2020 GMC Acadia Gets a Rugged Look with AT4 Trim | MotorWeek Road Test

While the vast majority of SUVs never see anything more adventurous than a gravel driveway, part of their appeal is that you could venture a lot farther off pavement… if you wanted to. And of course looking the part is an even bigger piece of the package. Well, GMC has you covered, with a new Acadia where that rugged look shines.
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[@brianc5537]

Love the boxier look. This is the best one yet.

[@jaguarantony]

I Love you folks at Motorweek , You guys have been around for a long time

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

Interesting to see so many vehicles with 6 to 10 speed transmissions these days. But then, this 2 ton beast is getting 21mpg and 0-60 in 6+ seconds, so they're doing something right!

[@knytrydr73]

My 2015 Enclave averages 26 MPG

[@FrankOlsonTwins]

@@knytrydr73 yes, I'm amazed at how many SUVs and larger crossovers are getting up to 30mpg! 20-30 is pretty solid for a nice sized vehicle like this.

[@AmraphelofShinar]

"Let's make it rugged looking. Ok, we got some leftover black paint for the wheels. Sweet!"

[@rayk9897]

Having owned one for a month now, I can tell you the fwd version is a lot more fun and faster! Also, the LED headlights are the best I have ever seen. Both in width and length. My SLT has the Driver Alert 2 and Premium package with 7 pass seating and no sunroof. Solid, comfortable, and more than enough power. Sticker was 44055 but my lease is barely over 500 for 3 years. So I strongly suggest if you want one, don't let the price scare you away!

[@raymondnewbill5294]

So REAL question here, why buy an Acadia??? Its not for going offroad, a Subaru outback would do better off road. So its just for running around town and daily driving. Why not just buy a car??? Considering at this size, these cross overs don't really have any more room than a sedan. And at nearly FIFTY GRAND out the door, you can get some VERY nice cars. You mentioned fun to drive and it being quick, which it is decently quick. But for that money, you can get a 2020 BMW /M340i, which is a PROPERLY fast car that drives like a legit sports car!!! Not to mention the interior is YEARS ahead in luxury and quality. PLUS!!! In eco-pro mode, you can get a REAL 25+MPG in town and 34+ highway!!! Want the AWD for winter, X-drive is gonna be years ahead as well. And with good credit, you can finance through BMW. I had a 0.9% interest rate on my 17 /M235i. So i truly don't understand the crossover thing. Can you explain why you would pay THAT MUCH for something like this??? Not trying to argue or put you down. Just genuinely curious, cause the price did scare me once i saw it lol

[@rayk9897]

@@raymondnewbill5294 good question. For me it was room, height, better lights, cargo ability, etc. Mine is front wheel not four wheel as its not needed here. If you want a rompin 4x4, get a truck.

[@normt5463]

@@rayk9897 we have the 2017 Acadia Limited(bargain deal on the old style two years ago) it is very roomy but a bit wide and high up to get into. It is far from athletic around town. But with seats folded and luggage for weeks on end vacation our dogs beds can sit fit for them. We are looking to replace it with 2020 SLT with 2.0T in a little over a year.

[@rayk9897]

@@normt5463 the 4 cylinder is far from peppy. The v6 with the 9 speed is quite fast. I can upload a 0-60 when the roads dry up.

[@normt5463]

@@rayk9897 you don't have too but the 94 mph trap speed shown here says allot for one of the bigger 3-rows crossovers sold todsy.

[@redman3583]

I have one of these for work. It will not ever see anything more rugged than an open field or a gas well path, so it is rugged enough. I have other 4X4's for off road. I did, however, get the 1.5'' leveling kit for this. It makes it a lot less mom looking and a little more dad.

[@RyRyWags]

Not my favorite style, but an improvement on the earlier model Acadia.

[@andym1223]

GMC did a great job.

[@-Munditimum-]

Great video and test drive as always Motorweek! Do you guys have any plans to test Drive the Buick Regal GS in the near future?

[@wallybeegone]

I just don’t understand the AT4 appeal. I like GMC don’t get me wrong but it’s really just styling. 🤷🏼‍♂️

[@sarrum7696]

But that's just it, the AT4 badge isn't just styling. It's not an appearance package. The other AT4 vehicles are equipped with good off-road gear. So when they slap it on a vehicle and the nerf the spec sheet, people yell. As they should.

[@markjohnston3502]

@@sarrum7696 Former diehard GM customer here. I test drove one and I can tell you it does not have off road capabilities. My 4Runner does a better job of it. RAV-4 does a better job of it too. GM needs a full lineup makeover and bring back the Jimmy to compete with the 4Runner.

