Holden Acadia arrives
Holden’s SUV range has expanded, with the launch of the Acadia in October. Described as a “boldly styled and powerful SUV”, the Acadia is a true seven-seater and will sit above the Trax and Equinox in the Holden range as a replacement for the Captiva and a softer, more upmarket companion to the Trailblazer 4x4. It’ll be up against the Nissan Pathfinder, Mazda CX-9 and segment-leading Toyota Kluger.
Riding in the Holden Acadia offers a premium experience, with the luxury of space, combined with versatile interior configurations, the latest technology, a full suite of safety features and local tuning for our roads,” says Holden Chairman and Managing Director, David Buttner.
GM Style
In North America, the Acadia wears a GMC badge and has been part of the GMC range since 2007. The second-generation Acadia arrived for the 2017 model year, which is the unit we’re getting, that’s both smaller and lighter than the original.
FWD and AWD versions are offered in the US, with a new, more-advanced AWD system available as an option on the current model. Built at GM’s Spring Hill factory in Tennessee, RHD Acadia production is exclusive to Australia and New Zealand, with no other RHD markets taking the vehicle at this time.
Power and Performance
Australian-delivered Acadias will be offered in three specification levels – LT, LTZ and LTZ-V – but the drivetrain will be common to all, consisting of a 3.6-litre V6 petrol engine with stop/start and active fuel management technology. Listed outputs are 231kW and 367Nm.
The US market’s 2.5 petrol is unlikely to be offered here, as is any form of diesel engine. A nine-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed auto is used in the US) aims to further increase engine efficiency and fuel economy, with combined fuel consumption figures of 8.9lt/100km in FWD and 9.3lt/100km in AWD.
All-wheel drive is available on all variants, and while no specifics have been released on the AWD system, it’s believed to be the same general-duty unit offered in the US that’s suitable for mild off-road work and not the more advanced system that’s optional over there. The fact that Holden refer to the new Acadia as a “highway cruiser” indicate the bias is more toward ‘road’ than ‘off-road’ ability.
Local Focus
Local testing of the Acadia has delivered a steering and suspension set-up that’s said to be best-suited to Australian conditions. That testing included countless hours at Holden’s Lang Lang proving ground and a fleet of sixteen vehicles taking on all sorts of road and climatic conditions in order to find weak points in the Acadia and rectify them before local release.
Local tuning of the McPherson strut front and five-link rear suspension has delivered a vehicle with a plush ride and confident handling, says Holden.“Our engineering input to Acadia focussed on delivering the direct steering and composed ride that Australians look for when driving,” says Buttner.
“Acadia is a great vehicle to drive, thanks to its powerful engine, nine-speed transmission and dynamic steering and suspension performance.” Importantly for a seven-seater, the Acadia has impressive interior space, with genuine adult-sized seating in the third row and even more space for the second row. Luggage capacity varies from 292 litres with all seats occupied, to 1042lt with the third row folded and a whopping 2102lt with second- and third-row seats folded flat.
Safety Spec
Active safety equipment levels are good across the Acadia range, with the entry-level LT offering ABS, AEB with pedestrian and bicycle detection, Forward Collision Alert with head-up warning, Lane Keep Assist with Lane Departure Warning, Lateral Impact Avoidance, Side Blind Zone Alert with Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Safety Seat Alert, Following Distance Indicator, Traffic Sign recognition with Intelligent Speed Assist and Auto High Beam assist.
This spec remains unchanged in the mid-level LTZ, while the LTZ-V adds all-speed AEB and Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop and Go function. In terms of convenience features, there’s a rear view camera and Rear Park Assist on all grades, with the LTZ and LTZ-V adding Front Park Assist and Advanced Park Assist.
With a braked towing capacity of 2000kg, the Acadia makes lining up a caravan or trailer easier with Hitch Guidance and Hitch View that uses the central 8.0-inch touchscreen monitor to help line up the trailer and also check on it while driving. There’s also a selectable Tow Haul mode that recalibrates the transmission’s shift points for easier drivability and improved stability when towing.
Tech and Specs
Standard appointments across the Acadia range include Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility, fast-charge USB ports for all three seat rows, three-zone climate control, 6-speaker Bose sound system, sat nav and passive entry with push-button starting.
The LTZ grade adds wireless phone charging, a hands-free power tailgate and more comfort features, including leather-appointed seats, power adjustable heated front seats and an auto-dimming rear view mirror.
On the top LTZ-V grade, there’s memory function on the driver’s seat, ventilated front seats, a dual-panel sun roof, FlexRide active suspension adjustment, bi-function HID headlights, 8-speaker Bose sound system, an 8.0-inch TFT instrument display and 360-degree camera. Both LT and LTZ grades run 18-inch alloys with the LT-Z featuring 20-inch alloys.
Available Now
Ready to test drive now in Holden dealerships, the Acadia is being launched with drive away pricing deals across the range.
Acadia LT FWD $42,990
Acadia LT AWD $46,990
Acadia LTZ FWD $53,990
Acadia LTZ AWD $57,990
Acadia LTZ-V FWD $63,990
Acadia LTZ-V AWD $67,990
For further details, see your Holden dealer, or go to: holden.com.au
