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GMC Acadia Returning to Larger Format in 2024

2012 GMC Acadia
Photo: GMC
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Daniel Rufiange
Camouflaged versions seen testing the next version confirm it

•    The next-gen GMC Acadia will return to its former, larger size, as per comments made by GM.

•    The current-generation Acadia is shorter by 8 inches and narrower by 3 inches than the model it replaced.

•    GM’s comments also indicate the new vintage of the model will be ready for 2024.

When GMC unveiled the current generation of the Acadia in 2016, we discovered a shrunken model Specifically, it was shorter by 8 inches and narrower by 3 inches. 

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2020 GMC Acadia AT4
2020 GMC Acadia AT4
Photo: V.Aubé

The current Acadia still has its three rows, but it is no longer the near-identical twin of the Chevrolet Traverse and Buick Enclave. Now, for the next generation scheduled for 2024, it seems the SUV will return to its former dimensions. 

The camouflaged versions seen in testing certainly seem to confirm comments made at Monday's investor day by GM  president Mark Reuss. In off-the-cuff conversations, he is reported to have confirmed that the GMC Acadia is going to evolve, its dimensions once again approaching those of the Chevrolet Traverse.

“It's going to be a little bit bigger than the old Acadia, so it's a big transformation for GMC and its market share,” he reportedly added that the new generation will be “a little bigger than the old Acadia, so it’s a big transformation for GMC and its part of the market.” 

What’s behind this about-face? In 2016, shortly after the smaller Acadia was introduced, it was understood that GMC was planning a larger, more-rugged SUV to replace it, based on the Canyon pickup. However, the project was reportedly dropped in 2018, leaving a significant gap between the Acadia and the Yukon, the brand's full-size SUV. A new, longer Acadia would stand apart better from the smaller Terrain SUV, too. 

What remains to be seen is when the new GMC Acadia will be introduced. Aesthetically, we can imagine a model borrowing the new Canyon pickup's signature look, as well as a completely redesigned interior, perhaps on the new model of the full-size offerings. 

Mechanically, we'll have to see. It's safe to assume that the base engine, a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder offering 228 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque, would not be part of a larger Acadia. The 3.6L V6 would certainly be back. We could also see GM's 2.7L turbocharged 4-cylinder under the hood. Widely used across the automakers’ lineups, that engine can offer up to 310 hp and 430 lb-ft of torque. 

Stay tuned. 

Daniel Rufiange
Daniel Rufiange
Automotive expert
  • Over 17 years' experience as an automotive journalist
  • More than 75 test drives in the past year
  • Participation in over 250 new vehicle launches in the presence of the brand's technical specialists