Denali’s standard comfort and safety features continue to inspire drivers on the inside, too, with interior features such as perforated leather seating and a leather-wrapped steering wheel with mahogany inserts. Denali-specific aluminum trim and accent lighting in the footwells and sill plates add to the interior ambience, while heated and cooled seats provide an extra level of relaxation. Technology continues to play a role in the Denali with the Color Touch navigation system, which allows drivers to use a wide range of functions from a touch screen infotainment center, including music, maps, Bluetooth, weather and more.
When it comes to safety, the Acadia Denali is up to the task with the side blind zone alert and rear cross traffic alert, a radar system that helps detect things drivers might not see in a blind zone. Also standard on Denali models – and all Acadia models – is hill-hold assist braking technology, which applies the brakes for 1.5 seconds when the driver’s foot leaves the brake pedal on inclines of 5 percent or steeper. To avoid unintended acceleration, an enhanced electronic pedal override reduces power to the engine when the brake and accelerator pedals are depressed at the same time.
Acadia Denali also features an exclusive interior acoustic package that makes it the quietest model in the Acadia lineup.
Exterior highlights and features
With a sleek and sculpted exterior design, the Acadia emits a look of refinement. From the three-bar grille and the standard diffused LED running lamps in the front to the rear spoiler, its beauty is in the details.
Offered with 18-, 19- and 20-inch wheel designs that complement the exterior’s lines and stance, Acadia is stylish and functional. Vehicle entry and exit is an easy maneuver with a body-frame integral structure that enables lower entry/exit height for passengers. The front door step-in height is only 18.9 inches (480 mm), and the rear door step-in height is 19.8 inches (503 mm). Entry to the second- and third-row seats is easy thanks to very wide rear doors and GM’s exclusive Smart Slide second-row seat feature.
The Acadia’s design is sleek and highlighted by chrome accents and large wheels, including 20-inch wheels on Denali models. Halogen projector-beam headlamps are standard on SLE and SLT models, while Acadia Denali comes with standard high-intensity discharge headlamps (available on SLT-2).
Additional standard and available exterior features include:
Power liftgate is standard on SLE-2, SLT-1, SLT-2 and Denali models
Chrome door handles are standard on all models
Outside heated power-adjustable, power-folding mirrors with driver-side auto-dimming, body-color with integrated turn signal indicators are standard on SLT-2 and Denali
Exterior colors include Crimson Red Tintcoat, Dark Sapphire Blue Metallic, Midnight Amethyst Metallic, Quicksilver Metallic, Summit White, Carbon Black Metallic, White Diamond Tricoat, Champagne Silver Metallic and Iridium Metallic.
Interior highlights and features
Acadia’s refined interior uses upgraded soft-touch materials, with French stitching that adds a tailored look and red ambient light flowing across the dashboard. SLT and Denali models have aluminum accents on the center console, doors and dash.
A feeling of openness is abundant in the Acadia’s interior, with a car-like “low and away” instrument panel that exudes roominess and control. The instrument panel and other interior elements feature high-quality, low-gloss materials and tight gap tolerances.
All Acadia models offer three rows of seating that can be configured for seven or eight passengers, regardless of trim level. The seating configurations include two front bucket seats, a 60/40-split second-row bench (three passengers) or two second-row captain’s chairs (two passengers) and a 60/40-split third-row bench seat.
GM’s exclusive Smart Slide feature is standard, allowing quick and easy access to the third-row seating area. The second-row seat cushion flips up while the seatback slides forward, effectively compressing the space occupied by the seat with the pull of a lever. The Smart Slide system also allows the second row to be positioned fore/aft. When adjusted rearward, the second-row seat provides more legroom for taller passengers. When adjusted forward, it provides more storage space or additional legroom for third-row passengers.
Storage space of 24.1 cu. ft. (682 liters) is available behind the third-row seat (with the cargo management system removed). Maximum available storage capability behind the first row of seats is 116.1 cu. ft. (3,288 L).
Additional interior features include:
New heated, leather-wrapped steering wheel that’s standard on SLT-2 and Denali models. On the SLT-2 it is a full-leather wheel and on Denali, deluxe wood is featured in addition to leather
Two charging-only USB ports on the back of the center console for second-row use are standard on all models
Tri-zone automatic climate control, standard on Denali and SLT-1 and SLT-2 trims and available on SLE-2 (with the rear entertainment system)
Head-up display is standard on Denali and available on SLT-2
Remote keyless entry is standard on all models
Remote vehicle start is standard on Denali, SLT-1, SLT-2 and SLE-2 models
Center console with sliding armrest and storage is standard on all models
Eight-way power-adjustable front passenger seat is standard on Denali, SLT-1 and SLT-2
Cloth seating trim is standard on SLE models
Leather-appointed seating with heated front seats is standard on SLT-1 and SLT-2 models
Perforated leather-trimmed first- and second-row seats with heated and cooled front seats are standard on Denali and available on SLT-2 models
Leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls is standard on SLE-1, SLE-2 SLT-1, SLT-2, and the Denali adds wood accents
Dual SkyScape two-panel sunroof is standard on Denali and available on SLE-2, SLT-1 and SLT-2 models.
The interior color/trim combinations include Ebony, Dark Cashmere, Cocoa Dune and Light Titanium.
Color Touch infotainment
GMC’s Color Touch Radio with touch-screen control is standard in the Acadia, with available Color Touch navigation (standard on Acadia Denali). Available IntelliLink allows customers to seamlessly integrate online services such as Pandora ® internet radio and Stitcher SmartRadio ® using hands-free voice and touch-screen controls via Bluetooth-enabled phones.
IntelliLink adds stereo audio streaming and wireless control of smartphones, building on the voice-activated Bluetooth hands-free calling capability, while retaining all the capabilities of today’s entertainment functions, including AM/FM/SiriusXM tuners, CD player with MP3 playback, auxiliary and USB inputs.
New for 2015, the USB port is relocated to the lower area of the center stack on the instrument panel. It enables passengers to more easily plug in their own media to play through the radio.
Other technology features include text message support, which alerts the driver to new messages for review and response (functionality depends on the smartphone), and XM Tune Select, which enables the user to create alerts for favorite songs or artists (available only with Navigation models).
Additional audio system features include a photo viewer and a standard rear-vision camera with dynamic guide lines that will display on the high-definition screen.
Powertrain details
The Acadia features a 3.6L engine with direct injection technology that helps produce power similar to many V-8 engines with the use of regular unleaded gasoline. In the Acadia Denali, it is rated at 288 horsepower (215 kW) and 270 lb-ft of torque (366 Nm), with ninety percent of the engine’s peak torque is available from approximately 2,500 rpm to more than 6,000 rpm.
In SLE and SLT models, the engine is rated at 281 horsepower (210 kW) and 266 lb-ft of torque (361 Nm). In all models, it is mated to the Hydra-Matic 6T75 six-speed automatic transmission, an advanced transmission with clutch-to-clutch shift operation for front- and all-wheel-drive vehicles. It also offers automatic grade braking, shift stabilization and precise shift control, as well as hill start assist.
The available intelligent all-wheel-drive (AWD) system provides increased traction on slippery roads by actively managing the torque distribution between the front and rear axles, based on factors such as wheel speed, throttle and surface conditions. There is no driver intervention: The system automatically decides how much torque to apply and delivers it to the wheels that have the best traction.