A crossover SUV must do many things to please demanding drivers, and being safe is one of the most important. Errant drivers, on-road distractions, potholes, wildlife, and other unexpected obstacles are always lurking, and you need to know if your vehicle is prepared for such situations. Protecting yourself, your family, and your cargo should always be a priority when choosing a crossover.
This brings us to the 2025 GMC Acadia, which is quietly positioning itself as one of the safest options on the market. The Acadia recently returned to its original status as a full-size crossover, and it went bigger on safety, too, receiving some of the industry’s highest marks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) gave the GMC Acadia a rare five-star overall safety rating, and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) issued a prestigious Top Safety Pick Award.
How does a 2025 GMC Acadia for sale deliver safety performance that matches its new, larger size? Let’s look at the safety features that make the 2025 GMC Acadia a secure vehicle. From passive safety systems that react and provide alerts to active safety features that take control when necessary, there are many ways the Acadia looks out for occupants.
Seatbelts
Along with a vehicle’s crumple and crush zones, seatbelts are the most important safety feature when an impact occurs. Needless to say, you should always buckle up, and not just because it’s the law in most places. Every belt has a pretensioner, which crash sensors activate to tighten up against the occupants so they don’t flop around. The front row seatbelts also have a load limiter to manage the force inflicted on the driver and passenger, and the belts are height-adjustable for a better fit.
In addition, Buckle to Drive is standard on every GMC Acadia. This physically prevents the driver from shifting out of park if their seatbelt is not fastened, and it reminds the front passenger to buckle up, too. Finally, second- and third-row seatbelt indicators tell you if others are ignoring this critical step.
Airbags
Studies have consistently shown that good airbags significantly reduce crash injury risks, especially when used in tandem with seatbelts. Along with federally required driver and passenger frontal airbags, the 2025 Acadia has first- and second-row side airbags, and all outboard seats (i.e., the seats nearest the doors) are equipped with head-curtain airbags in case of rollovers. This adds up to 10 airbags total, which is among the best in the industry. The front passenger airbag has a separate sensing system to turn it off and on based on whether the seat is occupied.
Mechanical Safety Features
A driver is less likely to lose control of a vehicle when it’s built to be stable. To that end, the 2025 GMC Acadia has StabiliTrak, GM’s advanced electronic stability control system. It activates whenever sensors determine the vehicle is drifting off the intended path. The Acadia also has built-in traction control to reduce wheel slippage on roads covered in dirt, rain, or ice.
AWD is available on all GMC Acadia trims, redistributing power to all four wheels as needed for further traction enhancement. On the Acadia AT4, the AWD system has active torque control, sending torque to whichever rear wheel has more traction when it detects a difference. This is especially useful for slippery terrain situations like mud and snow. When you need to stop, four-wheel antilock disc brakes let you slam the pedal if necessary with minimal risk of lockup. A brake wear indicator lets you know when the pads must be replaced.
Lighting
According to the National Safety Council, low visibility is the main cause of crashes at night. To address this, the 2025 GMC Acadia has LED headlamps, which are proven to offer better, longer-lasting illumination than traditional halogen bulbs. They automatically turn on at dusk, and IntelliBeam activates the high beams when it determines that conditions are right. Front fog lights and daytime running lights are standard to boost visibility in rainy and cloudy weather, as are puddle lights to help you see the ground when getting in and out of the vehicle.
Driver Assistance Tech
General Motors has been a leader in advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) for over a decade, and the 2025 GMC Acadia is arguably the pinnacle of these efforts. The standard Assisted Driving Package includes eight important features that improve safety. Lane keeping assistance with lane departure warning helps keep you from drifting to the left or right on the road. Intersection automatic emergency braking applies the brakes if the system senses you’re about to drive into traffic. Enhanced automatic emergency braking provides additional braking force at speeds of 5 to 50 mph to prevent collisions. (This is also known as front pedestrian and bicyclist braking.)
Rear pedestrian alerts warn you if people are walking behind the vehicle as you’re backing up. Side bicyclist alert detects bike riders as they approach blind spots so you don’t turn or open a door into their path. HD Surround Vision provides a 360-degree view on the infotainment screen of what’s around your crossover SUV. Traffic sign recognition uses image processing to determine what signs are alongside the road in case you miss them. Active noise cancellation reduces how much road noise gets in the vehicle, so you have fewer distractions.
Yet that’s barely scratching the surface of the Acadia ADAS technology. Some of the other standard safety features on the 2025 Acadia include blind zone steering assistance, forward collision alerts with LED windshield reflectors, adaptive cruise control, a following distance indicator, trailer hitch guidance, rear cross-traffic braking and parking assistance, automatic reverse braking, and driver’s seat safety alerts with beeps or vibrations. You can add enhanced automatic parking assistance and driver drowsiness monitoring for further peace of mind. Anyone with a young, still-learning pilot will appreciate the Teen Driver mode, which automatically activates select safety systems using the provided key fob.
The pièce de résistance is the available GM Super Cruise. It uses a combination of cameras, GPS, and other sensors to semi-autonomously operate the vehicle on more than 300,000 miles of compatible U.S. roads. This includes automatic and turn-signal activated lane changes, and it works while towing. The system monitors whether the driver is paying attention and lets them know when they need to take over.
OnStar
OnStar was one of the original built-in vehicle safety programs, and it’s still going strong in 2025. Every 2025 Acadia comes with eight years of OnStar Basics, which provides automatic crash response and navigation assistance. You can add three years of OnStar One, a plan that includes roadside assistance for breakdowns, dispatching of safety services if you’re in a crash, and non-safety services like a Wi-Fi hotspot. You can receive them through the in-vehicle system or the OnStar Guardian mobile app.
Safety Without Compromise
Buyers interested in a three-row crossover SUV that emphasizes safety above all should consider the 2025 GMC Acadia. From well-designed occupant restraints and airbags to arguably the most comprehensive set of ADAS on the road today, it does everything you’ve thought of (and several things you haven’t) in the name of safety.
Add the stellar performance that comes from the 328-hp engine, Ride and Handling suspension, a 5,000-lb towing capacity, and heavy-duty cooling. Then factor in luxurious interior materials, a 15-inch infotainment screen with Google Built-in, and a Bose premium audio system. There’s no mistaking that the 2025 Acadia is an outstanding vehicle on all fronts. You’ll get to enjoy all the creature comforts you love and feel safe as you do, which is an ideal combination.
