand, my body slid effortlessly into the Acadia's driver's seat, the ride was smooth and quiet, and the driving was easy.
Crossovers are actually tall station wagons, with the birds-eye view Americans love. They're lower to the ground than body-on-frame SUVs for less wind resistance (which improves fuel economy), easier access and better rollover resistance. They're the hottest segment of new vehicles, with more than a dozen new or redesigned models for 2007 in every size and luxury level.
My colleague, Jessica Anderson, and I drove ten of the new crossovers and picked four favorites to review in detail. See our slide show for stats, photos and a brief review of all ten models.
GMC Acadia: Cooler than a minivan
The Acadia is as close to a minivan as any other SUV reviewed here, but it's more stylish and much less soccer-momish. It's the same length as a minivan, so there's room for a proper third-row seat. With 33 inches of third-row legroom and plenty of headroom, up to three adults can ride in reasonable comfort. The second-row seats slide forward to allow easy entry or additional third-row legroom.
All seats behind the front row fold flat, but even with the third-row seats up, there's 20 cubic feet of cargo space behind them. You can choose either two second-row captain's chairs (seating for a total of seven) or a second-row bench to seat eight).
My tester was an Acadia SLT with all-wheel drive, which starts at $35,960, including destination charge. The base, two-wheel-drive SLE starts at $29,990. (The Acadia shares a platform and powertrain with the Saturn Outlook and Buick Enclave.) A 3.6-liter V6 produces 275 horsepower but keeps fuel economy at a respectable 18 mpg city and 26 highway (for two-wheel-drive models). The six-speed transmission shifts smoothly through the gears, and independent front and rear suspension help make handling smooth and responsive.
Inside, the optional navigation system ($2,145) is one of the most intuitive I've ever used, and the steering wheel telescopes as well as tilts. Standard safety features include stability control (to prevent skids), front side airbags and head-protection airbags for all three rows. One year's subscription to OnStar is free.
