HOLDEN ACADIA LTZ-V
Loaded with features and acres of space
The Holden Acadia is considered a mid-sized SUV in the USA (badged as a GMC Acadia), however there certainly isn’t anything midsized about it here in Aus. Its American heritage is easy to spot with its bold presence that certainly does draw attention to those unfamiliar with its lines.
Our review Acadia is the LTZ-V 2WD trim, which means bar some paint options, there isn’t much else you can add to the car that isn’t included
as standard. The only model that sits higher is the allwheel-drive (AWD) version of the LTZ-V.
On the outside you have 20-inch alloy wheels, a 2,000kg towing capacity, HID headlights for a super bright white and an automatic tailgate which can be height adjusted simply by using a dial in the drivers door.
Stepping inside and the full-size of the Acadia can be appreciated with the leather-wrapped seats, generous centre console and miles of legroom. Air vents in the roof pumping A/C into the 2nd and 3rd rows for passengers and a dual-panel sunroof mean that whether it is a long road trip or the daily taxi duties, you won’t hear many complaints about lack of room or comfort.
As already mentioned, the standard features list is long really long - and includes keyless access, 8-inch colour display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three-zone climate control, USB ports in all three rows, GPS navigation and 360-degree surround camera.
Standard safety features include autonomous emergency braking, follow distance indicator, automatic high beam assist, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alert, rear parking sensors and adaptive cruise control.
Each of these safety systems helps make the huge footprint of the Acadia disappear once out on the road. Steering is light and responsive and the 3.6-litre petrol V6 pulls nicely from a standstill and when overtaking on the highway.
Even though the Acadia is imported from the USA, Holden Australia spent a lot of time doing a cumulative 1.5 million kilometres of local testing and tuning to ensure that our way of life on the road works and feels like it should here. After our 1700km’s in the driver seat we can attest to the ride quality, feel and capability.
Even with its size, and V6 petrol engine, fuel economy was surprisingly modest at 11.1L/100km in our mixed highway and Brisbane CBD driving.
Warranty wise it is a five-year/unlimited-kilometre affair and servicing is every 12 months or 12,000km.
With no help from a mixture of confusing messaging, and misconception about Holden in Australia, its cars have fallen out of consideration for many. This leaves the Holden Acadia, which is a superb and competitive offering, off the shopping list for many. It’s time to add it back to the list of contenders.