60 | AUSTRALIAN NEW CAR & SUV BUYER’S GUIDE
THINGS WE LIKE
Sharp price, well equipped
Roomiest cabin and cargo hold in
the class
Good connectivity and infotainment
Perky V6
Long list of safety tech
Tow bar hitch standard (just add
neck and ball)THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT LIKE
Interior is well put together but a
little plain
Petrol still thirstier than diesel in
most situations
Space-saver spare tyre not ideal
Steering wheel can wriggle under
hard acceleration
SPEX (LT)
Made in the USA
3.6-litre V6/nine-speed auto/front-
wheel drive
231kW of power at 6600rpm/367Nm
of torque at 5000rpm
0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds
6.9L/100km highway; 12.5L/100km
city; 91 octane; CO² emissions
209gkm
Warranty: Five years/unlimited km
Max towing weight 2000kg
S tandard: Seven airbags, stability
control, autonomous emergency
braking, blind spot monitoring,
lane keeping assist, speed sign
recognition, rear cross traffi c alert,
navigation, Apple CarPlay, Android
Auto, digital radio, three-zone air
Redbook future values: 3yr: 46%;
5yr: 27%compare with ...
Ford Everest, Kia Sorento, Hyundai
Santa Fe, Mazda CX9, Nissan
Pathfi nder, Toyota KlugerI
f you own a Ford Territory and
don’t know what to buy next,
it could be time to consider a
Holden. In the same way the
Territory once wowed the
locals, this bold box-shaped
seven-seater is Holden’s fi rst
fair-dinkum attempt at a family
freighter that’s car-like to drive.
As you may have guessed from
the design, it comes from the
USA, where it is sold as a GMC
and competes with the Toyota
Kluger, Mazda CX-9 and Nissan
Pathfi nder. The Acadia has more
cabin and cargo room than any
other vehicle in its class even
though its footprint and external
dimensions are slightly smaller
than the Mazda and Nissan.
Under the bonnet is the
biggest and most powerful
petrol engine in the class — a
3.6-litre V6 — matched to a
nine-speed auto. There are
three Acadia models — LT,
LTZ and LTZ-V — starting from
$43,490, $53,490 drive-away and
$63,490 respectively in front-
wheel-drive format. All-wheel
drive adds $4000.
This sharp pricing means
Holden undercuts its main rivals
by between $1000 and $3000
despite being better equipped.
All models come with
autonomous emergency
braking, rear-view camera,
rear cross-traffi c alert, blind
zone warning, lane keeping
assistance, forward crash alert
and a surprisingly effective
speed sign recognition camera.
Comfort and convenience
items include a sensor key
with push button start, built-
in navigation, Apple Car Play,
Android Auto, digital radio, and
three-zone air-conditioning.
A tow bar and seven-pin plug
are already fi tted, tucked neatly
behind the rear bumper on all
models. Just add the neck and
tow ball. All grades have a space-
saver spare tyre stashed in the
rear cargo hold, however it’s a
chore to access.The large glass area gives the
Acadia excellent visibility in all
directions. There is ample storage
in the centre console, glove box
and door pockets. Extendable sun
visors block side glare.
The middle row has a handy
slide-out storage tray under the
centre console, above which are
air-conditioning controls and two
USB ports — in addition to three
power sources up front and two
in the cargo hold. Legroom and
shoulder room in the middle row
are class-leading.
Access to the third row is
done by tilting and sliding
the second-row seat; there’s
enough room for an adult to
squeeze through. In the back
stalls, my 178cm frame fi tted
reasonably comfortably.
The 3.6-litre V6 is perky by class
standards; 0 to 100km/h in 7.2
seconds as tested.
Even on gentle throttle the
Acadia wants to get up and go,
though it’s not over-sensitive.
Compared with a turbodiesel, or
four-cylinder turbopetrol, it is
Safety
Not yet rated
PerformanceHandlingQuality and reliabilityComfort and refi nementValue for money
Overall
STARS
thirsty, though. At least it runs
on regular unleaded.
Having ample power on tap
means the front tyres can struggle
to fi nd grip if you fl oor the throttle,
prompting the steering wheel to
wriggle in your hands. The Acadia
is not alone in this regard and you
soon adjust your driving style.
The 18-inch wheel and tyre
package on the LT and LTZ is the
most comfortable over bumps
and the steering is smooth and
accurate. However, the all-terrain
rubber doesn’t have quite as
much grip in tight bends as some
other similarly sized SUVs. The
fl agship LTZ-V is better in corners
thanks to its road-biased 20-inch
wheels and low profi le tyres, but
it’s a touch busier over bumps.
Overall, the Acadia is a
handsome, roomy, well-
equipped, sharply priced seven-
seater that’s also decent to drive.By Joshua DowlingHOLDEN ACADIA FROM $43,490