[@aayonce4]

Gm is nailing it with that V6 and 9 speed straight up boss combo!!!

[@chumbawaumbacumpa]

Design team for the Acadia: “Quick let’s make this trim level look rugged and capable!” *Tacks on shitty black plastic body cladding and black wheels while leaving the running gear untouched.* _Ah yes, perphormanse_

[@chaseman94]

2:11 - I'll bet GM will switch back to a traditional shifter once these start failing.

[@thewiseowl3672]

chaseman94 Lincoln has had this shifter for years and not gone back.

[@SIGINT007]

You realize that a lot of “traditional” shifters are fly-by-wire these days, right? This isn’t any different.

[@dragon81heart]

I sure hope so because these silly button and knob shifters look so incredibly cheap and tacky And the shifter was the perfect place to rest your right hand 🤚 (Was raised driving a manual so having a hand on the shifter is just natural to me) Thankfully some like Toyota and Mazda have stuck to traditional shifters They seem to know trends better than the domestic brands do, and definitely know quality a hell of a lot better

[@JDMHaze]

The Wise Owl GM quality control is definitely worse than Lincoln these days

[@andym1223]

@@JDMHaze GM is better than Ford in nearly every way

[@lenwoodcruze3594]

I still wouldn't mind owning a 1st gen Denali version of this... Navy Blue.

[@rowboyto156]

it reminds me of a durango

[@austinfrazier7325]

Rowboyto it really does look like one.

[@saadqureshi7127]

Looks better than pos Dodge tho.

[@andym1223]

Better than the Durango

[@andym1223]

@Todd Saeger I was in one the other day, the interior looks and feels like a rental car from 2008.

[@sarrum7696]

"Little to no compromise"? - You started off great, by listing all the off road equipment they didn't put on this. Pointing out how it isn't like the other AT4's. See this is why I've left this channel. - GMC made a stupid decision, and you give them a pass. They created the AT4 brand and got respect for the product they put out. Now they're slapping it on crap that has no business wearing that badge. CALL THEM OUT. - This has been a long time issue with Motorweek. The Motorweek teem seems incapable of calling out a manufacturer for a bad car, design, decision or anything. There are no bad reviews. Everything is great. And that just isn't true! It really gets annoying. More than that, it makes all your reviews meaningless. If every review is good, then none of them mean anything.

[@2steaksandwiches665]

Well said. I was thinking the same thing man.

[@steveespinola7652]

That removal of the shifter is not gonna work well I bet cause Chrysler tried that on the 200 and look what happened.

[@vassa1972]

beautiful SUV

[@markjohnston3502]

GMC needs a full lineup make over. Bring back the Jimmy

[@jjsal237]

GM never listens to their customers even they say they do but that's not *TRUE*

[@elijahjenkins1669]

I wish they did something else with the bottom corners of the grill

[@davidwethington9320]

Rather have a 4runner. Actually an off roader, more room, more dependable same price as the trd off road premium and only slightly less mileage.

[@andym1223]

This is basically the Traverse, so the 4runner is not more spacious.

[@davidwethington9320]

@@andym1223 42/72 cubic ft (Acadia) vs 47/89 for cargo. That's a huge difference. Acadia has slightly more 2nd row leg room.

[@Montblanc1986]

The older Acadia rusted out faster than a 80s Toyota

[@thomasnuckols]

I wish they didn't update the look 😔 Those headlight were perfect

[@matthewsamms9875]

This video looks like it was shot in 1995

[@marcoarreola9058]

Crap. Throw in the camaro v8 awd and call it the trailblazer ss.

[@dragon81heart]

Not a huge fan of GM quality/reliability as of late but this does “look” pretty nice from most angles This giant grille trend in the auto industry has got to go through It’s ruining the looks of sooooo many vehicles And really, another tacky looking way to eliminate the shifter? Don’t follow Ford, FCA, and Honda in that terrible trend When did a console shifter become a bad thing? I will always prefer a real shifter over silly looking knobs or buttons

[@clemnewton9995]

Make it rear wheel drive no front wheel crap like the new explorer rear wheel drive

[@andym1223]

The market is not interested in rear wheel drive.

[@twobighedz]

I was hoping it would look like the 2022 Jimmy they teased us with! This is a real let down!

[@knytrydr73]

I would expect a new GMC Jimmy to be a rebadged Chevy Blazer just like they used to be.

[@twobighedz]

@@knytrydr73 Nope! The one GMC showed was built on the small Canyon platform.

