From exploring the pink granite shores of Otter Cliffs and biking the network of carriage trails to watching the sunrise at the summit of Cadillac Mountain, Maine’s Acadia National Park offers a unique landscape steeped in both history and natural beauty. It’s little wonder that Acadia is one of the most-visited national parks in the United States, and even less surprising that GMC would seek to borrow the name to grace one of its crossover SUVs. Built for just the sort of family-friendly adventure that the national park is known for, the 2025 GMC Acadia is just as much at home navigating its namesake as it is making the trip up I-95.
While the Acadia was briefly converted into a midsize model between 2017 and 2023, GMC returned the SUV to its full-size roots for 2024. Leveraging the same wheelbase as the GMC Yukon, the new version of the Acadia provides spacious seating for up to seven passengers and nearly 100 cu.ft. of cargo capacity. Add in a host of new tech features and a powerful new engine that allows the Acadia to up its towing capacity to 5,000 lbs, and it’s easy to see why there’s been so much buzz around the third-generation model.
With three intriguing trims to choose from, there’s an Acadia for every type of driver. The Elevation trim packs some significant value, allowing drivers to enjoy a roomy full-size SUV without breaking the bank. The AT4 trim adds more than a little off-road utility to the mix, packing GMC’s Active Torque Control all-wheel drive system, underbody skid plates, a Terrain drive mode, and a lifted suspension that’s designed for off-the-grid fun. The Denali is the most luxurious trim, packing comfort, convenience, and style features that’ll make every drive opulent. Let’s take a brief tour of the 2025 Acadia and see if GMC’s willingness to take a few risks and reimagine its popular SUV has paid off.
Cabin Space
Three-row SUVs have supplanted the minivan to become the go-to vehicle for busy families, but not all three-row models are created equal. The second-generation Acadia was available with seven-passenger seating but came standard as a six-passenger model; GMC has improved upon this setup for the Acadia’s third generation, making a seven-passenger seating configuration the norm across every trim. Those seven will also enjoy plenty of head and legroom thanks to a growth spurt that saw the SUV’s wheelbase extend by a noticeable 10.6 inches and add 3.2 inches of height. How does this all play out in terms of passenger comfort?
Front-row passengers will enjoy 2.6 inches of additional headroom, 3.3 inches of legroom, and almost three extra inches of shoulder room, while second-row passengers gain 3.3 inches of shoulder room and an extra 5.1 inches of hip room. That last figure should make a big difference when it comes to allowing adult passengers to settle in, improving the riding experience on longer trips, and allowing the Acadia to serve as a true family-size SUV. The 2025 Acadia’s 2-2-3 configuration includes front bucket seats, second-row fold-flat captain’s chairs, and a 60/40-split bench seat in the third row—a noticeable upgrade over the two-passenger third row that came standard on the second-gen model.
Cargo Space
Increased cargo room might represent the third-generation Acadia’s most significant upgrade. Expanding the three-row SUV’s cabin has allowed GMC to provide a spacious interior that’s perfect for everything from camping equipment and sports gear to building materials and more than enough groceries to feed the whole family. The automaker hasn’t just increased the cabin’s dimensions; it’s also utilized the space more thoughtfully, adding some handy cubby storage and swapping out the shifter button panel for a new column-mounted shifter that makes for a less cluttered cockpit. That said, it’s the rear cargo area that’s seen the most notable improvement.
The third-gen Acadia boasts 36% more cargo room behind the second row and a massive 80% more behind the third row. In terms of raw numbers, the 2025 Acadia features 97.5 cu.ft. of maximum cargo capacity compared to 79 cu.ft. for the second-gen version—a 20% improvement that could make all the difference when it comes to squeezing in some extra gear or luggage for your next family road trip. With so much extra space, the 2025 Acadia is almost like a whole new model; this transformation speaks to GMC’s ability to forecast consumer demands and respond to changing trends within the dynamic SUV market.
Performance
GMC simplified the Acadia’s powertrain as it unveiled the SUV’s third generation, but “simple” certainly doesn’t mean “less powerful.” While the second-gen model gave drivers the option to choose between a 228-hp turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and an optional 3.6-liter V6 packing 310 hp, the 2025 model goes an entirely different route. The introduction of a turbocharged 2.5-liter inline-four engine gives the Acadia the ability to churn out 328 hp and 326 lb-ft of torque with ease. This setup allows the Acadia to quickly accelerate to highway speed and provide a crisp, satisfying response every time you step on the gas.
If you’re looking to put the Acadia to work by hooking up a boat, trailer, or RV, you’ll be happy to learn that the new turbocharged 2.5-liter ups the SUV’s towing capacity by a considerable margin when compared to the last generation. The 2023 model topped out at 4,000 lbs, but the 2025 Acadia boasts a maximum capacity of 5,000 lbs when equipped with the optional towing package. The crossover’s ample torque should also come in handy when you’re faced with challenging road conditions or when you decide to venture off-road for a little backwoods adventure in the unique AT4 trim. Equipped with a tuned suspension, skid plates, and GMC’s Active Torque Control all-wheel drive, the AT4 is the Acadia at its most rugged.
Technology
The third-gen GMC Acadia is more tech-forward than ever, giving it an important advantage in a market that’s increasingly focused on the latest and greatest in advanced entertainment, safety, and convenience features. The second-gen Acadia’s undersized 8.0-inch infotainment screen is gone, replaced with a massive 15.0-inch touchscreen display that makes navigation a breeze. The vertically-oriented display should be familiar to any driver who is comfortable with their tablet computer, offering a handy interface, crisp graphics, and plenty of room to view all your apps and settings. Paired with voice activation, Android Auto/Apple CarPlay, and Google Built-In, the display marks a significant improvement over the second-gen model’s aging infotainment system.
GMC has also graced the Acadia with an 11.0-inch digital gauge cluster, which, while not outside the norm for many of today’s premium vehicles, isn’t usually offered as a standard feature. Elsewhere, the prior eight-speaker audio system has been replaced with an impressive 12-speaker Bose system that provides a high-fidelity listening experience while you’re on the road. A speed-sensitive volume control feature automatically adjusts the stereo while you drive, enhancing the listening experience and freeing you from the distraction of having to fiddle with the controls.
Redesigning a GMC Favorite
GMC went back to the drawing board to redesign the third-generation Acadia, and the results speak for themselves. While the midsize version offered some benefits in terms of fuel economy, the decision to shift to a full-size design positions the 2025 model as the perfect choice for busy families, hard-working trade pros, and those who value the sort of capability and cargo space the Acadia can offer. Boasting a seven-passenger seating capacity and up to 80% more cargo room than the second-gen version, the Acadia is more spacious than ever before.
The extra half-ton of towing capacity should go a long way toward upping the Acadia’s utility, giving drivers a chance to bring along any gear or equipment they might need for a long day on the job or an end-of-the-week adventure. GMC has almost doubled the size of the Acadia’s touchscreen infotainment system, delivering a system that’s both feature-packed and easier to navigate. It’s a return to form for the Acadia and one that proves GMC has a finger on the pulse of current automotive trends.
