•  GMC Acadia, 2013

GMC unveiled the new 2013 Acadia and Acadia Denali at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show, highlighting a new exterior and safety features including the industry's first front center air bag.

GMC Acadia, which launched in 2007 as GMC's first crossover and defined a segment that has since surged in popularity, had the best sales in its five-year history in 2011. The Denali model, added in mid-2010, broadened Acadia's appeal to luxury customers with its combination of functionality and style.

GMC Acadia retains the interior functionality popular with families, including the SmartSlide seating system, which allows easy access to the third row for both seven- and eight-passenger seating configurations. Likewise, both the second and third row still fold flat for class-leading maximum cargo space, including the ability to carry 48-inch-wide sheet goods, such as drywall and plywood.

Confident design
First impressions are everything, and the 2013 Acadia was developed to make a strong one. A chiseled, three-bar grille sits prominently in the new, more upright design.

Diffused LED running lamps lend a premium look to the GMC Acadia and are standard on all models, regardless of whether standard projector beam or optional HID headlamps are selected. New taillamp detailing reflects the advancements up front.

The new GMC Acadia gets other subtle exterior design updates, including wrap-around rear glass and a new rear spoiler. New 18-, 19- and 20-inch wheel patterns complement the vehicle's lines and stance.

The GMC Acadia's refined interior uses upgraded soft-touch materials, with French stitching that adds a tailored look and red ambient light flowing across the dashboard. SLT and Denali models get aluminum accents on the center console, doors and dash.

Industry-exclusive safety
The redesigned Acadia will be the first vehicle on the market with GMC's new front center air bag system, created to protect drivers and front passengers in far-side impact crashes where the affected occupant is on the opposite, non-struck side of the vehicle. It deploys from the inboard side of the driver's seat and positions itself between the driver and front passenger.

Standard on the GMC Acadia Denali and available on other models are Side Blind Zone Alert and Rear Cross Traffic Alert systems. These systems use radar to watch spots the driver may not be able to see - and provide visible and audible warnings to help prevent collisions.

Every GMC Acadia model also comes standard with six months of OnStar's Directions and Connections service, which includes automatic crash response, turn-by-turn navigation, roadside assistance, emergency services link and remote door unlocking. OnStar's RemoteLink smartphone app allows for remote vehicle status reports, extended locking and unlocking capability, and remote start functionality to distance limited only by cellular phone service, rather than the few hundred feet of the standard key fob.

Technology leader
The 2013 Acadia's redesigned infotainment functions feature capacitive touch controls that use electrodes to sense the conductive properties of objects such as the touch of a finger.

GMC's Color Touch Radio - first introduced on the 2012 Terrain - is standard in the GMC Acadia. Available IntelliLink allows customers to seamlessly integrate their smartphones for hands-free calling through the audio system and Bluetooth streaming of popular internet radio favorites Pandora and Stitcher. IntelliLink also allows voice control of USB-connected iPods for easy access to stored music.

Other audio system features include HD radio capability, a photo viewer and a standard rear-vision camera with dynamic guide lines that will display on the high-definition screen.

Mechanically, the 2013 Acadia benefits from a next-generation Hydra-Matic 6T70 six-speed automatic transmission with better shift response and improved drivability.

GMC Acadia's most-popular options, including rear-seat entertainment, a Dual SkyScape sunroof and a trailering package, continue to be available.

Exclusive Denali returns
GMC Acadia's popular top-of-the-line Denali trim represents 30 percent of sales, so a high priority was placed on adding premium amenities and refining Denali's signature design cues. New or redesigned exterior additions:
    New, three-dimensional polished grille
    Redesigned lower front and rear fascias
    Body-color lower cladding and rocker moldings, rear fascia and fender flares
    Unique body-side moldings with chrome accents and Denali badges
    Dual flow-through chrome exhaust outlets integrated into the rear fascia
    20-inch machined wheels

Inside, Denali adds standard comfort and safety features:
    Perforated leather seating and Denali-specific Cocoa Dune upholstery color
    Leather-wrapped steering wheel with wood inserts and power tilt/telescope
    Aluminum trim accents
    Heated and cooled front seats
    Accent lighting in footwells and lighted sill plates with Denali logo
    Color Touch navigation
    Side Blind Zone and Rear Cross Traffic Alert
    Dual SkyScape sunroof system, with sliding front sunroof and fixed rear section
    All-wheel drive

GMC capability
All 2013 GMC Acadia models are powered by a fuel-efficient, 3.6L direct injection V-6 with variable valve timing, producing 288 horsepower (215 kW) and 270 lb-ft (266 Nm) of torque. Front-wheel drive is standard, while the added control of all-wheel drive is available. Maximum towing capacity is 5,000 pounds (2268 kg).

The 2013 GMC Acadia and Acadia Denali built at the Lansing Delta Township Assembly Plant in Lansing, Mich. Pricing, availability and more details announced closer to the vehicle's on-sale date in late 2012.