Bay Harbour: April 17, 2019

Wednesday April 17 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
BAY HARBOUR
PAGE 19
Holden’s big Acadia – born in the US
Motoring
Ross Kiddie
A STICKER with the message
“proudly built in Tennessee” is
something you don’t see often
on new vehicles sold in New
Zealand.
Sure, there have been a smattering
of US-built cars available
for NZ buyers, but they are few
and far between. However, there’s
a newcomer on the block, and
it represents much of the way
we view US cars, the seven-seat
Acadia is here and it’s big and
bold.
The Acadia is a large sport utility
vehicle that comes out of the
GMC stable, GMC is an off-shoot
of the giant General Motors conglomerate
that focuses primarily
on trucks and pick-ups. However,
the Acadia distances itself from
the ute market, it is built on a sophisticated
monocoque floorpan
with fully independent suspension,
lending itself to a refined
SUV which targets Toyota’s Highlander
as its main competition.
Under the bonnet sits a 3.6-litre
V6 petrol engine which is rated at
231kW and 367Nm, these healthy
outputs are realised tall in the rev
band at 6600rpm and 5000rpm
respectively. If you think these figures
look familiar, it’s pretty much
the same power plant that is fitted
to the range-topping ZB-series
Commodore. The Acadia also gets
the same transmission, it’s a ninespeed
unit that is characterised
by smooth shifts and ratios which
ease the load on the engine so that
respectable fuel economy can be
gleaned.
Because of its size, and weight
(2032kg), the Acadia needs as
much benefit in this department
as it can get. Holden rate it with
a 9.3-litre per 100km (30mpg)
combined cycle rating. By my
reckoning that’s achievable, the
test car was constantly listing
around 10.8l/100km (26mpg),
taking into consideration I did
a lot of around the city driving
which is never conducive to good
economy results.
On the highway the engine
lopes over gently at 1500rpm
at 100km/h in top gear, using
fuel at an instantaneous rate of
7.8l/100km (36mpg).
The Acadia is also a useful offthe-seal
traveller. It lands in both
two-wheel-drive and four-wheeldrive
variants. The test car was the
top spec – LTZ-V, and although
the driveline won’t get to places a
low ratio set-up will take you, the
HOLDEN ACADIA: Two or four-wheel-drive options.
mechanicals are perfect for low
grip situations such as the skifield
access road, tackling the tracks
leading into those high country
lakes, or taking the boat to the slipway.
For the record, the Acadia has
a 2000kg tow rating and a 203mm
ground clearance figure.
It also travels with compliant
suspension travel. Unlike US
vehicles of the past which have
been quite soft in the suspension,
the Acadia’s spring and damper
rates are definitely biased towards
moderate firming, yet comfort
isn’t compromised.
Pushed into a corner there is
just enough steering feel thanks to
beautiful Continental sport tyres,
and they are big at 235/55 x 20in.
There is a lot of rubber on the
road and that promotes a secure
feeling of attachment.
Power out of a corner is vivid.
The quad-camshaft engine is a
howler, it works through the rev
band freely but you don’t have to
have it singing to the red line to
get performance, the torque curve
is just broad enough so that it
utilises the mid-range.
However, if you like to have it
breathing freely for a highway
overtake for example, it hunts to
the red line willingly, there was
never a point where I thought
the wrong gear was selected, the
way it arranges those nine ratios
is very clever. On the subject of
performance, the Acadia buyer
can expect a standstill to 100km/h
time of around 7.8sec.
As mentioned, the Acadia
lands here in three specification
levels, each with the option of
four-wheel-drive. The entry-level
model lands at $49,990, while the
test car with its high grade trim
and 4WD sits at $71,990. For
that money it is comprehensively
• Price – Holden Acadia
LTZ-V, $71,990
• Dimensions – Length,
4979mm; width, 1916mm;
height, 1762mm
• Configuration – V6,
four-wheel-drive, 3649cc,
231kW, 367Nm, ninespeed
automatic.
• Performance –
0-100km/h, 7.8sec
• Fuel usage – 9.3l/100km
equipped – and you’d expect
nothing less. It is very American
in the way it is trimmed and
it does get all the latest safety
technology that comes out of the
General Motors’ stable.
The Acadia makes no pretence
that it is genuinely American, its
styling is designed to capture attention,
and the luxury feel inside
takes me back to the best vehicles
that have come out of the States in
terms of build quality and comfort.
However, the Acadia also gets
the benefit of the down under
input. Prior to its release it was
tested vigorously across the Tasman
for our market. That development
shows, it is an involving,
spirited car that feels very good
to be in.
The Acadia won’t be for everyone,
but for those who want the
benefit of huge interior space and
strong engine performance, it’s
there in a part of market where
buyers don’t have comprehensive
choice.