A crossover with outstanding qualities

When General Motors goes the extra mile, the results can be awesome (or awful, some might argue, but I think they're on the right track). Further proof of this was provided by the all-new 2007 GMC Acadia, a large crossover with outstanding qualities.

Granted, the Acadia is not alone, as it shares its platform and major components with a well-known duo: the Buick Enclave, which is more luxury-oriented, and the Saturn Outlook, whose aspirations are geared more toward families. But the thing that surprises is that, maybe for the first time ever, GMC goes away from commercial or truck-based vehicles to focus on an ultra sophisticated and versatile car-based crossover.

The Acadia shares its underpinnings with the Buick Enclave and Saturn Outlook.

Strong physical presence
What distinguishes the Acadia at first glance is the forward-thinking design. From the outside, the vehicle appears massive yet the understated lines make it look smaller than it really is. But the Acadia is one big crossover. In fact, it's longer, wider and higher than the Mazda CX-9, one of the top rivals. The wheelbase is also 15-cm longer than the Japanese.

Despite its size, the Acadia remains classy thanks to a refined design and the use of carefully drawn shapes. The headlights and front bumper are nicely integrated next to the grille; together, they confirm GMC's will to move slightly upscale.

Over 5,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing were necessary to find the best, most aerodynamic design, one that would reduce friction and drag as well as fuel consumption.

Still, there is one negative aspect: the size of the sideview mirrors, while great for safety, creates a constant hissing sound at highway speeds which tends to disturb the otherwise remarkably quiet interior.

The sideview mirrors should be redesigned.