2021 GMC Acadia

The entry-level Acadia is the SL. It has 17-inch alloy wheels, comes with heated side door mirrors, and has keyless entry. The SLE is up next in the lineup with the same features but adds 18-inch alloy wheels. You can bump up a trim to the SLT, which has roof rails, a hands-free liftgate, and fog lights, or choose the off-road equipped AT4. This model adds aggressive 17-inch machined aluminum wheels with all-terrain blackwall tires and skid plates. The high-end Denali has power-folding and heated side exterior mirrors, 20-inch alloy wheels, and LED headlights.

The Acadia offers a choice of three engines. The base is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder with 194 horsepower. A 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder puts out 230 horsepower, and a more powerful 3.6-liter V-6 develops 310 horsepower and generates 271 pound-feet of torque. All three work with a nine-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is optional for any trim.

The 2021 Acadia gets better gas mileage than many other SUVs in the same market segment. It will get an impressive 21 mpg in the city and 27 mpg highway. Its suspension stays composed over most roads and helps minimize body lean around tight corners. When equipped, it can tow up to 4,000 pounds.

With all three rows of seats up, there's room for seven in the Acadia. Opting for the second-row captain's chairs reduces seating to six. The cargo area has 12.8 cubic feet of space, which can open up to 41.7 cubic feet with the third row down. Cabin features include a standard leather-wrapped steering wheel, tri-zone climate control, and cloth upholstery. The high-end Denali has heated and ventilated front seats, two-person memory settings for the driver's seat, and a heated and power-adjustable steering wheel.

Technology features in the latest Acadia include an 8-inch touch screen, a Wi-Fi hot spot, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and five USB ports. Satellite radio comes in the SLE, and the SLT upgrades to an eight-speaker Bose stereo system.

Every Acadia trim comes standard with advanced safety systems, including a blind-spot monitor and rear cross-traffic alert, a rearview camera, a rear-seat reminder, and rear parking sensors. GMC's Teen Driver system is also standard, allowing the primary driver to set specific limits for secondary or teen drivers. Stepping up to the SLT adds forward collision warning with mitigation, lane-keep assist, and automatic high beam headlights.

The Denali has the most safety equipment and offers more options. The optional Technology Package for the Denali has a surround-view camera, adaptive cruise control, an enhanced automatic braking system for the forward collision mitigation system, and a digital rearview camera.