The second-generation GMC Acadia was introduced for the 2017 model year, with a mid-cycle refresh applied for the 2020 model year. Now, the latest 2021 GMC Acadia is due to bring a few minor changes and updates, including a new urethane steering wheel for certain trims, which will replace the leather steering wheel equipped previously on 2020-model-year vehicles.
2020 GMC Acadia Denali pictured here.
As GM Authority has uncovered, the two lowest trim levels for the 2021 GMC Acadia (SL and SLE) will come equipped with a new urethane steering wheel, which arrives as a replacement for the leather steering wheel equipped on 2020-model-year vehicles.
This change appears to be a cost-saving measure intended to pay for the new GMC Pro Safety Plus Package, which is equipped as standard on SLE, SLT, and AT4 trim levels. For 2020-model-year vehicles, the GMC Pro Safety Plus Package was not available on SLE models, but rather was only available on SLT and AT4 trims.
As such, this latest change means the 2021 GMC Acadia will in fact offer three different steering wheel types, as outlined in the table here:
| RPO Code | Steering Wheel | SL | SLE | SLT | AT4 | Denali |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N3R | Urethane steering wheel with mounted audio and cruise controls | x | x | |||
| NP5 | Leather-wrapped with mounted audio and cruise controls | x | ||||
| N30 | Leather-wrapped with steering wheel mounted audio and cruise controls | x | x1 |
- Denali-specific wheel
Note that the steering wheel equipped on 2021 GMC Acadia Denali differs from the wheel in the 2021 GMC Acadia AT4 in that the Denali wheel features burnished aluminum trim, plus the Denali script below the GMC logo on the horn pad.
Further changes and updates for the 2021 GMC Acadia include the addition of three new exterior colors, including Midnight Blue Metallic, Cayenne Red Tintcoat, and Hunter Metallic, with Hunter Metallic offered only on the Denali trim level. Furthermore, the latest Acadia comes with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto as standard across all trim levels.
Is the addition of a new urethane steering wheel for lower trim levels a deal breaker for the new 2021 GMC Acadia? Let us know by voting in the poll, and make sure to subscribe to GM Authority for more GMC Acadia news, GMC news, and around-the-clock GM news coverage.
Comments
That’s professional grade. Save a buck, dilute the brand even more. Outside the Sierra and Yukon GMC is trash anyways. Just some phoned in below average crossovers.
It’s amazing how they can only get the Yukon right, Sierra partially right.
I don’t really like this any more than you, but GM has to cut costs to stay afloat amid the pandemic fallout. GM reported the smallest loses for Q2, relative to FCA and Ford. The money has to come from somewhere.
Remember 2008-2009? Cut costs right into bankruptcy.
Bingo! This is what Bob Lutz fought against when he was at GM. Now they are right back to the same old GM trying to save a buck. Its the most touched item on a vehicle and GM’s game plan is lets go as cheap as possible. Sounds like a good strategy.
How comical. This is supposed to be the higher end stuff and two trim levels in we get cheap plastic steering wheels! Worse you probably won’t even be able to option it up that way. They pulled the same stunt on the 2021 overpriced Blazer where L, 1LT and 2LT trims all now have plastic wheels and worse you can’t option up to a leather wheel unless you move up to the 40K on up 3LT, RS and pricey Premier versions. I can understand the cheapest trim level models but come on!!!!
That is false, the Blazer leather wrap steering wheel comes as part of the convenience and driver confidence package, which 95% of Blazer’s you will find on the lot will have. This change is the exact same thing, the take rate for vehicles that will have that option will be so low very few buyers will actually notice it.
Nobody:
GMC: you know, I’m a bit of a retard myself.
Nothing but junk I have had mine in the shop more then I have drove it. They just dont care as long as they are making money yhe hell with the consumer. They shoukd have let them shut down.
Who cares about a stupid steering wheel? Yes the leather is nice but how about all the fake shiny plastic that every manufacturer uses on the wheel? No if the steering wheel was going from wood to plastic I would complain… But fake leather to urethane isn’t that big of a difference because the only cars your getting genuine leather steering wheels in is Cadillac, Lincoln, BMW high end cars that cost more then an GMC Acadia! As for me I like vinyl, plastic and urethane in a car it’s easy to clean and it sure beats the old 1990’s rubber steering wheels that can still be found in GM’s full size vans… Those steering wheels are the worst cheap rubber over foam that turns into a soft mush where you place your hands to drive the most… I will take urethane over my Rubbermaid wheel please!