Sophisticated, spacious, and packed with luxurious amenities. That’s how we’d best describe the 2018 GMC Acadia AWD Denali after spending time with it on the road. In particular, there are several aspects of the 2018 GMC Acadia Denali that really stood out for us. Here they are:
#1 It’s ideal for those prone to motion sickness
If you’re prone to getting car sick, the Acadia Denali is one of the best vehicles when it comes to providing a smooth, nausea free ride. Personally, I’m super sensitive to getting motion sickness. Yet, while seated in the Denali I never once got motion sickness – even while using my phone (as a passenger). The couple riding in the backseat, in one of the worst spots to sit when nausea might be an issue, were both comfortable, as well.
#2 It will BUZZ your backside – in a good way
The Acadia Denali comes with the Safety Alert Seat feature. This tech vibrates the driver’s seat to help warn the driver and avoid nasty collisions. It’s a rather startling, but also very effective way to stay safe, and our driver found it to be even more effective than traditional “beeping” alerts.
#3 It’s packed with useful tech
The Acadia Denali comes with plenty of options when it comes to tech. This includes everything from an 8” touchscreen infotainment display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto support, to a 4G LTE hotspot, and plenty of USB ports for charging multiple devices on the go.
#4 It’s roomy
Granted, we would expect nothing less from a Denali, but it’s still worth mentioning just how spacious and comfortable the interior of the Acadia Denali is. To that effect, we were able to fit 4 adults, two dogs, and lots of luggage inside for a weekend away, and everyone traveled comfortably – with plenty of legroom. Our only gripe is that if someone is seated in the third row, you lose a lot of space for luggage. With that said, the vehicle can fit a total of 7 people.
#5 It’s got some great amenities
The GMC Acadia Denali can be configured with not one, but two sunroofs. It also comes with keyless open and start, and a hands-free trunk. And not only are the front seats heated but so is the steering wheel and the second-row seats. The front seats can even be cooled using climate control.
#6 It’s pretty fuel efficient
For such a large vehicle, the Acadia Denali offers pretty impressive fuel economy – specifically, it offers 25 mpg on the highway (20 mpg combined). We made it from NYC to Newport, Rhode Island and back on a single tank with some gas left over.
#7 You can tow with it
While we didn’t get to try towing with the Acadia Denali, we have towed with the GMC Sierra Denali, and we expect that the Acadia Denali offers a similarly easy towing experience that even novices should be able to handle. To that effect, the Acadia Denali is capable of towing up to 4,000 LBS.
Overall, the 2018 GMC Acadia Denali is a sophisticated and luxurious mid-size SUV that doesn’t disappoint. The model we tested retails for $49,790. With that said, the 2019 GMC Acadia Denali has already been announced, but there haven’t been all that many changes to the 2019 model, so the 2018 Acadia Denali is still a solid choice.