[@knytrydr73]

@@twobighedz - I did not know that. Interesting

[@MandusahRamirez]

So they have an Cadillac AT4 now it’s a package on GMCs. GM has identity crisis still🥴

[@DiaperSNiFFER]

They don’t have At4 only ATS in Cadillac

[@knytrydr73]

21 MPG combined? My 2015 Enclave averages 26MPG

[@overtaxed3628]

Who really cares in USA about mpg's !! Gasoline is so cheap social case car owners can afford to drive 8 liter V8 that does 7 mpg's !!!! On the other side of the world I'm driving Audi A3 1.9 TDI that averages 50 mpg and fuel is so expensive i need to spend a quarter of my monthly paycheck just to make 1000 km (600 miles) per month !!

[@Wolfgangersen]

STALKER your comment makes no sense, you could save more money if you have a better fuel-efficient car. Sure, gas is cheap right now but that doesn’t mean You should get a gas guzzler car/truck just because of that.

[@overtaxed3628]

@@Wolfgangersen 21 mpg vs 25 mpg means nothing, if you really care you should drive car with 1.9 TDI diesel engine and make 50 mpg. It's the most common diesel engine in VAG cars . So I think my comment is very valid, if you want to be economical 50 mpg is way to go and not 25 !!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you are green freak and dont like diesel buy yourself Toyota Prius and make 45 mpg's .But comparing 21 vs 25 mpg is just hideous.

[@knytrydr73]

@@overtaxed3628 - you're missing the point, my 5 year old SUV gets better gas mileage than its brand new equivalent. One would think the new one would do better. Hell, my 89 Firebird with a 350 V8 could average almost 30 mpg at an average speed of 75mph.

[@overtaxed3628]

@@knytrydr73Okay, but new cars engines need's to elaborate by some miles, 5000 or so. After first oil service mpg's are probably be the same.But the more important thing is who is driving the car and how , as we can see car test drivers drive like maniacs so that is probably the main reason for 5 mpg difference.

[@metetuncay5165]

It's 2020. Upgrade to 4K cameras

[@pontiacGXPfan]

Why does GM keep wasting its time with GMC? It's like the Jacksons and Tito

[@steveespinola7652]

It' their main flagship, they can't get rid of it.

[@pontiacGXPfan]

@@steveespinola7652 yes they can. All their products are just cheap ass rebadges, nothing you can't get with Chevy

[@ecymbura31]

AT4 just does not sound as cool as Z71

[@blaneblue1739]

Just get a Highlander and forget about problems

[@andym1223]

The new GMC is very reliable.

[@hotdogs5265]

As a technician, can't believe they are still selling this turd that is a unreliable POS. At least rebrand it with a new name to cover it. GM is really that stupid in addition to many other things.

[@gtanation9427]

*( I’ve been a loyal audience of MotoWeek since 1992. But, it’s disappointing to see such a respected voice in the automotive world, endorsing the garbage 3.6L GM engine. This engine is by far, the biggest pile of “Government Motors” (GM) garbage ever produced by this nearly bank-robbed automaker. It’s also absolutely beyond me, GM dropped the bullet proof 3.8L Series II, and replaced with this Yugo like quality, of new generation of V6s. Good day, everyone ✌️)*

[@TheOfficialKeon]

Foil on wheels, Terrible handling I can see this car fish tailing in an inch of snow

[@clemnewton9995]

Overpriced fwd junk

[@anibalbabilonia1867]

From the rear it looks like a ford explorer! Copy cat! Even from the sides!

[@byronhamilton6061]

Acadias have alot more room than the explorers inside.

[@andym1223]

GMC has had that design forever.

[@johnasbury7511]

I.e. a poser

[@AwesomeJoe007]

This is an ugly SUV. Not my taste.

[@williamegler8771]

Taste is subjective. What appeals to one may be hideous to others. It's not like consumers don't have plenty of choice.

[@chumbawaumbacumpa]

@William Egler actually, there’s been quite a decrease in choice for a family hauler that’s not a crossover. GM has been cutting some sedans from their lineups, Ford is due to have no sedans in their lineup soon, GM has axed the only American branded station wagon in the U.S. (although to be fair, it was a German car to begin with) from its lineup. The market is extremely oversaturated with crossovers right now. Most mainstream marques offer multiple crossovers in their lineups. If you’re looking for a new station wagon that isn’t from a premium European brand like Audi or Volvo, then you’re out of luck. Only some brands produce minivans and actual SUVs. Demand for crossovers has drawn some attention away from just about every type of vehicle except for pickup trucks.

[@magneto8002]

Junk.

[@andym1223]

Troll

[@Yoyo81828]

Junk

[@andym1223]

Troll