2011 Gmc Acadia Denali Sport Utility 4-door 3.6l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2015 GMC Yukon Denali

Automotive enthusiasts often wonder aloud - ourselves included - why General Motors would choose to keep GMC while sending Pontiac (and Saturn, and even Oldsmobile before it) into the great automotive graveyard in the sky. The answer, as is so often the case, is profit. It's much easier for GM to rake in money hand over fist by rejiggering the trucks, crossovers and SUVs that it would already be developing for Chevrolet and making them a bit more luxurious and *ahem* "Professional Grade" with new grilles, badges and unique packaging for GMC.
While it may sound like we're being cynical, we totally approve of GM's fullsize SUV strategy. The least-expensive way to get into the fold is with the Chevrolet Tahoe, which starts at $45,595 with a 5.3-liter V8 engine and a cloth interior. Bumping that same Chevy to LTZ trim and its $59,995 sticker price lands a much nicer leather-clad interior and more techno-bells and whistles than you can shake a stick at. But it still looks like a Tahoe, and it still comes with the smaller 5.3-liter engine. Or, you could do what we'd do: Walk into your GMC dealer and take a look at the Yukon Denali. Here's why.
Driving Notes

2013 GMC Acadia priced from $34,875*

For those who are interested in the reworked 2013 GMC Acadia, we now know how much you can look forward to forking over. Base MSRP for the 2013 version of the full-size, three-row crossover has been set at $34,875 (*not including a $825 destination charge). If you are interested in the range-topping Denali trim, be prepared to pay $46,770.
The 2013 Acadia will come standard with a backup camera, leather-wrapped steering wheel, USB port and recycled visuals from the now-dead Saturn Outlook.
Upping to the Denali trim gets you a head-up display, blind spot monitoring system and GMC's new Rear Cross Traffic Alert system. According to GMC, most trims will also receive IntelliLink connectivity as standard equipment. The Acadia will also get the industry's first front-center airbag, an innovation it shares with other Lambda-based crossovers like the refreshed 2013 Buick Enclave. The idea behind the new tube-shaped airbag is that it can provide a buffer between driver and front seat passenger in the event of an impact, or better hold the driver in place if he or she is alone.

GM's fullsize SUVs boost highway mileage by nearly 10 percent

We met the redesigned 2015 versions of the Chevrolet Suburban and Tahoe, and the GMC Yukon and Yukon XL at the 2013 LA Auto Show. Improved gas mileage numbers have been announced to go along with the improved exteriors and interiors, with city mileage improving by seven percent and highway mileage going up by nearly ten percent; you'll now get 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highway.
The only applies to models with the 5.3-liter engine, though, not the premium Yukon Denali and Yukon XL Denali SUVs with the 6.2-liter motor. Still, the 5.3 gets you more power than previously, with 355 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque underfoot, on top of the improved fuel economy numbers. The 6.2-liter sticks with official mpg ratings of 15 highway, 21 city. There's a brief press release below with words straight from the horse's mouth.