phileaglesfan
Full Access Member
I have owned the three most common GMC SUVs so I'll compare the three here.
06 GMC Envoy Denali, 4WD, 5.3 V8 - Excellent vehicle! I had it for about 4 years. Averaged about 18-20mpg on the highway and about 14-15mpg around town. Tow rating is 6k, comfortable ride but is definitely not like a sedan. Does have low range transfer case. I had a water pump and front axle seal go out in almost 50k miles. Sold it for 50% of what I paid for it, not bad depreciation for a vehicle almost 4 years. Only carried 5 people, XL version was available until 2006.
10 GMC Acadia, AWD, only has a 3.6L V6 as the only engine. Rides more like a sedan. In my opinion it is underpowered by about 30-40 hp (had 280ish). I had it for about 4 days. I live in Utah at around 4300 feet. It needed to shift down to get over some of our overpasses on I-15 or the slightest hill. HUD feature was real nice as was the Xenon headlights. Carries 7 but I would hate to see what the engine power would be like with even 4 adults and 3 children. Third seat does fold flat and trunk area seems to be bigger than the regular Yukon. Averaged 18mpg on a 150 mile trip into the mountains (Envoy usually averaged 19mpg on same trip).
I talked to my dealer and said I didn't like the Acadia on the highway so he said I could trade it in providing it is for a vehicle on his lot. Generally cancel the deal on the Acadia and consider it an extended test drive (about 300 miles).
Initial quality was ok with the exception of door panel rattles (part was on order) and a spastic turn flasher (2010 was recalled for that problem).
Looked at a couple regular Yukons but the wife did not like the lack of room behind the 3rd seat. She then saw a white diamond XL Denali AWD with cashmere interior that she fell in love with. We have now owned it for 5000 miles and taken 2 long trips with it. Rides as comfortable as a sedan (with some added wind noise when it is windy of course). Storage behind 3rd row is not a problem and I have already used it for some hauling jobs (Garage cabinets, set of drums).
Averaged between 18-19.7 mpg on our trips. Not bad for almost a 6000 pound vehicle. I wish you could play a CD at the same time as the NAV and RSE but I plan on getting an IPOD. Xenon lights would have been nice but the regular lights are good on this vehicle. Having a HUD would be nice but I'm not missing it. Interior is better quality than the other two vehicles. Power is always there and it has no trouble with small hills. Quality of interior materials is definitely better on the Yukon Denali. The Acadia did cost $5k less. Envoy Denali was of course way cheaper, about $20k cheaper than the Yukon XL Denali. Range is amazing with the XL. Last night I was at the 450 mark with around 8 gallons left.
Initial quality has been great with the exception of a door panel rattle. It sounds like it is coming from the whole panel. Door feels like it shakes over bumps. I had to the dealer look at it but the rattle could not be heard but it was a Friday afternoon. I plan on taking it in again.
Salesman's pitch on "helping" people decide between the Acadia and Yukon was a question "Do you tow?" If so, it was the Yukon, if not the Acadia. I think that is a bad tactic because power is used more for then just towing. Gas mileage on the Acadia was supposedly 22 mpg highway. I did drive the Acadia down the interstate during the test drive but it was down the flat one, not the one with overpasses.
I did consider other vehicles but none really interest me enough to look at them in person due to some reason or another (Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, Navigator, Durango). Considered a Tahoe but the Chevy dealer's price was similiar to the Yukons with less options. Trade in on Envoy was also $2k less. I did look at the Escalade but trade was also $2k lower and the extended version stickered for $12k more than the Yukon Denali. I was not too crazy about most of the Cadillac dealers shutting down since there is only supposed to be 1 or 2 in the Salt Lake City area next year. They are trying to be more like Lexus or MB, big mistake.
I definitely loss all interest in the Acadia though. I don't care if it does get a couple MPG more and has similiar interior room to the non XL Yukon. The tranny got too much of a workout just with the slightest hill. Lack of engine bay room in front of the driver concerns me with the Acadia. No concern with the Yukon. With the Acadia they didn't have room for the battery, with the Yukon you can probably throw another engine in there.
I just hope a few people that don't plan on towing read this before they talk to the dealer. I received the same sales pitch by both GMC and Chevy dealers.
06 GMC Envoy Denali, 4WD, 5.3 V8 - Excellent vehicle! I had it for about 4 years. Averaged about 18-20mpg on the highway and about 14-15mpg around town. Tow rating is 6k, comfortable ride but is definitely not like a sedan. Does have low range transfer case. I had a water pump and front axle seal go out in almost 50k miles. Sold it for 50% of what I paid for it, not bad depreciation for a vehicle almost 4 years. Only carried 5 people, XL version was available until 2006.
10 GMC Acadia, AWD, only has a 3.6L V6 as the only engine. Rides more like a sedan. In my opinion it is underpowered by about 30-40 hp (had 280ish). I had it for about 4 days. I live in Utah at around 4300 feet. It needed to shift down to get over some of our overpasses on I-15 or the slightest hill. HUD feature was real nice as was the Xenon headlights. Carries 7 but I would hate to see what the engine power would be like with even 4 adults and 3 children. Third seat does fold flat and trunk area seems to be bigger than the regular Yukon. Averaged 18mpg on a 150 mile trip into the mountains (Envoy usually averaged 19mpg on same trip).
I talked to my dealer and said I didn't like the Acadia on the highway so he said I could trade it in providing it is for a vehicle on his lot. Generally cancel the deal on the Acadia and consider it an extended test drive (about 300 miles).
Initial quality was ok with the exception of door panel rattles (part was on order) and a spastic turn flasher (2010 was recalled for that problem).
Looked at a couple regular Yukons but the wife did not like the lack of room behind the 3rd seat. She then saw a white diamond XL Denali AWD with cashmere interior that she fell in love with. We have now owned it for 5000 miles and taken 2 long trips with it. Rides as comfortable as a sedan (with some added wind noise when it is windy of course). Storage behind 3rd row is not a problem and I have already used it for some hauling jobs (Garage cabinets, set of drums).
Averaged between 18-19.7 mpg on our trips. Not bad for almost a 6000 pound vehicle. I wish you could play a CD at the same time as the NAV and RSE but I plan on getting an IPOD. Xenon lights would have been nice but the regular lights are good on this vehicle. Having a HUD would be nice but I'm not missing it. Interior is better quality than the other two vehicles. Power is always there and it has no trouble with small hills. Quality of interior materials is definitely better on the Yukon Denali. The Acadia did cost $5k less. Envoy Denali was of course way cheaper, about $20k cheaper than the Yukon XL Denali. Range is amazing with the XL. Last night I was at the 450 mark with around 8 gallons left.
Initial quality has been great with the exception of a door panel rattle. It sounds like it is coming from the whole panel. Door feels like it shakes over bumps. I had to the dealer look at it but the rattle could not be heard but it was a Friday afternoon. I plan on taking it in again.
Salesman's pitch on "helping" people decide between the Acadia and Yukon was a question "Do you tow?" If so, it was the Yukon, if not the Acadia. I think that is a bad tactic because power is used more for then just towing. Gas mileage on the Acadia was supposedly 22 mpg highway. I did drive the Acadia down the interstate during the test drive but it was down the flat one, not the one with overpasses.
I did consider other vehicles but none really interest me enough to look at them in person due to some reason or another (Audi Q7, Volvo XC90, Navigator, Durango). Considered a Tahoe but the Chevy dealer's price was similiar to the Yukons with less options. Trade in on Envoy was also $2k less. I did look at the Escalade but trade was also $2k lower and the extended version stickered for $12k more than the Yukon Denali. I was not too crazy about most of the Cadillac dealers shutting down since there is only supposed to be 1 or 2 in the Salt Lake City area next year. They are trying to be more like Lexus or MB, big mistake.
I definitely loss all interest in the Acadia though. I don't care if it does get a couple MPG more and has similiar interior room to the non XL Yukon. The tranny got too much of a workout just with the slightest hill. Lack of engine bay room in front of the driver concerns me with the Acadia. No concern with the Yukon. With the Acadia they didn't have room for the battery, with the Yukon you can probably throw another engine in there.
I just hope a few people that don't plan on towing read this before they talk to the dealer. I received the same sales pitch by both GMC and Chevy dealers.
